The challenges do not stop at the front door once homeless people and families get into apartments or homes of their own. In many cases, a series of events triggered the homelessness. Perhaps addiction, unemployment, untreated mental illness or all of those combined.

The Washington Families Fund announced Tuesday that it was granting $357,080 to a coalition of Spokane nonprofits that help homeless people find and keep housing. In this bad-news summer, the announcement felt like fresh air through an open window.

Creative and collaborative solutions have the best chance to get to the core of seemingly intractable societal problems, such as homelessness.

The Washington Families Fund, which announced grants to 10 programs throughout the state, is truly a collaboration. The public-private partnership acknowledges that the problems of homelessness cross political and social lines, touching government agencies, schools, neighborhoods and faith communities.

Seed money for the fund came from the Washington state Legislature. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation matched the Legislature’s $2 million with $2 million more. Other companies and organizations then threw money into the pot; Boeing, for instance, announced Tuesday it was contributing $100,000.

In Spokane, the grant rewarded collaborative work, too. Transitions, Northeast Washington Housing Solutions, Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs and Catholic Charities came together to apply for the grant. Transitions, the lead organization in the coalition, has its roots in collaboration. Catholic sisters from four congregations joined with community members to create and support programs for homeless women and children, including The Transitional Living Center on Spokane’s North Side.

Linking services, and providing for easy access to them, are the crucial components for success. The 10 statewide grants fund various wrap-around services that help the homeless hone the skills necessary to keep their homes and families intact. These include such things as financial counseling, housecleaning tips, parenting classes and domestic violence prevention counseling.

The money will also be used for support groups already in place where those struggling with homelessness tell the truth about their experiences.

The 10-year grants do not pump huge amounts of money into any of the 10 statewide programs. The need for more housing and services for the state’s homeless will always outpace the funds available to meet those needs.

But the nonprofits making up the Spokane coalition already possess decades worth of knowledge about homeless families. The grant money should free them to try some new, creative ideas that have been held on the back burner, ideas that allow homeless folks to truly become part of community life.