Youth Lead Project | Supportive Services Only - 2027

The Washington State Department of Commerce, Office of Homeless Youth, is soliciting applications for the Youth Lead Project to provide supportive services, outreach, and case management for youth and young adults ages 12 to 24 experiencing homelessness. Funded through HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program and state funds, the initiative seeks to award 6 to 8 contracts to private nonprofits, government entities, or public housing agencies operating within the 34 Balance of State counties, excluding Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane. The project emphasizes the integration of Youth Program Specialists with lived experience of homelessness to drive system improvements and ensure youth voices influence policy and practice. Collectively, grantees are expected to serve a minimum of 63 eligible youth. The total available funding is approximately 645,000 dollars, with individual applications exceeding 110,000 dollars being rejected as non-responsive. The performance period is tentatively scheduled from January 1, 2027, through October 31, 2027, with the possibility of two one-year extensions. Applications must be submitted via Smartsheet by November 9, 2026, and will be evaluated based on narrative responses, budget reasonableness, and alignment with goals regarding geographic distribution, equity, and youth engagement. Additional scoring bonuses are available for applicants who certify they do not require employees to sign individual arbitration clauses or class action waivers. Payments will be made on a reimbursement basis to vendors possessing a Statewide Vendor Number.