Shirley Raines Good Neighbor Fund

The National Alliance to End Homelessness established the Shirley Raines Good Neighbor Fund to support organizations in Washington, D.C. working to end unsheltered homelessness for high-barrier individuals. The fund provides flexible financial assistance to organizations that support individuals and families with high barriers or needs on their path toward permanent housing.

Only organizations that provide services as part of Washington, D.C.'s Comprehensive Street Outreach Network are eligible. The fund provides up to $50,000 per year in flexible assistance, with no cap on the amount provided per individual or family; payments are made to the eligible organization, never directly to the individual or family.

Eligible uses include vital records fees (ID card, birth certificate), application fees, security deposit or first month's rent, rental assistance, renter's insurance, rental arrears to secure a new lease, utility arrears or deposits, storage fees, family reunification, Metro SmarTrip cards or other transportation, sharing a meal or coffee to build trust, and other flexible uses approved by the Alliance. Overhead, administrative and staff costs are not eligible.

Staff of an eligible outreach organization submit a funding request through the online form on the Alliance's Good Neighbor Fund page, giving the request type, the date funds are needed, the amount, a unique client identifier (date plus client initials, no personal information) and a 2-3 sentence summary of how the funds will help. Application guidelines can be downloaded from the same page.

The Alliance aims to process requests within 7-10 business days and pays by check or e-payment through bill.com. Recipients share updates with Alliance staff on outcomes such as housing placements.