Gilder Search Group
Advancing Community Development through Permanent Supportive Housing Implementat
Gilder Search Group, Louisville, Kentucky, us, 40201
Advancing Community Development through Permanent Supportive Housing Implementation
FUSE -Louisville, KY, United States
Louisville, KY, is advancing the implementation of permanent supportive housing (PSH) as a proven solution to end chronic homelessness and improve public health. The FUSE Executive Fellow will directly support the Mayor’s Office in operationalizing the delivery of PSH through project management, coordination, and implementation of the Home for Good initiative. This work will strengthen the city’s framework for long‑term PSH delivery, financial sustainability, and system integration to ensure 250 PSH units are completed by 2027. Ultimately, this work will strengthen housing stability, advance community development, and build a more resilient, compassionate Louisville for all residents.
Fellowship Dates: April 27, 2026 – April 23, 2027
Salary:
Executive Fellows are FUSE employees and receive an annual base salary of $95,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits. Compensation for this year of public service is not intended to represent market‑rate compensation for the experienced professionals in our program.
ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP FUSE is a national nonprofit working to expand social and economic opportunities, particularly for communities that have been limited by a history of systemic and institutionalized racism. FUSE partners with local governments and communities to more effectively address pressing challenges by placing experienced professionals within city and county agencies. These FUSE Executive Fellows lead strategic projects designed to advance racial equity and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 250 projects in 40 governments across 20 states, impacting the lives of 25 million people.
When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and local stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward regional priorities. FUSE then conducts an individualized search for each project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the communities being served. They are data‑driven and results‑oriented and able to effectively manage complex projects by developing actionable roadmaps and monitoring progress to completion.
Executive Fellows are hired as FUSE employees and embedded in government agencies for at least one year of full‑time work. Throughout their fellowships, they receive training, coaching, and professional support from FUSE to help achieve their project goals. FUSE Executive Fellows bring diverse perspectives and new approaches to their projects. They build strong relationships with diverse arrays of stakeholders, foster alignment within.
PROJECT CONTEXT Expanding access to permanent supportive housing (PSH) is essential to ensuring housing stability, improving public health, and providing dignified solutions for a city’s most vulnerable residents. PSH combines affordable housing with wraparound behavioral health and case management services to help individuals experiencing chronic homelessness remain stably housed. These residents often face overlapping challenges such as mental illness, substance use disorders, and systemic barriers to care that have historically excluded them from traditional housing and health systems. Without coordinated, long‑term interventions, they continue cycling between shelters, hospitals, and the streets, reinforcing racial and socioeconomic disparities and placing significant strain on emergency and healthcare resources.
In Louisville, KY, more than 12,000 residents experienced homelessness in 2024, including over 1,500 individuals who were chronically homeless and require sustained support. The city currently faces a shortage of 1,245 PSH units, with 292 units in development, resulting in high public costs of over $25 million annually in healthcare expenses alone for these residents. To address these pressing challenges, the Mayor’s Office launched Home for Good, a citywide initiative dedicated to ending street homelessness by scaling PSH as a proven, evidence‑based model. Under this initiative, Louisville aims to create 250 new PSH units by 2027 while building a unified, data‑driven system that aligns housing, behavioral health, and social services. To date, strong partnerships with the Coalition for the Homeless, service providers, and local businesses have created significant community momentum to make this goal a reality.
The City of Louisville will partner with FUSE to accelerate the implementation of its permanent supportive housing initiative and ensure progress toward its 2027 goal. The FUSE Executive Fellow will: conduct a listening tour; coordinate providers and funding streams to operationalize PSH delivery; develop an evidence‑based framework and financial model for long‑term sustainability; and lead a citywide education campaign to strengthen public understanding and support. The fellow will also advance collaboration across agencies, philanthropy, and community organizations to build trust and transparency. The fellow’s focus will be on implementation, coordination, and sustainability, building on the foundational research and engagement that have already been completed by the City. Ultimately, this work will help Louisville reduce chronic homelessness, improve behavioral health outcomes, and create a more accessible and resilient housing system that supports all residents.
PROJECT SUMMARY Beginning in Spring 2026, the FUSE Executive Fellow will work with the Louisville Mayor’s Office, the Office of Behavioral Health, the Economic Development Cabinet, and community partners to accelerate the city’s Home for Good initiative and ensure progress toward creating 250 permanent supportive housing (PSH) units by 2027.
The fellow will begin by conducting a comprehensive listening tour with key stakeholders, including the Coalition for the Homeless, Metro United Way, the Louisville Metro Housing Authority, the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, local developers, service providers, and philanthropic partners. The listening tour will gather insights into barriers that slow PSH implementation, such as fragmented funding streams, limited service coordination, and community misconceptions about PSH, as well as identify opportunities to improve alignment among housing, behavioral health, and social service systems. The fellow will also coordinate with peer cities like Milwaukee, Houston, and Atlanta to learn from successful PSH models and localize best practices for Louisville’s context.
The fellow will utilize the City’s completed landscape analysis of the city’s housing and homelessness ecosystem, including existing PSH initiatives, behavioral health programs, and ongoing homelessness prevention efforts. The fellow will review prior planning and consulting documents, including work from affiliated consultants, to identify gaps in resources, staffing, and interagency collaboration. The fellow will also analyze local, state, and federal funding sources such as HUD’s Continuum of Care, HOME funds, and the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund to determine opportunities to leverage and maximize resources. The fellow will then develop specific project goals and deliverables for review and approval by the Mayor’s Office and project supervisors before advancing to the next phase.
Using the collected insights, the fellow will design and help implement a comprehensive operational plan for the city’s PSH initiative. This will include developing an evidence‑based framework that standardizes service delivery, establishes clear performance measures, and defines consistent roles for participating agencies and providers. The fellow will also design a financial model and sustainability plan to guide the allocation of public, private, and philanthropic funds to support the construction, operation, and long‑term success of PSH units. To ensure accountability, the fellow will convene regular funder and provider meetings, improve data‑tracking systems, and strengthen reporting mechanisms to measure outcomes and support transparency across partners.
The fellow will support targeted coordination and communication efforts to reinforce implementation of the permanent supportive housing (PSH) initiative. This effort will include continuing messaging that addresses common misconceptions, highlights PSH’s high local success rate, and underscores the public and economic benefits of reducing chronic homelessness. These efforts will highlight the demonstrated effectiveness and long‑term value of PSH while promoting collaboration among key stakeholders to sustain momentum toward the city’s housing objectives.
The final comprehensive implementation and sustainability plan for Louisville’s PSH system will define operational frameworks, funding strategies, and long‑term performance indicators to guide continued progress after the fellowship ends. It will also outline a strategy for institutionalizing PSH coordination within Metro Government to maintain efficiency, collaboration, and community trust. Ultimately, this work will help Louisville achieve its 2027 housing goals, strengthen behavioral health outcomes, and create a more comprehensive, resilient housing system that ensures every resident has a safe and stable home.
PROJECT DELIVERABLES By Spring 2027, the Executive Fellow will have produced the following:
Implemented a Comprehensive Operational Framework – Designed and executed a roadmap that defines service delivery processes, agency roles, and measurable performance indicators to guide ongoing PSH implementation.
Advanced a Sustainable Financial Model – Finalized and operationalized a financing structure integrating public, private, and philanthropic resources to sustain PSH growth and ensure the long‑term success of 250 PSH units by 2027.
Established an Evidence‑Based PSH Framework and Data Dashboard – Built a citywide framework to track outcomes across agencies, monitor housing stability and service effectiveness, and provide transparent reporting to leadership and the public.
Developed Institutionalization and Capacity‑Building Recommendations – Produced actionable recommendations to embed PSH coordination, staffing, and data systems within Metro Government to ensure long‑term continuity and sustainability.
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
Executive Sponsor –
Dr. Mariya Leyderman, Executive Director of Behavioral Health
QUALIFICATIONS
Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action‑oriented implementation plans.
Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans.
Generates innovative, data‑driven, and result‑oriented solutions to complex challenges.
Responds quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes.
Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing.
Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision‑making.
Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community‑based relationships.
Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground.
Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.
FUSE is an equal‑opportunity employer with core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position.
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Fellowship Dates: April 27, 2026 – April 23, 2027
Salary:
Executive Fellows are FUSE employees and receive an annual base salary of $95,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits. Compensation for this year of public service is not intended to represent market‑rate compensation for the experienced professionals in our program.
ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP FUSE is a national nonprofit working to expand social and economic opportunities, particularly for communities that have been limited by a history of systemic and institutionalized racism. FUSE partners with local governments and communities to more effectively address pressing challenges by placing experienced professionals within city and county agencies. These FUSE Executive Fellows lead strategic projects designed to advance racial equity and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 250 projects in 40 governments across 20 states, impacting the lives of 25 million people.
When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and local stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward regional priorities. FUSE then conducts an individualized search for each project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the communities being served. They are data‑driven and results‑oriented and able to effectively manage complex projects by developing actionable roadmaps and monitoring progress to completion.
Executive Fellows are hired as FUSE employees and embedded in government agencies for at least one year of full‑time work. Throughout their fellowships, they receive training, coaching, and professional support from FUSE to help achieve their project goals. FUSE Executive Fellows bring diverse perspectives and new approaches to their projects. They build strong relationships with diverse arrays of stakeholders, foster alignment within.
PROJECT CONTEXT Expanding access to permanent supportive housing (PSH) is essential to ensuring housing stability, improving public health, and providing dignified solutions for a city’s most vulnerable residents. PSH combines affordable housing with wraparound behavioral health and case management services to help individuals experiencing chronic homelessness remain stably housed. These residents often face overlapping challenges such as mental illness, substance use disorders, and systemic barriers to care that have historically excluded them from traditional housing and health systems. Without coordinated, long‑term interventions, they continue cycling between shelters, hospitals, and the streets, reinforcing racial and socioeconomic disparities and placing significant strain on emergency and healthcare resources.
In Louisville, KY, more than 12,000 residents experienced homelessness in 2024, including over 1,500 individuals who were chronically homeless and require sustained support. The city currently faces a shortage of 1,245 PSH units, with 292 units in development, resulting in high public costs of over $25 million annually in healthcare expenses alone for these residents. To address these pressing challenges, the Mayor’s Office launched Home for Good, a citywide initiative dedicated to ending street homelessness by scaling PSH as a proven, evidence‑based model. Under this initiative, Louisville aims to create 250 new PSH units by 2027 while building a unified, data‑driven system that aligns housing, behavioral health, and social services. To date, strong partnerships with the Coalition for the Homeless, service providers, and local businesses have created significant community momentum to make this goal a reality.
The City of Louisville will partner with FUSE to accelerate the implementation of its permanent supportive housing initiative and ensure progress toward its 2027 goal. The FUSE Executive Fellow will: conduct a listening tour; coordinate providers and funding streams to operationalize PSH delivery; develop an evidence‑based framework and financial model for long‑term sustainability; and lead a citywide education campaign to strengthen public understanding and support. The fellow will also advance collaboration across agencies, philanthropy, and community organizations to build trust and transparency. The fellow’s focus will be on implementation, coordination, and sustainability, building on the foundational research and engagement that have already been completed by the City. Ultimately, this work will help Louisville reduce chronic homelessness, improve behavioral health outcomes, and create a more accessible and resilient housing system that supports all residents.
PROJECT SUMMARY Beginning in Spring 2026, the FUSE Executive Fellow will work with the Louisville Mayor’s Office, the Office of Behavioral Health, the Economic Development Cabinet, and community partners to accelerate the city’s Home for Good initiative and ensure progress toward creating 250 permanent supportive housing (PSH) units by 2027.
The fellow will begin by conducting a comprehensive listening tour with key stakeholders, including the Coalition for the Homeless, Metro United Way, the Louisville Metro Housing Authority, the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, local developers, service providers, and philanthropic partners. The listening tour will gather insights into barriers that slow PSH implementation, such as fragmented funding streams, limited service coordination, and community misconceptions about PSH, as well as identify opportunities to improve alignment among housing, behavioral health, and social service systems. The fellow will also coordinate with peer cities like Milwaukee, Houston, and Atlanta to learn from successful PSH models and localize best practices for Louisville’s context.
The fellow will utilize the City’s completed landscape analysis of the city’s housing and homelessness ecosystem, including existing PSH initiatives, behavioral health programs, and ongoing homelessness prevention efforts. The fellow will review prior planning and consulting documents, including work from affiliated consultants, to identify gaps in resources, staffing, and interagency collaboration. The fellow will also analyze local, state, and federal funding sources such as HUD’s Continuum of Care, HOME funds, and the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund to determine opportunities to leverage and maximize resources. The fellow will then develop specific project goals and deliverables for review and approval by the Mayor’s Office and project supervisors before advancing to the next phase.
Using the collected insights, the fellow will design and help implement a comprehensive operational plan for the city’s PSH initiative. This will include developing an evidence‑based framework that standardizes service delivery, establishes clear performance measures, and defines consistent roles for participating agencies and providers. The fellow will also design a financial model and sustainability plan to guide the allocation of public, private, and philanthropic funds to support the construction, operation, and long‑term success of PSH units. To ensure accountability, the fellow will convene regular funder and provider meetings, improve data‑tracking systems, and strengthen reporting mechanisms to measure outcomes and support transparency across partners.
The fellow will support targeted coordination and communication efforts to reinforce implementation of the permanent supportive housing (PSH) initiative. This effort will include continuing messaging that addresses common misconceptions, highlights PSH’s high local success rate, and underscores the public and economic benefits of reducing chronic homelessness. These efforts will highlight the demonstrated effectiveness and long‑term value of PSH while promoting collaboration among key stakeholders to sustain momentum toward the city’s housing objectives.
The final comprehensive implementation and sustainability plan for Louisville’s PSH system will define operational frameworks, funding strategies, and long‑term performance indicators to guide continued progress after the fellowship ends. It will also outline a strategy for institutionalizing PSH coordination within Metro Government to maintain efficiency, collaboration, and community trust. Ultimately, this work will help Louisville achieve its 2027 housing goals, strengthen behavioral health outcomes, and create a more comprehensive, resilient housing system that ensures every resident has a safe and stable home.
PROJECT DELIVERABLES By Spring 2027, the Executive Fellow will have produced the following:
Implemented a Comprehensive Operational Framework – Designed and executed a roadmap that defines service delivery processes, agency roles, and measurable performance indicators to guide ongoing PSH implementation.
Advanced a Sustainable Financial Model – Finalized and operationalized a financing structure integrating public, private, and philanthropic resources to sustain PSH growth and ensure the long‑term success of 250 PSH units by 2027.
Established an Evidence‑Based PSH Framework and Data Dashboard – Built a citywide framework to track outcomes across agencies, monitor housing stability and service effectiveness, and provide transparent reporting to leadership and the public.
Developed Institutionalization and Capacity‑Building Recommendations – Produced actionable recommendations to embed PSH coordination, staffing, and data systems within Metro Government to ensure long‑term continuity and sustainability.
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
Executive Sponsor –
Dr. Mariya Leyderman, Executive Director of Behavioral Health
QUALIFICATIONS
Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action‑oriented implementation plans.
Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans.
Generates innovative, data‑driven, and result‑oriented solutions to complex challenges.
Responds quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes.
Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing.
Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision‑making.
Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community‑based relationships.
Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground.
Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.
FUSE is an equal‑opportunity employer with core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position.
#J-18808-Ljbffr