A Continuum of Care (CoC) is a collaborative funding and planning approach that helps communities plan for and provide a full range of emergency, transitional and permanent housing and other service resources to address the various needs of homeless persons. As an entity, a CoC serves three main purposes:

1. To develop a long-term strategic plan and manage a year-round planning effort that addresses the identified needs of homeless individuals and households; the availability and accessibility of existing housing and services; and the opportunities for linkages with mainstream housing and services resources.
2. To prepare an application for funds are made available through a national competition announced each year in HUD’s Notice of Funding Availability (known as the HUD CoC NOFA).
3. To oversee the Coordinated Entry (CE) to assess the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness and match them to appropriate housing interventions.