The Washington State Department of Commerce is making up to $400,000 available to contract with an organization interested in providing services to homeless youth and young adults (YYA ages 13-26 years) in the University District neighborhood of Seattle and working in partnership with the University of Washington to develop and host a sustainable and comprehensive navigation and resource center for YYA with lived or living experience of homelessness.
The Doorway Project is about redefining how universities, communities, and service providers work together to support this community. By prioritizing youth leadership and lived expertise, the Doorway Project aims to create a replicable, long-term navigation/resource model that shifts systems, fosters equity, and transforms what it means to truly support young people in building stable, thriving futures.
Purpose of the RFP
The Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) and the University of Washington (UW) seek a primary partner, awarded $400,000 ($200,000 annually per fiscal year), to advance the development of a sustainable navigation and resource center for YYA with lived or living experience of homelessness. This partner will collaborate with the UW, YYA with lived experience, and community providers to continue to build and strengthen the Doorway Project—a national model for unified service coordination that integrates collaboration, research, resources, and direct support.
Pre-application webinar
A pre-application webinar will be hosted online on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. PT.
Questions and answers
Submit questions to RFP Coordinator Christopher Hanson by email at YouthHomeless@Commerce.wa.gov by May 16, 2025 at 5 p.m. PT. Answers will be posted online to the RFP application materials folder by May 21, 2025.