Rural Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance

 

To provide Self-Help Technical Assistance Grants to provide financial assistance to qualified nonprofit organizations and public bodies that will aid needy very low and low-income individuals and their families to build homes in rural areas by the self help method. Any State, political subdivision, private or public nonprofit corporation is eligible to apply. Section 523 Grants are used to pay salaries, rent, and office expenses of the nonprofit organization. Pre-development grants up to $10,000 may be available to qualified organizations.

Active 10.420 Rural Housing Service, Department of Agriculture B - Project Grants Not applicable. Housing Act of 1949, as amended, Section 523, Public Laws 89-117 and 89-754, 42 U.S.C. 1490c. Must be a State or political subdivision, public nonprofit corporation or a private nonprofit corporation. Assistance is authorized for eligible applicants in the United States, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Marianas. Very low and low-income rural families, usually in groups of 6 to 10 families. Applicants must furnish evidence of the need for such services, have legal capacity to incur the obligation and operate the proposed project, and be unable to obtain the necessary funds from other sources. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Form SF-424 is submitted to the Field office of the Rural Development (RD) , including information attached to Part IV, fully documenting the applicant's experience, need for the grant and the proposed amount needed. Attachments relating to the size of the proposed project, estimated cost, budget and need are also required. This program is subject to provisions of 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Award is made by the National office. Not applicable. From 60 to 190 days from the time discussion begins. Agency regulations providing customers with the rights for an informal review, mediation or alternative dispute resolution (ADR), or appeal to the National Appeals Division (NAD) are contained in 7 CFR Part 3550. NAD regulations are found at 7 CFR Part 11. Requests for an informal review, mediation and ADR must be received within 30 days from the date of the adverse decision. Requests for an appeal to NAD must be received within 30 days of receipt of the adverse decision. Applicants may reapply at any time, if needed to help low- income families build homes in rural areas by the mutual self-help method is clearly evidenced. The criteria for selecting proposals are the evidence of a clearly defined need in an area for mutual self-help housing and the families in the area cannot afford or obtain a modest house by customary methods, and the applicant possesses the expertise to provide the technical assistance (TA) required. Eligible organizations may use technical assistance funds to hire the personnel to carry out a technical assistance program for self-help housing in rural areas; to pay necessary and reasonable office and administrative expenses; to purchase or rent equipment such as power tools for use by families participating in self-help housing construction; and to pay fees for training self-help group members in construction techniques or for other professional services needed. Funds will not be used to hire personnel to perform any construction work, to buy real estate or building materials, or pay any debts, expenses or costs other than previously outlined for participating families in self-help projects. Not applicable. Annual audits should be made as part of the recipient's systems of financial management and internal control to meet terms and conditions of grants and other agreements. Adequate operating records must be maintained by Grantee. 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. Grants are typically for a 2-year period, however, other time periods may be authorized if appropriate. Applications for assistance far exceed available funding. There is generally a waiting list for funding. Award is made by the National Office. Consult your local telephone directory under Department of Agriculture for Rural Development county or district office numbers or visit the website http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app for a State Office listing. Myron L. Wooden
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250 US
Myron.Wooden@wdc.usda.gov
Phone: (202) 720-1532 http://www.rurdev.usda.gov 12-2006-0-1-604 (Project Grants) FY 18$28,660,183.00; FY 19 est $30,000,000.00; FY 20 est $0.00; FY 17$27,626,751.00; FY 16$22,148,496.00; - Fiscal Year 2020 estimates are based on the President's proposed budget. FY 2017 average grant assistance $800,000. FY 2018 average grant assistance $824,766 FY 2018 average amount is estimated. 7 CFR Subpart I of Part 1944; Chapter XVIII; RD Instruction 1944-I, "Self-Help Technical Assistance Grants"; (PA 1254) (no charge). Not applicable.