Lead Technical Studies Grants (14.902)

 

Program

14.902 Lead Technical Studies Grants

 

Federal Agency

OFFICE OF HEALTHY HOMES AND LEAD HAZARD CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

 

Authorization

Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970; and the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution Act of 2003, Public Law 108-7.

 

Program Number

14.902

 

Last Known Status

Active

 

Objectives

To fund technical studies to improve methods for detecting and controlling lead-based paint and other residential health and safety hazards. For 2003, there is a set-aside for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to fund technical studies to improve the effectiveness of lead hazard control programs in urban areas.

 

Types of Assistance

Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements).

 

Uses and Use Restrictions

Healthy Homes and Lead Technical Studies Program: This program focuses on research projects for developing new methods of evaluation and control of housing-based hazards. In addition to direct activities, administrative costs and program planning and management costs of sub-grantees and other sub- recipients are eligible for funding under this grant program. Ineligible activities are: (1) Purchase of real property; (2) Purchase or lease of equipment having a per unit cost in excess of $5,000, unless prior written approval is obtained from HUD; and (3) Medical treatment costs.

 

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Academic, not-for-profit and for-profit institutions located in the U.S.(for-profit firms are not allowed to profit from the project), State and local governments, and Federally- recognized Indian Tribes in the United States. Federal agencies and Federal employees are not eligible to apply for this program. HBCUs (as defined in 30 CFR 608.2) are eligible to apply for the set-aside under the Lead Technical Studies Program.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Healthy Homes and Lead Technical Studies grants are intended to serve a broad array of beneficiaries including homeowners, rental property owners, and public housing residents.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State, local and Federally-recognized Indian Tribal governments and specific requirements of 24 CFR Part 85. Costs will be determined for nonprofit and educational institutions in accordance with OMB Circulars No. A-122 and No. A-21, respectively, and in accordance with the requirements of 24 CFR Part 84.

 

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

The competitive Notification of Funding Availability (NOFA) for fiscal year 2003 Lead Outreach grants provides the application procedure. Copies of the NOFA can be obtained by calling the SuperNOFA Information Center at 1-800-HUD-8929 or via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877- 8339.

Award Procedure

Applications that meet all of the threshold criteria will be eligible to be scored and ranked with the Healthy Homes Technical Studies category or the Lead Technical Studies category, as indicated on the application. Each eligible application will be ranked based on the total number of points allocated for each of the rating factors. HUD intends to make grant awards to the highest ranked applications within each category, within the limits of funding availability of that category.

Deadlines

To be considered for funding, the original and a four copies of the application package, whether sent by mail, express mail or overnight delivery, must be received at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control, Attn: Lead and Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program, 451 7th Street, SW, Room P-3206, Washington, DC 20410, no later than June 10, 2003. No hand-delivered applications will be accepted. Announcements regarding availability of funding will be published in the Federal Register.

 

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Appeals

Not applicable.

Renewals

Not applicable.

 

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

There is no matching requirement for the Healthy Homes and Lead Technical Studies grant program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

The Healthy Homes Initiative grants (Demonstration; and Healthy Homes and Lead Technical Studies) are awarded up to 24 months after the date of award, except for projects involving human subjects that require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and periodic monitoring, which cannot exceed 30 months. HUD reserves the right to approve no cost time extensions for a period not to exceed 12 months. Payment is on a cost-reimbursable basis.

 

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Quarterly financial management and performance reports are required of participating jurisdictions.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State, Local, and Federally-recognized Indian Tribal governments; or Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations; as applicable.

 

Program Accomplishments

With fiscal year 2002 funds, HUD awarded $2.6 million in grants for technical studies to protect low-income families, especially children, from lead and other health and safety hazards associated with housing. Healthy Homes Technical Studies grants were awarded to: The Saint Louis University School of Public Health - $700,000; Advanced Energy - $700,000; the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - $233,967. Lead Technical Studies grants were awarded to: The National Center for Healthy Housing - $60,804, Phoenix Science and Technology - $397,118; Research Triangle Institute - $194,194; University of Cincinnati - $159,734; University of Cincinnati - $188,150.

 

Financial Information

Account Identification

86-0174-0-1-451.

Obligations

FY 02 $13,258,000; FY 03 est $9,935,000; FY 04 est $9,500,000. (NOTE: Amounts reported reflect allocation of new budget authority rather than obligation amounts.)

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Healthy Homes Technical Studies grants awarded in 2002 ranged from $239,000 to 700,000; the average was $546,000. Lead Technical Studies grants awarded in 2002 ranged from $60,804 to $397,118; the average was $200,000. HUD will make about $2 million for the Healthy Homes Technical Studies in fiscal year 2003 funds; and about $3 million for Lead Technical Studies, of which about $1.25 million is from fiscal year 2003 funds, and approximately $1.75 million is fiscal year 2001 funds. For Healthy Homes Technical Studies HUD anticipates awarding three to six grants ranging from approximately $200,000 to approximately $1 million. For Lead Technical Studies HUD anticipates awarding between three and 30 grants ranging from approximately $100,000 to approximately $1 million.

 

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

The Notice of Funding Availability is self-contained; all necessary information is provided; no other regulations pertain. Guidelines and applicable regulations are available through the Internet at http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead.

 

Related Programs

14.900, Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control in Privately-Owned Housing; 14.901, Healthy Homes Demonstration Grants.

 

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Dr. Peter J. Ashley, Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control, at the address above. Telephone: (202) 755- 1785, extension 115. E-mail: Peter_J._Ashley@hud.gov; or Ms. Curtissa Coleman, Grants Officer, extension 119. E-mail: Curtissa_L._Coleman@hud.gov. These are not toll-free numbers. Hearing- and speech-impaired persons may access the above telephone numbers via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Web Site Address

http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead

 

Examples of Funded Projects

Healthy Homes Technical Studies grants: Advanced Energy is assessing the degree to which improvements in the design of new low cost housing to reduce moisture levels and increase air exchange rate, will result in a reduction the levels of some common household allergens in house dust. Saint Louis University is assessing methods for killing dust mite and fungi in carpets. Lead Technical Studies grants: Phoenix Science and Technology to study Development of dust-controlled high-intensity light paint removal method; Research Triangle Institute to develop a protocol for measuring lead in soil using portable X-ray fluorescence analyzers.

 

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Applications that meet all of the threshold requirements contained in Section II(B) of the General Section of the SuperNOFA will be eligible to be scored and ranked, based on the total number of points allocated for each of these rating factors: Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organizational Experience; Need/Extent of the Problem; Soundness of Approach; Leveraging Resources; Achieving Results and Program Evaluation.