Selected Recipients for this Program

Not Applicable.

Uses and Use Restrictions

To provide housing counseling grants to HUD-approved local housing counseling agencies; to HUD-approved national and regional intermediaries; Multi-state Organizations; and to State housing finance agencies.

Grants provide a variety of housing counseling services, including single family home buying, homeownership, mortgage default, HECM, rental, and rental delinquency under HUD and other programs.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Qualified public or private nonprofit organizations.

There are four categories of eligible applicants: (1) HUD-approved local housing counseling agency; (2) HUD-approved national or regional intermediary; (3) State housing finance agency; and (4) multi-state organizations.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Individuals, groups of individuals, and families who are renters, tenants, homeowners, and home buyers under HUD, conventional and other government programs.

Credentials/Documentation

To be eligible to apply for a housing counseling grant through the SuperNOFA, agencies, except state housing finance agencies, must be HUD approved. HUD-approval must be secured by the SuperNOFA publication date. To become a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, applicants must (1) meet the requirements of the Housing Counseling Handbook 7610.1 as revised; (2) consult the HUD website to learn about the eligibility requirements for becoming HUD-approved and obtain application (available on the HUD website at www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcc_homes.cfm); and (3) return application to the HUD Homeownership Center (HOC) with jurisdiction, or, if appropriate, HUD Headquarters. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

The availability of funds is announced on HUD's website at www.hud.gov.

There is no application kit.

For a copy of the NOFA, applicants can visit the HUD website (www.hud.gov).

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants must submit by the required date the items and forms requested in the NOFA, such as a description of the housing counseling services to be provided, and indicators by which benefits / impact will be measured.

Award Procedures

Applicants will be evaluated competitively and ranked against all other applicants that applied in the same funding category. National and regional intermediaries are rated and ranked by HUD Headquarters. Local agencies, multi-state organizations and State housing finance agencies are rated and ranked by the Homeownership Center (HOC) with jurisdiction. A funding formula outlined in the NOFA is used to calculate awards. This program is subject to the administrative requirements established in OMB Circular A-102, Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments, which was implemented by 24 CFR part 85; OMB Circular A-110, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Nonprofit Organizations, which was implemented by 24 CFR part 84; and OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments and Nonprofit Organizations, which was implemented by 24 CFR Parts 84 and 85. Grants awarded under this program are also subject to the cost principles in OMB Circular A-87 for State and local governments and Indian tribal governments and OMB Circular A-122 for nonprofit organizations.

Deadlines

Not Applicable.

Authorization

Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Award announcements typically occur 5-7 months after applications are received.

Appeals

Applicants for housing counseling grants may appeal their denial of a grant award or the insufficiency of the grant amount to HUD.

Renewals

Grantees must submit a new application and compete through the NOFA each year.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this program. MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Funding assistance is for a discrete period of time, generally 1 year. Grantees invoice HUD on a periodic basis for housing counseling services delivered. Payments of grant funds are subsequently made to grantees via direct deposit/electronic funds transfer (DD/EFT). Method of awarding/releasing assistance: quarterly.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Not Applicable.

Audits

Not Applicable.

Records

As required in grant document and Housing Counseling Handbook, HUD 7610.1.

Financial Information

Account Identification

86-0156-0-1-604.

Obigations

(Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements)) FY 15 $42,000,000; FY 16 est $45,000,000; and FY 17 est $43,000,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Range and average of financial assistance: For Fiscal Year 2012, the minimum request from a local agency was $15,000 and the maximum request from an intermediary was $3,000,000. The average local agency counseling grant was approximately $20,500. The average intermediary award was approximately $990,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None. Persons are encouraged to contact the Homeownership Center serving their State (see http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hoc/hsghocs.cfm), or the nearest local HUD Office. See Catalog address Appendix IV for a list of offices.

Headquarters Office

Wanda L. Sampedro, 451 7th Street, SW, Washington, District of Columbia 20410 Email: info@fhaoutreach.com Phone: (800) 225-5342.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Not Applicable.