Family Unification Program (FUP) | Apply Online

Family Unification Program (FUP) Grant Opportunity FAQs (HUD)

1) What is the Family Unification Program (FUP) in this grant opportunity?

The Family Unification Program (FUP) is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant opportunity that provides Housing Choice Voucher assistance tied specifically to child welfare needs. It is designed to prevent family separation and support eligible young adults transitioning out of foster care by addressing housing instability as the key barrier.

2) What problem is FUP intended to solve for families involved with child welfare?

The core purpose is to remove inadequate housing as the reason a child is placed into out-of-home care or kept from returning home. If a family is at risk of losing a child primarily because they cannot secure adequate housing, FUP vouchers can provide the housing stability needed to keep the family together. If a child is already in out-of-home care and cannot be discharged back to the family due to housing issues, FUP can help eliminate that barrier to reunification.

3) Who can be served through FUP under this opportunity?

Based on the description provided, FUP serves two main groups:

• Families involved with child welfare where housing is the main factor leading to a child’s potential removal or preventing a child’s reunification.
• Eligible youth transitioning out of foster care who meet the program’s age and foster care history requirements and lack adequate housing.

4) What are the eligibility requirements for youth under FUP?

Youth can qualify if they are at least 18 years old and not more than 21 years old (meaning they have not reached their 22nd birthday), left foster care at age 16 or older, and do not have adequate housing.

5) Is there a time limit on voucher assistance for eligible youth?

Yes. For the youth category, any FUP voucher issued to an eligible youth can only be used to provide housing assistance for a maximum of 18 months.

6) Why is youth assistance limited to 18 months?

The time-limited assistance is described as a stabilizing bridge during the transition to adulthood, while supportive services help the youth move toward longer-term independence.

7) What type of funding opportunity is this?

This was offered as a discretionary grant under HUD’s housing funding activity category, with a grant as the funding instrument type.

8) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is FR 5432 N 01.

9) When was this opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?

• Posting date: September 30, 2009
• Creation date: September 30, 2009
• Application deadline: December 3, 2009
• Archive date: December 8, 2009

10) How much total funding did HUD estimate for this competition?

HUD estimated total funding at $14,600,000.

11) Was cost-sharing or matching required to apply?

No. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute a matching share of funds as a condition of applying.

12) Who was eligible to apply for this grant?

Eligible applicants were Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). The notice emphasized that applicants were not just any PHA; PHAs needed to demonstrate experience with FUP or similar programs and also have resources for supportive services.

13) What experience did PHAs need to demonstrate?

The notice emphasized that PHAs should demonstrate experience with FUP or similar programs.

14) What supportive services expectations were included for applicants?

The announcement emphasized that PHAs needed to have resources for supportive services, reflecting that vouchers alone are not the full intervention and that supportive services are part of the model.

15) Is a partnership with a child welfare agency required?

Yes. A key eligibility and verification requirement was a formal partnership with a Public Child Welfare Agency (PCWA).

16) What documentation was required to formalize the PHA-PCWA partnership?

The PHA and the PCWA had to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) consistent with the NOFA requirements referenced in the announcement (Section III.C.2.f of the FY 2009 FUP NOFA).

17) Why does FUP require coordination between housing and child welfare?

The program relies on coordination so that housing assistance and supportive services work together toward preventing foster care entry, speeding reunification, and stabilizing youth exiting care.

18) Where could applicants find application materials or instructions?

The listing referenced an additional information link directing users to a "Step One Download An Application" webpage for application materials and instructions.

19) Who could be contacted for help accessing the full announcement?

HUD provided contacts for assistance, including Stephanie Y. McQueen at (202) 708-0477 and the NOFA Information Center at (800) HUD-8929.

20) Is TTY assistance available for callers?

Yes. TTY access was available via the Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

21) Does this opportunity focus only on preventing removal, or also on reunification?

It addresses both. It can help prevent foster care entry when housing is the main barrier, and it can also help reunify families when children are already in out-of-home care and housing prevents discharge back home.

22) What makes FUP vouchers different in this context?

They are Housing Choice Voucher assistance tied specifically to child welfare needs, and they are designed to be used in coordination with supportive services through a formal PHA-PCWA partnership.