Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund FAQs
Learn more about eligibility, application guidance, and frequently asked questions below. This page will be updated at the start of each new round of calls for Expression of Interest (EOI) to ensure you have access to the most up-to-date information. For help with terminology, see our Glossary of Acronyms below.
Eligibility & Expression of Interest
Want to see if you are eligible? Read through our eligibility details below. Even if you might not be eligible yet, we still want to hear from you and invite you to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
Community Eligibility
To be eligible for the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF), communities (outside Quebec*) must be:
- The Reaching Home Community Entity (CE) for the Designated Community (DC) stream, and/or
- the Indigenous Homelessness (IH) stream, and/or
- the Territorial Homelessness (TH) stream, and/or
- the community lead organization participating in Built for Zero Canada (BFZ-C)
* Organizations in Quebec are not eligible to apply for the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada will collaborate with the Government of Quebec to put in place this funding in recognition of the jurisdictions and priorities of both governments in the prevention and reduction of homelessness. Questions can be directed to Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada at: reachinghomeinfo-infoversunchezsoi@infc.gc.ca
If your organization is not the Community Entity or community lead for BFZ-C in your community, please connect with one of them to collaborate on a project. They are required to serve as the lead organization for an HRIF project.
If you are an Indigenous-led organization but are not your community’s Indigenous Homelessness Community Entity (IH CE), please reach out to them, or to the Designated Community if no IH CE exists.
Applications must be submitted by the CE or BFZ-C lead. To find your city or region’s Community Entity, see the Reaching Home directory.
If your community has both a CE and a community lead for BFZ-C, and these are different organizations, we encourage them to collaborate on one project, with one organization taking the lead.
Expression of Interest
Recordings from our HRIF information sessions are now available
English Session: February 18, 2026
French Session: February 19, 2026
Project Eligibility
Applicants must be able to demonstrate:
- An improvement project aimed at reducing homelessness by increasing move-ins to housing or decreasing inflow to homelessness for the chosen target population
- Quality By-Name Data (QBND) for your project’s target population, confirmed by CAEH
- QBND v 4.0 if your project’s target population is unsheltered or all homelessness
- QBND v 3.0 if your project’s target population is chronic or veteran homelessness
Priority populations for HRIF projects are:
- Unsheltered Homelessness (strongly encouraged)
- Chronic Homelessness
- Veteran Homelessness
Note: CAEH will share learnings and successes from funded projects with other communities across the country. Communities with funded projects commit to sharing their learnings, outcomes, and project data with CAEH. Communities must be able and willing to share QBND with CAEH monthly (at minimum).
HRIF supports for innovative projects that aim to measurably reduce homelessness by increasing outflow to housing, or decreasing inflow into homelessness. Communities are encouraged to develop projects that:
- set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound (SMART) aims
- use data to drive project design, measure outcomes, and support identification and/or solutions of system inequities
- follow short, iterative Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles;
- take approaches to reduce homelessness that are innovative for their community, and
- present opportunities to share findings to accelerate reductions across the country
HRIF prioritizes projects addressing Chronic, Veteran, and Unsheltered homelessness. Communities are encouraged to review their local data to identify gaps, and design projects that directly address these priority populations.
You can choose to target any population for which you have QBND. However, HRIF projects that target the above priority populations are strongly encouraged and will be prioritized for funding.
No; you are asked to choose a primary target population. Please remember that inflow, outflow, and active homelessness for your project’s target population must be measured and reported on a monthly basis (at minimum).
HRIF projects that aim to reduce chronic homelessness must adopt the federal (Reaching Home) definition of chronic homelessness.
Built for Zero Canada has aligned its definition with Veteran Affairs Canada. A Veteran includes any former member of the Canadian Armed Forces, an Allied Force (e.g., U.S./U.K veteran), the RCMP, Reservists, Veteran Civilians, and Canadian Rangers.
A Veteran experiencing homelessness includes those who do not have stable, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means, and ability of acquiring it (paraphrased from the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and the Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy).
There is currently no standard definition of unsheltered homelessness. Communities must have a written, shared local definition in order to confirm QBND on unsheltered homelessness.
CAEH uses different data points to measure inflows to and outflows from homelessness:
- Actively Homeless: The total number of people experiencing homelessness at the end of the reporting month
- Move-Ins: The total number of people who moved into permanent housing during the reporting month AND remain housed at the end of the reporting month
- Returned from Housing: The total number of people previously reported as a ‘move-in’ who have lost their housing and returned to active homelessness
- Newly Identified: The total number of people added to the By-Name Data (BND) for the first time during the reporting month
- Aged In: Individuals who are ‘active homeless’ on the BND and have met the definition of ‘chronic’ for the first time during the reporting month (Note: This data point is only for communities tracking chronic data)
Refer to the CAEH Data Reliability Tool for additional information.
Note: HRIF supports projects aimed at reducing homelessness by increasing move-ins to housing, or by decreasing inflow to homelessness. Projects targeting system improvements to either ‘Moves to Inactive’ or ‘Returns from Inactive’ are not eligible.
No, you must pick one data point per project. If your project aims to address more than one data point through the same intervention or change, pick the data point that it primarily aims to address.
HRIF does not fund capital projects such as buying property, constructing new buildings, or major renovations. Small capital expenses (up to $50,000 and in alignment with eligible expenses under Reaching Home Directives) may be considered, and only if they clearly support a system-level improvement that decreases inflow or increases outflow. These are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Below is a list of expenses and activities HRIF does not fund:
- Any activity that does not decrease inflow or increase outflow for households experiencing/at imminent risk of homelessness
- Capital projects, including:
- Buying land or buildings
- New construction
- Renovations over $50,000
- Renovations/repairs to social housing units not exclusively for households on the BND
- Landlord incentives paid directly to landlords
- Rent-to-own programs
- Rental assistance for people already receiving rental assistance from another program
- Long-term rental subsidies
- Payments for student housing when the student is not at imminent risk of homelessness
- Supports/services for individuals who are low-income but not at imminent risk (they would not qualify to be added to the BND)
- Down payments or mortgage payments, or repairs to a home someone owns
- Rent bank creation or loan programs
- Purchase of alcohol, cigarettes (unless for ceremony), cannabis, or illicit drugs
- Clinical, health, or treatment services (i.e. nursing fees, addictions counselling)
- Employment activities already funded by another program
- Wages for individuals experiencing homelessness
- Teacher wages for alternative education
- Tuition or educational program fees
- Apprentice grants
- Major vehicle purchases (ie. moving vans for housing-focused outreach)
- Any activity that isn’t aligned with continuous improvement or doesn’t contribute to improving a BND inflow/outflow indicator
Note: This is not an exhaustive list. For more on eligible expenses and activities, refer to the Reaching Home directives. If you’re unsure about eligibility, please check with your Improvement Advisor or contact HRIF@caeh.ca.
HRIF is designed to support short-term projects (up to 12 months) that strengthen a community’s homelessness response system. Projects must focus on system-level interventions that are impactful, and ideally sustainable, beyond HRIF’s funding period. Funded activities should:
- Improve coordinated access
- Accelerate move-ins
- Reduce returns to homelessness
- Strengthen data systems
- Improve processes or housing-focused practices
Because of this system-level focus, HRIF funding is not intended for long-term capital work or direct housing provision, which is better supported through other funding streams.
Yes, communities can submit multiple projects, but are encouraged to focus efforts on one well-rounded project that you believe will have the most impact.
By-Name Data & Shared Learnings
Quality By-Name Data (QBND) is a key component to ensuring success and learnings can be captured. CAEH will share learnings and successes with other communities across the country to accelerate homelessness reduction across Canada.
By-Name Data (BND) is real-time data of all known people experiencing homelessness in a community. It includes a robust set of data points that support coordinated access, prioritization at a household/individual level, and an understanding of homeless inflow and outflow at a systems level. This real-time actionable data supports triage to services, evaluation of system performance, and advocacy for the policies and resources necessary to end homelessness.
BND is a subtle but important shift away from the term By-Name List, which was sometimes interpreted as stand-alone data. By-Name Data refers to the dynamic universe of person-specific homelessness data contained within an overall community-wide homelessness database or data system.
Further information and resources can be found in our resource library.
The CAEH reviews a community’s BND Scorecard and monthly data to confirm Quality By-Name Data (QBND). This includes:
- A confirmed score of 13/13 on the BND Foundations Scorecard & Tools Version 4.0, supported by:
- A completed BND Scorecard notes column
- A completed Outreach Coverage and Coordination Tool
- A completed System Map
- A review of relevant policies and documents
- A review of the community’s anonymized BND and demonstration of how aggregate BND points are extracted
- A HIFIS Health Check (if applicable)
- At least 3 consecutive months of complete BND, where the last 3 months are reliable within a 5% margin of error
- Setting a baseline month from which to measure reductions
The By-Name Data (BND) Scorecard v 4.0 sets out a framework with 13 key elements for building the necessary data management and systems coordination practices to understand the movement of everyone experiencing homelessness in your community (those identified and consenting).
The BND Scorecard is part of the Scorecards and Tools Workbook Version 4.0, released November 2024. For an overview, see the Scorecards and Tools Workbook 4.0 launch (Recording and PDF), or review the BND Scorecard Guide.
Note: Communities participating in Built for Zero – Canada (BFZ-C) can access community-specific Scorecards in their Change Package.
The BND Scorecard lists requirements for quality data for All Homelessness, with additional elements for specific populations, including Veteran, Chronic, and Unsheltered Homelessness.
In addition to the requirements listed above (under ‘How are communities confirmed for having “Quality” By-Name Data?’), a community must complete the following elements relevant to their project target population to be confirmed as having Quality BND for that population:
| Population | Requirements to Confirm |
| Chronic homelessness | Foundations QBND under Version 3.0 |
| Veteran homelessness | Veteran QBND under Version 3.0 |
| All homelessness | Foundations Quality By-Name Data under Scorecard Version 4.0 |
| Unsheltered homelessness | QBND under Scorecard Version 4.0, including completion of the “Additional Foundations Elements for Quality Data on Unsheltered Homelessness” checklist in the Outreach Coverage & Coordination Tool, and at least 3 months of reliable unsheltered data |
If you are funded under Reaching Home, please note communities are required to move away from current ways of measuring aggregate inflow/outflow/active homelessness data to adopting the Canadian Methodology developed by Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities Canada (HICC), which requires use of the Community Outcomes Report (COR).
As part of the EOI and application process, CAEH may assess a community’s current Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) and COR usage, readiness, or transition plans. Please contact your Improvement Advisor(s) or HRIF@caeh.ca for any questions related to adopting the Canadian Methodology.
Yes. If your application is approved, you will need to have all monthly data submissions up to date before entering into an HRIF agreement, and timely data reporting will be required throughout the project. Please plan ahead to avoid delays once funding is confirmed, and so you have the data needed to track progress and meet HRIF expectations.
Communities must be able and willing to share QBND with CAEH monthly (at minimum).
You are not eligible for HRIF funding without QBND. However, the HRIF is intended to help communities make measurable progress in reducing homelessness. Thus, communities that don’t currently meet all the eligibility criteria are still invited to submit an EOI. Use the space provided in the EOI to share additional context about your efforts and plans. While eligibility is required for funding, projects that aren’t ready may receive guidance and support to strengthen future applications. Your EOI may also be shared with the National Indigenousness Homelessness Council (NIHC) for review and additional support.
Note: If you are an IH CE that does not have QBND confirmed by CAEH, but are interested in applying, please indicate this in your EOI. NIHC may follow up with you to learn more and explore how they can support your community and application.
Next Steps
Visit the HRIF webpage for the latest information.
- Expressions of Interest (EOI) will be screened to ensure all eligibility criteria are met. Projects that meet the criteria may be invited to submit an application.
- Improvement Advisors from the CAEH will work with successful EOI proponents to develop a full application. The National Indigenous Homelessness Council (NIHC) may also provide support.
- Applications will be reviewed by a committee of representatives from CAEH with support from NIHC and outside experts.
Your community’s Improvement Advisor(s) will support you in developing and strengthening your application, and may be asked to provide additional context about your project, but will not be part of the selection process to ensure neutrality.
Yes, but not for the purpose of receiving additional funding to sustain an existing project.
Communities that have previously received HRIF funding may also apply for a new project that targets a different population or data point, or that builds upon a previous project by testing a new approach/change.
Note: Projects that build upon previous projects/learnings must demonstrate greater impact.
Connect with your Improvement Advisor(s) or HRIF@caeh.ca for support.
If you are a Built For Zero – Canada (BFZ-C) community, you have an Improvement Advisor (IA) who can support you through the development of your EOI & application.
Each community invited to submit an application will have a dedicated IA to support you with your project, including if you are not a BFZ-C community but have been invited to submit an application.
Our Senior Leadership Team reviews projects and may join your coaching calls with your IA to provide guidance/feedback and support.
The National Indigenous Homelessness Council (NIHC) also reviews projects and may be available to support if your organization is an Indigenous Homelessness Community Entity under Reaching Home. You can connect with them directly at LisaS@nihc-cnasa.ca.
Are training costs covered through HRIF?
If training is required for staff completing or running your HRIF project, a training budget may be considered to support capacity for the duration of the project, in line with Reaching Home directives. Please connect with your IA or HRIF@caeh.ca to learn more.
If training is required for staff completing or running your HRIF project, a training budget may be considered to support capacity for the duration of the project, in line with Reaching Home directives. Please connect with your IA or HRIF@caeh.ca to learn more.
The HRIF is intended to help communities make measurable progress in reducing homelessness. CAEH aims to fund as many projects as possible. Communities that don’t currently meet all the eligibility criteria are still invited to submit an EOI. Use the space provided in the EOI to share additional context about your efforts and plans. While eligibility is required for funding, projects that aren’t ready may receive guidance and support to strengthen future applications. Your EOI may also be shared with the NIHC for review and additional support.
Below are some steps you can take to strengthen your eligibility for the next application window:
- Reach out to your Improvement Advisor(s) (IA) for support. If you are an IH CE, please feel free to contact the NIHC at lisaS@nihc-cnasa.ca
- Connect with the eligible lead organization(s) in your community to assess potential for collaboration
- Confirm QBND for your project’s target population with CAEH
- Identify a clear aim to increase outflow to housing, or reduce inflow into homelessness for your project’s target population
Watch the recordings from our information sessions, which covered frequently asked questions, how to apply, key dates, and eligibility requirements. You can also reach out to your CAEH Improvement Advisor(s). All HRIF updates will be provided on the HRIF website.
HRIF is part of the federal government’s commitment to Reach Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, as announced in Budget 2024. We are committed to continuously improving accessibility of this process, materials, and selected projects.
The Glossary of Acronyms
BFZ-C – Built for Zero Canada
BND – By-Name Data
CAEH – Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness
CE – Community Entity
CM – Canadian Methodology
COR – Community Outcomes Report
DC – Designated Communities
EOI – Expression of Interest
HIFIS – Homeless Individuals and Families Information System
HRIF – Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund
IH – Indigenous Homelessness
NIHC – National Indigenous Homelessness Council
QBND – Quality By-Name Data
Commitment to Accessibility
The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) is committed to continuously improving the accessibility of the HRIF process, materials, and selected projects, and is working closely with the National Indigenous Homelessness Council (NIHC) on these improvements. CAEH recognizes, as a non-Indigenous organization, that we alone cannot adequately assess the HRIF process through an Indigenous lens. CAEH is committed to equity, dignity, justice and belonging. We are dedicated to serving equity-seeking communities as anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and inclusive allies. We encourage applicants to consider how they might respectfully collaborate with and build on existing capacity within local Indigenous service providers and organizations.