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Bridges Program

Request for Proposals Applications Now Open!

Minnesota Housing has been authorized to operate rental assistance programs for people with mental illness. The Bridges and Bridges Regional Treatment Center (RTC) programs provide temporary rental assistance, security deposits, and access to housing supports and supportive services in accordance with Minnesota Statutes Section 462A.2097.

For the Bridges and Bridges RTC programs, the funded housing agencies will establish a rental housing assistance program for low-income people with mental illness. Rental assistance may be in the form of direct rental subsidies, security deposits, damage claims, vacancy payments, application fees, financial assurance/risk mitigation program fees, and utility connection fees for housing. The rental subsidy is temporary and is intended to bridge the housing gap between exiting institutions, segregated settings, supervised release, and homelessness, to a permanent affordable housing option.

Bridges operates as a partnership between the housing agency and a local mental health entity (LMH), behavioral health service agency/agencies, and partners providing housing stabilization services that provide connections to housing supports and mental health services to participants. Each housing agency administering Bridges must enter into a cooperative agreement with an LMH entity and identify partnerships with a behavioral health service agency/agencies to coordinate the implementation of the program. Bridges supports the State of Minnesota’s goals under the Olmstead Implementation Plan, The Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness and the Minnesota Comprehensive Adult Mental Health Act.

Bridges and Bridges RTC Rental Assistance Program Guide - 2024-2025 Contract Term

Bridges and Bridges RTC Rental Assistance Program Guide - 2026-2027 Contract Term

Eligibility Criteria for Participants

Housing agencies will work with eligible participants and must give priority to the following populations, with highest priority given to people in category 1. The following priorities must also be identified in the housing agency’s waiting list management and tenant selection plan:

  1. People living in an institution, segregated setting, or under correctional supervision who will be homeless upon exit.
  2. People experiencing homelessness who are assessed as high priority homeless (HPH) through the coordinated entry (CE) system. Including households of individuals, families with children, or youth (age 18+).
  3. People who are experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness.

List of Current Grant Administrators

Bridges RTC

Under the Bridges RTC program, a household must be an eligible Bridges participant and an eligible Bridges RTC participant.

Verification that a person is at Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center (AMRTC), St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, or was prior to entering intensive residential treatment services (IRTS), is required for Bridges RTC. Verification may come from the referral source, which is usually the IRTS, RTC, county, or a Tribal Nation. People who are eligible but not identified while at AMRTC may have that evidence confirmed after the fact by the facility. Identified participants may transition to IRTS or other treatment prior to community housing and retain their eligibility for Bridges RTC. The time frame that they are diverted to other facilities does not affect the participant’s eligibility; they remain eligible if the individual has a legal commitment court document that has been verified and noted in the file.

Request for Proposals Application Information

Minnesota Housing, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, is now accepting applications for the Bridges and Bridges Regional Treatment Center (RTC) Rental Assistance Programs Request for Proposals (RFP). The programs provide rental assistance for people with very low incomes and a mental illness who are waiting for a housing choice voucher (HCV) or another permanent housing option.

Minnesota Housing anticipates up to $15M in grant funds for the Bridges and Bridges Regional Treatment Center (RTC) programs for the biennium period of July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027. The available funding may be adjusted and is contingent on the amount awarded from the Minnesota Legislature.

Applications are due on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, no later than noon Central Time.

Frequently Asked Questions - coming soon

Information Session

Minnesota Housing hosted a virtual webinar for potential applicants, to go over RFP information, deadlines and other important details about the upcoming RFP.  Watch the recording (00:24:55) | Presentation slides

Frequently Asked Questions - coming soon

Eligibility

Eligibility

Current Bridges and Bridges RTC housing agencies and new applicants are eligible to apply for funding if they meet the requirements listed below.

Eligible Bridges and Bridges RTC applicants must be a housing agency, Tribal Nation, or nonprofit organization. To be eligible, the application must also include documentation of a partnership with a local mental health entity (LMH Entity) that will collaborate with the Bridges and/or Bridges RTC housing agency to implement the program. The partnership is required to identify behavioral health service partners that can and are committed to serve Bridges participants in the service area.

An LMH Entity can be:

  • A local mental health authority (LMHA) operating under the authority of the county
  • A Tribal Nation mental health agency operating under the authority of the Tribal government
  • An adult mental health initiative, which is a collaboration of county LMHAs and/or a Tribal Nation mental health agency that provides or enhances coordination of the delivery of mental health services required under the Minnesota Adult Mental Health Act

NOTE: Successful responses must clearly indicate the responsibilities of both the Bridges and/ or Bridges RTC housing agency and the LMH Entity.

Application Materials

Application Materials

  2. Application Instructions
  3. Application Signature Page (wet, digital, or electronic signatures will be accepted)
  4. Budget Workbook; one Budget Workbook should be submitted if applying for both Bridges and Bridges RTC, and should include funding requests and information for both programs
  5. Pre-award Risk Assessment Form and accompanying documents detailed in the form:
    • Risk Assessment Form—Nonprofit Organizations
    • Risk Assessment Form—Political Subdivisions
    • Accompanying Documentation:
      • Financial documents related to the applicant organization and detailed on the Risk Assessment Form (nonprofits and for-profits only)
        • Internal Controls Certification—Nonprofit Organizations, if applicable
        • Internal Controls Certification—For-Profit Business Entities, if applicable
      • Evidence of good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State (nonprofits and for-profits only)
      • Certification of no convictions of felony financial crimes by a principal, along with a list of principals being certified (all applicants)
  6. Current local payment standards (for each part of the Service Area)
Application Process

Application Process

Upload application materials to the Multifamily Secure Upload Tool no later than noon Central Time on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, to be considered for funding. Upload required documents in their original format; do not convert the documents into PDF or other formats except for the signature page of the application. Review the Upload Tool Instructions for more information.

RFP Contact

Administration Information

Administration information is for grantees that are currently receiving program funding and need to comply with current grants.

Sample Cooperative Agreement

Bridges and Bridges RTC RFP Selection Framework and Final Scores

Annual Meeting

Minnesota Housing, in coordination with the Department of Human Services, hosted an annual Bridges Program meeting in May 2024.  Meeting recording (1:32:47) | Presentation Slides

Program Qualification and Administrative Forms
Leasing Forms
Participant Briefing Materials

Participating Briefing Materials

Draw Request Form and Submittal Instructions

Draw Request Form and Submittal Instructions

The draw request workbook is secured with a password that must be entered each time the workbook is opened. This added security measure will protect confidential participant data when sent via Secure Upload Tool. Before attempting to open or download this file, you must request the password by sending an e-mail to any of the Rental Assistance staff members at Minnesota Housing. The draw request is submitted monthly by housing agencies and due by the 15th of each month.

  • Bridges Program Draw Request Form (XLSM) - For Bridges Grantee use ONLY. Additional field inputs are required to capture referral date; barriers to housing and expanded categories for Head of Household Race/Ethnicity.
    • NOTE: Due to the macro's inside the draw request form, you may be prompted to open the file vs. save the file. Please use a “Save As” option to download this file, rather than “Open". After downloading, encoded Microsoft securities can be enabled by "unblocking macro’s" within the document properties.
  • Rental Assistance Secure Upload Tool and Secure Upload Instructions
Trainings and Tutorials

Trainings and Tutorials

Trainings

Minnesota Housing hosted a training to assist their partnering housing agency’s in better understanding the 2024-2025 Bridges and Bridges RTC Program Guide changes and the forms that assist in tracking the progress of the Bridges work plan and metrics for the 2024-2025 contract term.
Training recording (1:08:56) | Presentation slides

Draw Request Form Tutorials

NOTE: The tutorials outline accurate reporting requirements that are generic to a variety of Minnesota Housing Rental assistance programs. However, the Bridges program requires additional field inputs that capture the referral date; barriers to housing and includes expanded categories for Head of Household Race/Ethnicity, which are excluded from the tutorial recordings. Use the instructions in the draw request for more information on how to accurately report those details on your reporting.

Downloading the Draw Request Form (15:54) - How to download the draw request form; how to import data from a previous workbook; how to save and submit for reimbursement and program compliance. Notes

Part I: Draw Request Form Functionality (16:05) - PART ONE outlines features of the draw request form, various functions and calculations. Notes

Part II: Draw Request Form Functionality; Monthly Log (16:52) - PART TWO focuses on the ‘MONTHLY LOG’ tab of the workbook; automated calculations and formulas; rounding, prorating and how to report suspensions and terminations. Notes

Certifications and Name Changes (18:29) - Details the differences between annuals, interims, unit transfers, suspensions; terminations; how to report late certifications; head of household and name changes. Notes

Housing Related Expenses, Excess Utility Fees and Adjustments (11:56) - Outlines housing related expenses; excess utility expenses and adjustments. Notes

Quick Links
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Apply for Housing Assistance in the Coordinated Entry System
Coordinated Entry Project Details
Continuum of Care (COC)
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Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness (MICH)

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