Homelessness is one of the most devastating obstacles that an individual can face. The idea of not having a safe place to sleep every night, a roof over your head or a shelter from the unbearable heat and frigid nights that our communities face is something that most of us don’t ever have to think about.
But for more than 129,000 Canadians, that is a daily reality.
United Way Peterborough & District (UWP) is pleased to announce that a Reaching Home (RH) Request for Proposals (RFP) is now open for application. As the Community Entity, UWP manages the Reaching Home program on behalf of the Government of Canada. Government of Canada provides funding to UWP that is invested locally to support individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or at a risk of becoming homeless.
For your application to be considered complete and to proceed through the review process, please ensure that the following documents are included in the emailed submission:
Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding to communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.
Reaching Home supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, in particular, to support the most vulnerable Canadians in maintaining safe, stable and affordable housing and to reduce chronic homelessness nationally by 50% by fiscal year 2027 to 2028.
Reaching Home operates through a model known as Coordinated Access (CA). Coordinated Access supports communities in prioritizing individuals who are in most need of assistance and then matching them to appropriate housing and services. This system aims to ensure fairness while streamlining access to housing and services.
All housing and homelessness agencies must participate in Coordinated Access. The ways that each specific agency functions within Coordinated Access will differ depending on the nature of their project and will be described within the funding agreement. An overview of the roles and responsibilities within Coordinated Access have been included below.
Reaching Home-Funded Agencies are required to:
The Coordinated Access system is supported by UWP as the Community Entity and the City of Peterborough as the Systems Manager. Their responsibilities include:
United Way Peterborough & District – Community Entity
City of Peterborough – Systems Manager
Funding applications will be reviewed for their alignment to the community priority that had been identified based on consultations with the CAB, the community, and RH-funded agencies, specifically:
Creating, preserving, and enabling equitable access to housing stock
Projects that aim to create, preserve and enable equitable access to housing stock in the community are seen to result in lasting benefits to the individuals being served and a strengthened response to homelessness by the homeless-serving agencies.
This could include but is not limited to:
Year 1: Funds available for use between April 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027: $844,369
Year 2: Funds available for use between April 1, 2027, and March 31, 2028: $882,309
Eligible Organizations
Eligible and Ineligible Activities
Reaching Home-Funded agencies are required to participate in the following:
Proposals that are complete and submitted on or before the deadline will be evaluated by the Community Advisory Board (CAB). Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will only be reviewed once all other applications are processed.
Proposals will be scored using a standard rubric to assess the project’s alignment to the community priorities, outcomes and deliverables identified in this Request for Proposal.
Proposals received will be scored based on the following criteria:
Email your completed application form and additional documents to: reachinghome@uwpeterborough.ca
IMPORTANT:
UWP reserves the right to ask for additional information as the review process moves forward.
If you have other questions about the funding application or budget form, please refer to the REACHING HOME APPLICATION AND BUDGET GUIDE first. All additional questions regarding this RFP should be directed to: reachinghome@uwpeterborough.ca
Coaching appointments are available upon request and encouraged. Questions will be responded to as soon as possible and applicants are encouraged to ask questions early in the application period. It is not guaranteed that UWP will be available to answer your questions on the day that the applications are due.
Reaching Home Funding Opportunities: www.uwpeterborough.ca/funding
Community Homelessness Reports: www.uwpeterborough.ca/reports
Reaching Home – Peterborough Community Plan 2024-28: www.uwpeterborough.ca/reports
Pizza pie? That’s amore! 🍕
Celebrate Pi(e) Day with a slice from everyone’s favourite, Domino’s Pizza Peterborough. While you’re there, make a donation to United Way Peterborough & District and receive a coupon for ✨FREE cheesy bread✨
That’s right. You give back AND get to enjoy a delicious side of cheesy bread for FREE.
Domino’s Pizza + United Way = The ultimate slice of community impact 🤝
Sometimes, when you’re this close to the goal… you have to go to great heights to get there. ⬆️
Today, Paul Rellinger, Campaign Chair for United Way Peterborough & District, took to a roof in downtown Peterborough to share an important update: our community campaign is 96% of the way to our $1.6 million goal, with just $61,000 left to raise before March 31.
For many in the community, the rooftop moment may look familiar. Almost 15 years ago, Paul first climbed onto a roof to raise money for United Way through the original Relly on the Roof fundraiser. Today, he returned to remind us what’s possible when our community comes together.
The community has carried this campaign 96% of the way, now we’re asking for your help to raise the final 4%.
Let’s finish the climb together.
🔗 Donate today: [link in bio]
22% of Canadians believe menstruation is a topic that should not be publicly discussed, and that period products should be kept out of sight.
DONATE TODAY!
Visit the Period Promise page on our website (link in bio) to find a list of public drop off locations, as well as a monetary donation page.
Other Ways to Advance Menstrual Equity:
~ Advocate for a basic income guarantee to prevent period poverty before it starts (support Bill S-206!)
~ Provide a variety of free period products in your workplace bathrooms
~ Offer menstrual leave in addition to your sick day policy, as well as related accommodations, including for those experiencing menopause
Let’s kick it at Campaign Celebration! 🎉
Join us on April 9 for an evening of recognition and reflection as we look back on 2025 and the incredible impact made across our community. Thanks to the generosity and collaboration of workplace teams, donors, volunteers, and community partners, meaningful change is happening right here in Peterborough.
This evening is all about celebrating the people and organizations who make that impact possible.
🔗 The link to RSVP is in our bio. We’d love to see you there!
52% of people who menstruate feel the need to hide that they are on their period at school or work.
21% feel the need to hide that they’re on their period even when they’re at home.
DONATE TODAY!
Visit the Period Promise page on our website (link in bio) to find a list of public drop off locations, as well as a monetary donation page.
Other Ways to Advance Menstrual Equity:
~ Advocate for a basic income guarantee to prevent period poverty before it starts (support Bill S-206!)
~ Provide a variety of free period products in your workplace bathrooms
~ Offer menstrual leave in addition to your sick day policy, as well as related accommodations, including for those experiencing menopause
🎉 Celebrating 60 years of generosity with @trentuniversity ! 🎉
Trent University faculty, staff, retirees, and unions came together to raise $124,847 for United Way Peterborough & District’s 2025 Workplace Campaign! 🙌
From signature BBQs to chili cookoffs, Trent’s generosity has been supporting our community for six decades, and the impact is real. ❤️
The community campaign still has a few weeks left to go, help us reach our $1.6M goal by March 31! Every donation counts. Learn more at the link in our bio. 🔗
Join us for our FREE Period Promise Workshop!
In this informal workshop, Heather Litster (@heatherlitster__ ) , founder of Moon and Bloom, and host of the Community Red Tent, will dive into the menstrual health foundations that many folks were not taught in school, and Meagan Vaughan, the Women & HIV/AIDS Initiative Coordinator at Peterborough AIDS Resource Network (@whai.parn ) will discuss issues surrounding period poverty and inadequate access to personal wellness and hygiene necessities, as well as ways that we as a community can work together to advance menstrual equity.
Mon. March 16 at 10AM
United Way Peterborough & District Office
277 Stewart Street
Please RSVP to attend this FREE workshop: Period Promise Link in Bio
💜 Today we celebrate International Women’s Day!
Across Canada, women are leading change by strengthening communities, advocating for equity, and creating opportunities for everyone to thrive.
At United Way Peterborough & District, we’re proud to invest in gender equality to support women’s economic empowerment and reduce financial stress. 🌟
Happy national Employee Appreciation day! These baby photos grew up into the team behind United Way Peterborough & District❤️ .
Different roles, and one shared goal: strengthening our community.
From fundraising and marketing, to community impact, finance, and operations, this team is working every day to help bring our Community Campaign home.
And right now… we’re only 4% away from our $1.6 million goal!
Let’s finish strong, Peterborough & District.
Period Promise Update!
United Way Peterborough & District is SO grateful for the 7530 pads and 412 liners that we’ve received to date (March 6), but we are still in need of tampons, cups, and period underwear!
Check out the running totals on our website before you shop. [Link in bio]
Two places to give back this weekend in support of our 10th annual Period Promise campaign❤️
Saturday, March 7 @kwic_ptbo International Women’s Day March & Rally + free community event
🕦 11:30-3:30
📍City Hall/ @ptbolibrary
Sunday, March 8 @_thetiffanyshow IWD Party 2026
🕦 11:00-2:00
📍 @venueptbo
We are aiming to collect 25,000 period products by March 13th. Check our website [link in bio] to see a tally of what’s already been donated, and what’s most critically needed. Every item helps.
#periodpromise #IWD2026
“With happy feet, our goal we’ll meet” - Paul Rellinger, 2026
Learn more about how to get involved with the final push of our Community Campaign at the link in our bio!
