Capital Development or Renewal Opportunities
Negotiated Request For Proposals (NRFP): Development of Social Rental Housing Units
Manitoba Housing has issued this NRFP seeking proposals from community partners who want to develop social rental housing units for low income households in Manitoba.
The purpose of this NRFP is to solicit proposals from qualified proponents for the development of social rental housing units. Financial Assistance from Manitoba Housing is available to help offset the capital costs related to their development.
The NRFP details are available in the document below. Project proposals must follow the application requirements as outlined in the NRFP document:
Complete NRFP details are located in the document below.
The submission deadline for the NRFP is:
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time
Contact the NRFP Administrator for more information on this NRFP:
Manitoba Housing
Housing Delivery Branch
200-352 Donald Street
Winnipeg MB R3B 2H8
E-mail: [email protected]
Attn: Sandra Oberdorfer, NRFP Administrator
Preservation Funding
Preservation Funding provides financial assistance to support the cost of completing preservation activities.
This funding helps:
- existing community housing providers remain viable
- prepare for future funding opportunities
Preservation Funding is open to:
- Projects that are currently subject to an active, eligible federally administered operating agreement.
- Projects that were previously subject to a federally administered operating agreement that have since expired. This includes projects previously administered under a federally administered operating agreement that were transferred under a Social Housing Agreement (SHA) which have since expired.
Funding details:
- The maximum Preservation Funding available per project to complete eligible activities is $50,000.
- Maximum funding may be increased to $75,000 on a case-by-case basis.
- Each Funding Agreement offers up to 18 months from the approval date to complete the approved activities.
Activities may include but are not limited to:
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- a building condition report
- capital replacement reserve planning
- an operating viability analysis
- an age-friendly conversion assessment
- an energy audit
City of Winnipeg Affordable Housing Now Program
The Affordable Housing Now Program, which is being administered in partnership with Centre Venture Development Corporation, is eligible to project proponents intending to participate in CMHC affordable housing programs under the National Housing Strategy for the development of new rental and non-profit housing.
The program will provide $2 million in grants to offset construction and permit fees, offer tax increment financing (TIF) opportunities of up to 80% of municipal incremental tax increases arising from development, and will enable proponents to access existing federal programs that may require support from another level of government.
For more information and to apply, please Click Here
Tax Sale properties – opportunities for non profits
The Council has recently approved a new Real Estate sales Policy which requires the Public Service to market all tax sale properties to non-profit housing corporations (note Section 4.3(D)(iv) of the policy).
This provides additional acquisition opportunities for affordable Housing providers outside of the Affordable Housing Opportunities in HIZs program. These properties will be marketed at the same link as the noted program:
National Housing Co-Investment Fund
The Co-Investment Fund provides grants and financing for new affordable housing construction and existing affordable housing renewal and repair.
MNPHA hosted an educational session with CMHC on this funding stream. The power point slides from the session are available here. Or for more information you can go to CMHC’s website here
Retrofit Funding for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
Canada Greener Affordable Housing – Retrofit Funding provides low-interest loans and grants for deep energy retrofits. Multi-unit (5+) residential can access the program if they target at 70% reduction in energy comsumption and an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emmissions.
Applications are accepted June 1- July 31, 2023. There may be additional application periods if funds are available. Learn more and apply here
Efficiency Manitoba
Efficiency Manitoba is a Crown corporation committed to achieving an energy-efficient Manitoba by providing support and services that help residents and businesses use less energy. They can help non-profit housing providers and their tenants save energy, money, and the environment.
The Energy Efficiency Assistance Program (formerly the ‘Income Qualified Program’) provides rental properties with tenants below a specific income cut-off grants and financing for insulation, lighting, furnaces/boiler. Learn more about the programs and rebates here.
Through Efficiency Manitoba’s Energy Efficiency Assistance Program, they work with non-profit housing organizations to help them upgrade their single-detached or semi-detached rental properties to use less energy. An energy advisor will come to the housing organization to assess energy-saving opportunities for each of the units. Non-profit housing providers could qualify for free insulation, a subsidized natural gas furnace, a boiler rebate, and free energy-saving devices such as LED light bulbs, energy-efficient showerheads, and faucet aerators.
If a non-profit housing agreement requires tenants to income qualify, or if there’s a mandate stating that housing is intended for lower-income households, the income qualification process can be bypassed. Non-profit housing providers can do this by providing mandates, lease agreements, tenant handbooks, or proof that the tenant’s rent is below the Median Market Rents set by Manitoba Housing.
Go to the website for the full story.
Federation of Canadian Municipalities – Sustainable Affordable Housing
The Green Municipal Fund offers support throughout the life cycle of an affordable housing construction project through five funding options:
- Planning: Early support to assist eligible housing providers to get started on achieving more sustainable affordable housing initiatives
- Studies: Assess the approaches needed to implement an eligible energy efficient pilot or capital project in detail
- Pilot projects: Test out a new or innovative approach on a small scale
- Retrofit capital projects: Complete the renovation of existing housing units with the installation of energy efficient technologies
- New-build capital projects: Construct new homes that are highly energy efficient
Read the application guide for details.
Need help applying for the Sustainable Affordable Housing Fund? Contact The Community Housing Transformation Centre to reach their Regional Energy Coach
Manitoba Social Housing Funding
Homelessness Rent Supplement Program
Manitoba Housing is requesting Expressions of Interest for landlords willing to enter into rent supplement agreements for designated units in their properties and rent those units to people who are exiting homelessness. The current need is primarily for studio and one bedroom units with some two- and three-bedroom units also welcome.
To be eligible for the EOI, organizations must be non-profit housing providers or for profit landlords willing to lease residential rental units to people exiting homelessness
The application is open until filled.
See the full EOI here and apply by filling in the application form here
There are information sessions on July 11, 1-2pm and July 12, 10-11am. Register by emailing [email protected] by 10am July 10 with your contact information and preferred date.
New Funding Model through Manitoba Housing as Operating Agreements Expire
Manitoba Housing is establishing a block funding model designed to provide predictable and flexible funding to the non-profit sector. The funding is available to housing projects who have already come off their original agreements, and those that will soon be coming off.
Under the proposed model, the funding can:
- subsidize rents
- meet the rising costs of operations
- support an annual allocation to the replacement reserve fund
Manitoba Housing has allocated up to $1.4 million toward these new agreements in 2023/24, and depending on uptake, will make additional funding available in future years. At this time, the intent is to share information about the proposed model and determine the level of interest on the part of non-profit housing providers to enter into a new funding agreement on this basis.
For more information on the proposed block funding model, and to express interest in participating in the program, please contact the Portfolio Management Branch at 204-945-4661 or e-mail [email protected]
Program or Project Opportunities
Homelessness Support Services
Manitoba Housing is requesting Expressions of Interest for non-profit organizations to operate and provide services to people experiencing homelessness. Services required include rapid re-housing, intensive case management, and/or assertive community treatment.
Preference will be given to organizations with:
- Experience delivering Housing First services
- Demonstrated ability to apply a two-eyed seeing approach in service delivery
- Partnerships with health agencies for the delivery of clinical services
- Internal capacity to provide mental health and addictions services or supports
- Partnerships with housing providers
- Ability to serve people in all three service levels
The application is open until filled. The government is emphasizing Indigenous led responses. To this end, the assessment committee will first review EOIs submitted by Indigenous led organizations and select successful proponents. If additional support services are required, the committee will review EOIs from other organizations and select successful proponents to fill the gaps.
See the full EOI here and apply by filling in the application form here
There are information sessions on July 11, 11am-12pm and July 12, 1-2pm, and July 14, 10-11am. Register by emailing [email protected] by 10am July 10 with your contact information and preferred date.
The Non-Profit Community Pest Control Grant Program
The Non-Profit Community Pest Control Grant Program provides grants to non-profits to address pest infestations in two streams. The first stream is for non-profit organizations that require financial assistance to undertake education, treatment, and prevention activities required to eliminate pests. The second is the Homelessness Support stream which supports non-profits group working with tenants for whom managing pests is a barrier to acquiring or maintaining housing. The program receives applications on an ongoing basis until the program budget is fully committed. Learn more and apply.
Community Foundations
Manitoba is home to over 50 community foundations, which guide volunteer efforts and financial support to organizations like MNPHA’s members. Most community foundations require charitable status to access their funding, but many allow non-profits to partner with a charity when they have shared mandates. Find your local community foundation here
Elderly and Infirm Persons Housing License
The Elderly and Infirm Persons Housing Act provides school tax exempt status for units that meet specific size, tenant age, and rent-to-income ratio criteria. Most projects developed under operating agreements qualify for this program, and size guidelines were grandfathered; post-operating agreement, the age and rent-to-income ratio requirements still apply, though it can be for only a portion (100%, 75%, 50%, or 25%) of units. While units become exempt from the school tax, they are treated as “institutional” and move into a different municipal tax category.
Download the application form here and MNPHA has created a template for calculating the tax changes associated with the License, you can download it as an excel document here.
Financing Opportunities
Jubilee Fund
The Jubilee Fund provides flexible financing in the form of loan guarantees and/or bridge financing for worthy projects who do not qualify for traditional financing. Visit http://www.jubileefund.ca/ for more info.
Assiniboine Credit Union
ACU offers flexible financing for non-profits and cooperatives through a dedicated Community Financial Centre. For more information, please visit: https://www.assiniboine.mb.ca/Business/Community-Financial-Centre/
Housing Investment Corporation
The Housing Investment Corporation provides long-term (30+ year), low-cost financing to affordable housing providers for development or redevelopment. Manitoba Housing is one of the founding partners, and Terry Kozak is the Manitoba contact. Reach him by e-mail here. Learn more on the Housing Investment Corporation website
First National Financial LP End of Operating Agreement Revitalization Program
The End of Operating Agreement (EOA) Revitalization Program provides low cost loans to housing providers at or near the end of their operating agreements. This program is aimed at those housing providers that have expired operating agreements, those planning for the end of their operating agreement or providers looking to payout their agreement early. Municipalities, non-profit housing providers, Co-op (excluding equity Co-op’s) or anyone with a current Section 95 and Section 26/27 or any housing provider in a federal or provincial operating agreement are also eligible for the program.
Information is available on First National LP’s website