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:
Applications can include, but is not limited to:
| Funds available for use between Nov 1 2026 – Mar 31 2027 | Creating, Preserving, and Enabling Equitable Access to Housing Stock | $ 110,000 |
| Eviction Prevention and/or Outreach | $ 74,004 | |
| Funds available for use between Apr 1 2027 – Mar 31 2028 | Creating, Preserving, and Enabling Equitable Access to Housing Stock | $ 300,000 |
| Eviction Prevention and/or Outreach | $ 130,390 |
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 an independent Review Committee composed of members of the Community Advisory Board (CAB) or community members with deep understanding of the issues of homelessness within Peterborough and County. Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will only be reviewed once all other applications are processed.
| Jul 10 2026 | Request for Proposals opens |
| Aug 19 2026 | Request for Proposals closes |
| Aug 31 – Sep 11 2026 | Application evaluation by Review Committee |
| Throughout Sep 2026 | Funding approvals by Community Advisory Board and UWP Board of Directors |
| Throughout Oct 2026 | Applicants notified and contracts signed |
| Nov 1 2026 | Start of contract period |
Applications 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.
| CRITERIA | MAX POINTS |
| 1. Organizational Capacity & Readiness | 10 |
| 2. Project Description & Community Alignment | 20 |
| 3. Demonstrated Need & Rationale | 15 |
| 4. Project Feasibility & Target Population | 10 |
| 5. Outcomes, Deliverables & Evaluation | 20 |
| 6. Sustainability & Exit Strategy | 5 |
| 7. Partnerships & System Integration | 10 |
| 8. Budget, Financial Clarity & Value for Money | 10 |
| Total available points | 100 |
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
Our cup stays filled to the brim thanks to our incredible community. ☕💛
We’re so grateful to be celebrating 85 years in Peterborough & County this year, and even more grateful for the people and partnerships who make our city such a special place to call home.
Now it’s your turn: What fills your cup, #Peterborough? 👇️ 🗨️
✨ Half the world is under 30. In Canada, that’s 35% of us.
Young people aren’t just the future, they’re changemakers right now. 💪
On #InternationalYouthDay, United Way Peterborouh & District celebrates their leadership, their courage, and their vision for a better world. 🌟💛
🎒🚗 What a day! We filled the Fords and our hearts @autoconnectsales
A HUGE thank you to everyone who came out to Fill the Fords on Saturday, donated supplies, volunteered, sponsored the event, grabbed a BBQ lunch courtesy of @kingstmarket, enjoyed some ice cream from @central_smith, and helped us celebrate the incredible generosity of our community.
We’re so grateful to Auto Connect Sales, our sponsors, community partners, volunteers, media friends, and every single person who helped make this day possible. Your support will help local students start the school year feeling prepared, confident, and ready to learn.
But we’re not done yet! 🎒
There’s still time to help. If you haven’t had a chance to donate, we’re collecting new backpacks and school supplies at the United Way Peterborough & District office and at participating community collection locations until THIS FRIDAY, August 14!
Every backpack, every box of crayons, every notebook and every donation helps us get closer to ensuring local students have the tools they need to succeed.
✨Comment “BACK TO SCHOOL” and we’ll send you the full list of participating businesses running supply drives.
Exciting News! 💫 The Reaching Home deadline has been extended!
Applicants now have until Wednesday, August 19 to submit your proposals.
Please keep in mind:
👉 Applications will be reviewed based on alignment to the following community priorities:
• Creating, preserving, and enabling equitable access to housing
• Eviction prevention
• Outreach
👉 Funding covers the period October 1, 2026, to March 31, 2028
👉 New application deadline August 19, 2026
ℹ️ What is Reaching Home? It`s 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.
Apply today at uwpeterborough.ca
🎒A huge thank you to our local IG Wealth Management (@igwealthmanagement)for stepping up in a big way to support our Backpacks for Success program!
Not only are they proud Backpack Builder sponsors, but their team also organized a workplace collection drive, gathering school supplies that will help local students in Peterborough city and county head back to school prepared, confident, and ready to learn.
Haven’t had a chance to drop off your donation at one of our amazing community collection drive locations? There’s still time!
📅 Join us this Saturday for Fill the Fords at Auto Connect Sales from 10-2PM (@autoconnectsales) and bring a new backpack, new school supplies, or a financial donation. Stick around for lots of family friendly fun!
Together, we can help even more local students start the school year strong.
Thank you again, IG Wealth Management, for helping us build brighter futures, one backpack at a time. 💙
We 💙 GM Financial!
A huge thank you to our friends at GM Financial for dropping off our first Backpacks for Success donations of the season! We’re so grateful for partnerships like these in our community.
💡 As part of their workplace drive, employees received a work from home day in exchange for making a donation. What a creative way to encourage workplace giving!
Our Backpacks for Success supply drives wrap up on August 14, but there is still time to help! Join us on August 8 at Auto Connect Sales for our Fill the Fords event. We’ll be there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. collecting school supplies, so stop by, say hello, and help us fill the Fords! 👋🎒
We’re growing, evolving, and looking for an experienced Director, Finance & Administration to join our Senior Leadership Team.
This is an opportunity to help shape the future of United Way Peterborough & District by providing strategic leadership across finance, administration, governance, and organizational operations, ensuring we remain a strong and sustainable partner for our community.
📍 Peterborough, ON
💼 Full-time
💰 Starting salary: $83,106; salary range up to $93,536
📅 Apply by August 14, 2026
Interested or know someone who’d be a great fit? Visit our website [link in bio] to learn more and apply, and please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity within your networks.
❤️Won’t you be our neighbour?
Stay tuned, @_thetiffanyshow will be sharing the full story (and her inspiring Campaign Chair speech) soon. You won’t want to miss this!
#CertifiedNeighbour #UnitedWayPTBO
Don`t miss out 👉 United Way Peterborough is now accepting applications for the Reaching Home program!
ℹ️ What is Reaching Home?
Reaching Home is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada by providing funding to communities to address local housing and homelessness needs.
Important details:
⭐ Applications will be reviewed based on alignment to community priorities, including:
• Creating, preserving, and enabling equitable access to housing
• Eviction prevention
• Outreach
⭐ The funding period is October 1, 2026, to March 31, 2028
📅 Applications close August 4, 2026.
Apply today at uwpeterborough.ca
Meaningful conversations are the first step toward meaningful change. This morning, our CEO, Jason Seguya, had the opportunity to meet with MP Harrison (@emmaaharrisonmp) to discuss some of the most pressing challenges facing our communities.
Part of the conversation focused on the recently published Financial Anxiety Index, a national research project undertaken by United Way Centraide Canada and conducted by Léger. The findings are clear: nearly half of Canadians say they could cover their basic expenses for only one month or less if their income were interrupted, and many report that their financial situation has worsened in recent months. The research also highlights that single parents, newcomers, and young people are among those experiencing the greatest financial strain.
Jason also had the opportunity to elaborate on United Way Peterborough & District’s role as the Community Entity for the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home program. For more than a decade, we have worked with local partners to administer federal homelessness funding, convene organizations across the sector, and support innovative, collaborative responses that help prevent and reduce homelessness in our community. Since 2020, more than $8 million in Reaching Home funding has been distributed locally to strengthen supports and services for those experiencing homelessness.
We appreciate the opportunity to share these insights and discuss the importance of coordinated community responses to poverty, housing insecurity, and homelessness. We look forward to continuing the conversation with MP Harrison in the months ahead as we work together to build a stronger, more connected community.
Breaking News: Jimothy has officially RSVP`d to our Fill the Fords event on August 8! 🎉
Want to join #Jimothy? Stop by Auto Connect between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to donate new school supplies in support of our Backpacks for Success initiative. Together, we`ll help fill the Fords and backpacks so that students of all ages can start the school year with the tools they need to succeed . 🎒📚💙
