The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) initiated the Continuum of Care (CoC) system in 1994 to provide a coordinated, strategic approach to assisting families and individuals who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. The overall purpose of the CoC is to promote community-wide commitment to ending homelessness, quickly re-house individuals and families experiencing homelessness, improve access to and use of mainstream programs by persons experiencing homelessness, and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
The State of Nebraska has three CoCs: the Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless (MACCH) which serves the Omaha metropolitan area, the Lincoln Continuum of Care which serves the City of Lincoln, and the Nebraska Balance of State Continuum of Care which serves all other Nebraska communities in five regions.
Each CoC is a collaborative composed of representatives of organizations, including homeless service providers, victim service providers, faith-based organizations, governmental entities, businesses, advocates, public housing agencies, school districts, social service providers, mental health agencies, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law enforcement, organizations that serve veterans, and persons with lived experience.
Nebraska Balance of State CoC meets via Zoom
The Nebraska Balance of State CoC meets via Zoom on the second Friday of each month at 10:00 am Central Time. Please contact Jay Schalk, Continuum of Care Planning Manager, for more information or to request the Zoom meeting link.
Youth Homeless Demonstration Project
FY2025 Continuum of Care NOFO Competition
FY2025 CoC Competition - The Nebraska Balance of State Continuum of Care opens Local FY2025 CoC Program Funding Competition on November 18, 2025.
The Nebraska Balance of State CoC seeks organizations interested in applying for new and/or renewal projects for consideration in the HUD FY2025 CoC Program Competition. Organizations that have not previously received CoC Program funding, including faith-based organizations, are encouraged to apply.
The deadline for both renewal and new project applications is December 15, 2025.
The FY2025 CoC NOFO includes notable changes in funding priorities and an increased focus on:
- Treatment and recovery-focused projects
- Street Outreach and Transitional Housing projects
- Reducing unsheltered homelessness
- Reducing returns to homelessness
- Increasing project participants’ income and long-term self-sufficiency
CoCs are encouraged to assess their project effectiveness based on these priorities and ensure participation from various community partners, including but not limited to faith-based organizations, first responders, and mental health service providers.
More information on the FY25 CoC Program Competition can be found within the FY2025 Continuum of Care Competition section of the HUD CoC webpage.