Communities and Justice

Homelessness Innovation Fund (HIF) 2025-26

Boosting Supported Accommodation Options to reduce Temporary Accommodation

The NSW Government’s 2024/25 Budget provided $527.6 million in funding over four years for homelessness services as part of a record $6.6 billion investment to reduce homelessness and to increase and improve social housing. As part of that announcement, 100 million over 4 years was allocated to the HIF.  

The first HIF allocations occurred in 2024/25 and funded 70 projects to implement new service approaches and investment in targeted early intervention or prevention responses.

The FY 2025/26 HIF budget is $20 million. A rolling RFT will open in October 2025 with two assessment rounds in FY 2025/26.

In the 2025-26 round, HIF is seeking proposals from the sector to:

  • support the delivery of cost-effective alternatives to hotel and motel accommodation that are owned or managed by non-government organisations (NGOs), and
  • service delivery proposals that can shorten and/or prevent repeat stays in temporary accommodation by improving entry prevention, rapid rehousing, and sustainable exit strategies.

The HIF has set a 10% (minimum) target to fund Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations (ACCO) led partnerships to promote culturally safe housing responses.

Request for Tender (RFT)

The HIF Tender is open to registered Community Housing Providers (CHPs), Aboriginal Community Housing Providers (ACHPs) and accredited Specialist Homelessness Services (SHSs).

Two HIF RFT Assessment Rounds are proposed in FY 25/26, with Round 1 planned to open on or around 24 October 2025. Applications received by noon on 21 November 2025 will be assessed in the first round.

A second round of assessments will open in Q4 2025-26, providing the market with more opportunities to bid.

Industry Briefing

The HIF Tender is open to registered Community Housing Providers (CHPs), Aboriginal Community Housing Providers (ACHPs) and accredited Specialist Homelessness Services (SHSs).

Two HIF RFT Assessment Rounds are proposed on FY 25/26, with Round 1 planned to open on 24 October 2025. Applications received by noon on 21 November 2025 will be assessed in the first round.

A second round of assessments will open in Q4 2025-26, providing the market with more opportunities to bid.

Interested in tendering?

If you are interested in tendering under the Homelessness Innovation Fund RFT, please ensure that you have completed the Conflict of interest (CoI) and Confidentiality Deed

Once you have completed this step, your response will be reviewed by the DCJ Team, and you will be sent an Ansarada Data Room generated email to complete your registration into the Data Room.

A maximum of 4 persons per Tendering Organisation are permitted entry into the Data Room. Each person needs to complete this link and register separately into the Data Room.

FAQs

Request for Tenders for Homelessness Innovation Fund Frequently Asked Questions can beh found here (PDF, 158.6 KB).

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