Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants

 

The Rural Capacity Building program enhances the capacity and ability of rural housing development organizations, Community Development Corporations (CDCs), Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs), local governments, and Indian tribes (eligible beneficiaries) to carry out affordable housing and community development activities in rural areas for the benefit of low- and moderate-income families and persons. The Rural Capacity Building program achieves this by funding National Organizations with expertise in rural housing and rural community development who work directly to build the capacity of eligible beneficiaries.

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
14.265
Federal Agency/Office
Assistant Secretary For Community Planning and Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2022 Outcomes, Performance Indicators, Risk, and Other Evidence: From 2017-2020, RCB made significant gains in providing much needed services to eligible populations. RCB grantees have so far achieved the following outputs: • Served 1,235 eligible organizations; • Provided 155 trainings; • Constructed 744 new housing units; • Rehabbed, sustained, and/or reconstructed 1,087 housing units; • Placed 967 housing units into the development process; and, • Awarded 28 sub-grants for a total of $868,111.
Authorization
Public Law 116-94
Funding for the FY 2023 NOFO are authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328, approved on December 29, 2022).
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Only National Organizations that are 501(c)(3) nonprofits, other than institutions of higher education, can apply for RCB funding. For the purpose of the RCB program, a National Organization must be a single organization that has experience conducting RCB eligible activities with RCB eligible beneficiaries within the last ten years in at least seven Federal HUD regions. Having relevant experience working in one state in a HUD region is sufficient for counting that region towards the seven-region minimum. Federal regions are described on HUD's website at: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/localoffices/regions .
Beneficiary Eligibility
RCB program Eligible Beneficiaries are limited to a local organization serving rural areas that are one of the following types of organizations: - Rural housing development organization, - Community Development Corporation (CDC), - Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO), - Local government, and/or - Indian tribe. RCB program Eligible Beneficiaries must serve rural areas. Eligible Beneficiaries in the RCB program are not Eligible Applicants for the RCB program. By definition, RCB Eligible Beneficiaries are not eligible to apply to this RCB NOFO; National Organizations are the only organizations that can be deemed to be Eligible Applicants by successfully meeting the requirements of a National Organization established in Section I.A.4 and Section III.C of this FY 2018 RCB NOFO. Only Eligible Applicants can apply to HUD directly for RCB program funds through this NOFO. Successfully funded RCB program National Organizations are required to work with Eligible Beneficiaries with their RCB program grant award.
Credentials/Documentation
Not applicable.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is required. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The annual publication of HUD's Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing (RCB) NOFO details the submission requirements. Applications may be submitted in response to the annual publication of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the RCB Program on Grants.gov.
Award Procedure
Based upon the requirements published in the Program Section of the RCB NOFO, respondents are notified of acceptance or rejection. Upon selection, the applicant and HUD shall negotiate and execute a grant agreement.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
From 60 to 90 days.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
Applications are reviewed according to the Threshold Requirements to determine applicant eligibility as a National Organization and Rating Factor requirements set forth in the RCB Program NOFO. Applicants are assessed for the organization's capacity, understanding of the capacity building needs of eligible beneficiaries, the soundness of their approach in their proposed RCB program, their commitment to leveraging other funding, and their performance evaluation plans and past performance on previous RCB grant awards.
How may assistance be used?
Funds may be used to provide the following services: 1. Training, education, support, and advice to enhance the technical and administrative capabilities to serve rural areas of rural housing development organizations, CDCs, CHDOs, local governments, and Indian tribes, including building their capacity to participate in consolidated planning, as well as in fair housing planning and Continuum of Care homeless assistance efforts that help ensure community-wide participation in assessing area needs; consulting broadly within the community; cooperatively planning for the use of available resources in a comprehensive and holistic manner; and assisting in evaluating performance under these community efforts and in linking plans with neighboring communities to foster regional planning; 2. Loans, pass-through grants or other financial assistance to rural housing organizations, CDCs, CHDOs, local governments, and Indian tribes serving rural areas to carry out community development and affordable housing activities that benefit low-income or low- and moderate-income families and persons by building the capacity of those eligible beneficiaries to in rural areas. 3. Such other activities as may be determined by the grantees in consultation with the Secretary or his or her designee. Currently only RCB related Administration activities are eligible under this category.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Performance Reports: Performance reports are submitted twice a year. HUD will conduct monitoring of all grantees.
Auditing
In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503 In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503
Records
All records concerning grant award and grant expenditures shall be maintained during the period of grant award and for 3 years after grant closeout is approved by HUD.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
The performance period for the Rural Capacity Building grant is four years (48 months). Funds must be expended within four years (48 months) of the grant start date. Funds are available for draw down from HUD's Line of Credit Control System (LOCCS). Funding is committed through grant agreements and released to grantees as voucher reimbursements on a regular basis Method of awarding/releasing assistance.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
All interested parties must contact the Headquarters Office for information.
Headquarters Office
La Ticia Wilson
451 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20410 USA
Laticia.Wilson@hud.gov
Phone: 2024025890
Website Address
https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/rural-capacity-building/
Financial Information
Account Identification
86-0176-0-1-604
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $10,000,000.00; FY 24 est $6,000,000.00; FY 21$10,000,000.00; FY 20$5,000,000.00; FY 19$5,000,000.00; FY 18$5,000,000.00; FY 17$5,000,000.00; FY 16$5,000,000.00; -
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
In FY 2021 the minimum grant award possible was $1,250,000 and the maximum grant award was $2,500,000 per budget period. The FY 2021 and 2022 awards were combined and resulted in a $10,000,000 NOFO with $5,000,000 million for each year. The maximum award eligible was $2,325,000 and the minimum was $1,700,000. 5 awards were made, and they ranged from 1,700,000 to $2,325,000. The projected obligations are for FY2023 are $6,000,000.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
The annual RCB NOFO will include guidance for applicants to implement and manage the Rural Capacity Building Program.
Examples of Funded Projects
Not applicable.

 



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