Right side of image is a group of young adults standing in front of a painted block wall smiling and the left of the image reads, RHY Grantee Foundational ResourcesRunaway and Homeless Youth Grantee
Foundational Resources

There are a lot of details to consider in implementing Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) grants. The following are links and resources that RHY grantees and staff (new and experienced) can reference. You may use this page as a starting place and return as needed. Explore the foundational resource links below for guidance on effectively implementing RHY grants and complying with RHY requirements:

The RHY Act
The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) is a U.S. law originally passed by Congress in 1974 and amended multiple times through the years. The bill sets the federal definition of homeless youth and forms the basis for the RHY Program (including RHY grants) administered by the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB).

RHY Final Rule
The RHY Final Rule reflects existing statutory requirements in the RHYA and changes made via the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-378). The rule details additional requirements that apply to Basic Center Programs (BCP), Transitional Living Programs (TLP), Maternity Group Homes (MGH), and Street Outreach Programs (SOP), including non-discrimination, background checks, outreach, and training, establishes program performance standards for RHY grantees, and sets procedures for soliciting and awarding grants.

FYSB New Grantee Training November 2023
This FYSB-led, recorded webinar, from the Runaway and Homeless Youth Training, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Center (RHYTTAC) eLearning system, is a good overview for all RHY grantees. It explains grant requirements and grantee responsibilities. It is presented by staff from FYSB and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

FYSB RHY Program FAQs (Updated April 2024)
This PDF document includes extensive categories and answers to questions from RHY grantees about the RHY program.

FYSB Required Training for RHY Grantees
A PDF list of required “core competency” training topics for all RHY grantees (staff and volunteers) to complete, and other topics required based on FYSB staff recommendations. Each topic area in this PDF has hyperlinks to related resources and trainings.

Virtual Site Review Reference Guide
FYSB Virtual Site Review (VSR) monitoring visits require RHY grantees to gather a number of essential documents and place them in a secure shared folder. This document was created to provide grantees with information on what items are reviewed during the VSR.

RHY Grant Programs Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO)

Each year, FYSB announces the release of the four Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the five Runaway and Homeless Youth Grant Programs: Street Outreach Program, Basic Center Program, Transitional Living Program, Maternity Group Home Program, and Runaway and Homeless Youth-Prevention Demonstration Program. NOFOs were previously called Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA). The guidelines for the FOA or NOFO from the year a grant was awarded is what grantees need to comply with until the end of the grant.

The following are links to past NOFOs/FOAs of RHY Programs by year.

Basic Center Program (BCP)

Street Outreach Program (SOP)

Transitional Living Program (TLP)

Maternity Group Home (MGH)

Runaway and Homeless Youth-Prevention Demonstration Program (RHY-PDP)

 Runaway Homeless Youth Training, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Center (RHYTTAC)

National Communication System for Runaway and Homeless Youth Program (NCS)