Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Department's Fiscal Year 2018 Comprehensive Housing Counseling Grant Program

The purpose of HUD’s Housing Counseling Grant Program is to provide funds that shall be used for providing counseling and advice to tenants and homeowners, both current and prospective, with respect to property maintenance, financial management and literacy, and such other matters as may be appropriate to assist program clients in improving their housing conditions, meeting their financial needs, and fulfilling the responsibilities of tenancy or homeownership. Funding provided under this NOFA is intended to support HUD-approved housing counseling agencies to respond flexibly to the needs of...

1. All housing counseling agencies directly approved by HUD to participate in the HUD Housing Counseling Program prior to the NOFA issue date and SHFAs are eligible for this NOFA. 2. Applicant and Sub-grantee Status Requirements:a. Tax-exempt organizations under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 501 (a) as described in IRC section 501(c) (26 U.S.C. 501 (a) and (c)), or units of local, county or state government. HUD is reviewing this criterion; may limit eligibility to 501(c)(3) organizations in the future;b. in good standing under their organization’s state laws and regulations; andc. authorized to do business in states proposing housing counseling services. 3. Additional Eligibility Requirements for Applicants and Sub-grantees Requirements:a. Successful Applicants shall operate each existing housing program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance as readily accessible in accordance with regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. In addition, counseling services must comply with effective communication requirements pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its implementing regulations at 24 C.F.R. § 8.6, Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Department of Justice implementing regulations codified at 28 C.F.R. § § 35 and 36.b. SAM.gov Registration Requirement. Applicants must have a valid, active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) and all applicants/sub-grantees must have a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) identifier.c. All Applicants and Sub-grantees must resolve outstanding issues on their most recent HUD housing counseling performance review by the later of the NOFA application deadline date or the expiration date of any conditional re-approval resulting from a HUD performance review.d. All Applicants and Sub-grantees must disclose to HUD the status of active HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG) audits or investigations at the time of the NOFA application submission date. HUD may determine that applicants are not eligible for grant funding based on its review of HUD OIG audits and investigations. Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.

Connie Barton Connie.Y.Barton@hud.gov