Social and Economic Impacts of the CDBG and HOME Programs | FR 6400 N 57

Opportunity Information: Apply for FR 6400 N 57

This funding opportunity, titled Social and Economic Impacts of the CDBG and HOME Programs (Funding Opportunity Number FR 6400 N 57), is a discretionary grant competition run by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through its Office of Policy Development and Research (PD and R). It sits under HUDs broader Research and Evaluation, Demonstrations, and Data Analysis and Utilization program (often referred to as HUDRD). The core purpose is to fund research that examines the social and economic impacts of activities supported by two of HUDs major community investment tools: the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and, by title, the HOME program. In practical terms, HUD is looking for rigorous studies that help explain what these programs are achieving, how impacts vary by place or activity type, and what the evidence implies for policy and implementation.

HUD announced up to 500,000 in total FY 2020 funding available under this notice of funding availability, with awards made as cooperative agreements. A cooperative agreement generally means HUD expects to be more involved than it would be under a standard grant, for example by collaborating on study design choices, data access, deliverables, and dissemination. The award ceiling listed is 300,000, and HUD anticipated making about 2 awards, suggesting that projects are expected to be substantial and that only a small number of applicants would be funded.

The opportunity is categorized under the housing funding activity area and is associated with CFDA number 14.536. Eligible applicants are broad and include most levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), independent school districts, public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, federally recognized tribal governments and other eligible tribal organizations, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. This wide eligibility signals that HUD is open to proposals from academic researchers, policy shops, consulting firms, nonprofit research organizations, and government entities, as long as the team can credibly carry out high-quality evaluation or data analysis.

The notice was created on June 15, 2020, with an original application deadline of August 17, 2020, due by 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time. The short application window and limited number of anticipated awards indicate a competitive process where clear research questions, strong methodological plans, feasible workplans, and demonstrated capacity to manage federal research awards would matter a great deal.

At a high level, applicants would be expected to propose research focused on CDBG-eligible activities (and, consistent with the title, potentially HOME-supported activities as well) and to measure or otherwise document their social and economic impacts. While the summary does not list specific required research topics, the framing points toward studies that can move beyond describing spending and instead connect program investments to outcomes for residents and communities, such as neighborhood economic conditions, housing stability and quality, community facilities and infrastructure effects, or distributional impacts across different populations and geographies. The intent is to generate evidence HUD and grantees can use to improve program design and targeting, strengthen accountability, and better communicate what these longstanding programs accomplish.

• The US Department of Housing and Urban Development in the housing sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Social and Economic Impacts of the CDBG and HOME Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 14.536.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 15, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 17, 2020 The application deadline is 115959 pm Eastern Standard time on. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for FR 6400 N 57

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