Youth Diversion Infrastructure Project (YDIP)
For young people in crisis, there should be no wrong door to help.
At its heart, the Youth Diversion Infrastructure Project (YDIP) is built on this simple but powerful idea. Too often, these youth and young adults have no one to turn to and face steep barriers to housing, work, and wellness. YDIP changes that by meeting them where they are, connecting them to trusted providers, and offering quick, flexible financial support that can cover urgent needs—from move-in costs to transportation repairs—so they can secure safe housing and take the next steps toward their goals.
Examples of what flex funds can be used for:
Improving lives
Since launching in 2023, YDIP has demonstrated strong, statewide impact—reaching young people across six counties and helping them avoid entering the homelessness system altogether.
Findings from the latest evaluation (February 2023 – August 2025) show that YDIP is a highly effective, responsive, and equitable approach to preventing youth homelessness and supporting long-term housing stability.
Read our latest YDIP program evaluation report here
Read about YDIP’s first-year impact here
Check out our YDIP infographic that illustrates how the program works and its impact
By centering young people’s voices and investing in solutions shaped by their needs, YDIP is not only changing individual lives, it’s reshaping systems to prevent homelessness and prepare young people for a brighter future.
YDIP is an ongoing Building Changes project, funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) and through private funding from the Raikes Foundation and the Schultz Family Foundation.