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FY 1998 Super Notice of Funding Availability
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| PROGRAM NAME | FUNDING AVAILABLE | DUE DATE | SUBMISSION LOCATION AND ROOM |
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FAIR HOUSING INITIATIVES PROGRAM - NATIONAL FOCUS EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH
CFDA No.: 14.409 OMB Approval No.: 2529-0033 |
$ 3,500,000 | July 7, 1998 | HUD Headquarters, FHIP/FHAP Support Division, Room 5234 |
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NATIONAL HOUSING
COUNSELING TRAINING PROGRAM
CFDA No.: 14.169 OMB Approval No.: 2502-0261 |
$ 550,000 | July 7, 1998 | HUD Headquarters, Director, Marketing and Outreach Division, Office of Single Family Housing, Room 9166 |
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NATIONAL LEAD HAZARD AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
CFDA No: 14.900 OMB Approval No.: pending |
$ 1,000,000 | July 7, 1998 | HUD Headquarters, Office of Lead Hazard Control, Room B-133 |
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. For those programs listed in the chart which have OMB approval numbers, the information collection requirements contained in this National SuperNOFA for those programs have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). For those programs listed in the chart for which an OMB approval number is pending, the approval number when received will be announced by HUD in the Federal Register. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection displays a valid control number.
GENERAL SECTION OF THE NATIONAL SUPERNOFA
I. Authority; Purpose; Amount Allocated; Eligible Applicants and Eligible Activities.
- (A) Authorities. The authority for Fiscal Year 1998 funding availability under this National SuperNOFA is the Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 (Pub.L. 105-65, approved October 27, 1997) (FY 1998 HUD Appropriations Act). Where applicable, additional authority for each program in this National SuperNOFA is identified in the Programs Section.
(B) Purpose. The purpose of this National SuperNOFA is to:
- (1) Make funding available through a variety of programs to implement information, outreach and education activities on a nationwide scale that will empower communities and their residents, particularly the poor and disadvantaged, to develop viable communities, provide decent housing and a suitable living environment for all citizens, without discrimination in order to improve themselves both as individuals and as a community.
(2) Simplify and streamline the application process for funding under HUD programs. By making available to eligible applicants the application requirements for HUD programs with nationwide coverage in one NOFA, HUD hopes that the result will be a less time consuming and less complicated application process. This new process also allows an applicant to submit one application for funds for several programs. Except where statutory or regulatory requirements or program policy mandate differences, the National SuperNOFA strives to provide for one set of rules, standardized rating factors, and uniform and consolidated application procedures.
(3) Enhance the ability of applicants to make more effective and efficient use of HUD national funding to implement coordinated information, outreach and education activities on a nationwide scale. Through this National SuperNOFA process, applicants are encouraged to promote methods for developing more coordinated and effective approaches to dealing with national problems by recognizing the interconnections among the underlying problems and ways to address them through layering of available HUD programs;
(4) Promote the ability of eligible applicants to participate in the programs contained in this National SuperNOFA; provide an increased opportunity to assist the effort to develop and implement consistent, national programs which promote fair housing practices and open housing opportunities; and provide technical assistance and services to improve program results and increase the productivity of HUD programs in meeting community needs; and
(5) Recognize and make better use of the expertise that each of the programs, and organizations eligible for funding under this National SuperNOFA, can contribute when developing and implementing nationwide information, outreach and education activities.
(C) Amounts Allocated. The amounts allocated to specific programs in this National SuperNOFA are based on appropriated funds. Should recaptured funds become available in any program, HUD reserves the right to increase the available funding amounts by the amount of funds recaptured.
(D) Eligible Applicants and Eligible Activities. The eligible applicants and eligible activities for each program are identified and described for the program in the Programs Section of the National SuperNOFA.
II. Requirements and Procedures Applicable to All Programs.
Except as may be modified in the Programs Section of this Super NOFA, or as noted within the specific provisions of this Section II, the following principles apply to all programs. Please be sure to read the program area section of the National SuperNOFA for additional requirements or information.
(A) Statutory Requirements. All applicants must meet and comply with all statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to the program for which they are seeking funding in order to be awarded funds. Copies of the regulations are available from the SuperNOFA Information Center or through the Internet at http://www.hud.gov. HUD may reject an application from further funding consideration if the activities or projects proposed are ineligible, or HUD may eliminate the ineligible activities from funding consideration and reduce the grant amount accordingly.
(B) Threshold Requirements -- Compliance with Fair Housing and Civil Rights Laws. All applicants must comply with all applicable Fair Housing and civil rights laws, statutes, regulations and executive orders as enumerated in 24 CFR � 5.105(a). If an applicant (1) has been charged with a violation of the Fair Housing Act by the Secretary; (2) is the defendant in a Fair Housing Act lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice; or (3) has received a letter of noncompliance findings under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, or Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act, the applicant is not eligible to apply for funding under this National SuperNOFA until the applicant resolves such charge, lawsuit, or letter of findings to the satisfaction of the Department.
(C) Additional Nondiscrimination Requirements. Applicants must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.
(D) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing. Where applicable, each successful applicant will have a duty to affirmatively further fair housing. Applicants should include in their work plans the specific steps that they will take to (1) address the elimination of impediments to fair housing; (2) remedy discrimination in housing; or (3) promote fair housing rights and fair housing choice. Further, applicants have a duty to carry out the specific activities cited in their responses to the rating factors that address affirmatively furthering fair housing in this National SuperNOFA.
(E) Forms, Certifications and Assurances. Each applicant is required to submit signed copies of the standard forms, certifications, and assurances, listed in this section, unless the program requirements in the Programs Section specifies otherwise.
(1) Standard Form for Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424);
(2) Standard Form for Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) or Standard Form for Budget Information-Construction Programs (SF-424C), as applicable;
(3) Standard Form for Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) or Standard Form for Assurances--Construction Programs (SF-424D), as applicable;
(4) Drug-Free Workplace Certification (HUD-50070);
(5) Certification and Disclosure Form Regarding Lobbying (SF-LLL); (Tribes and tribally designated housing entities (THDEs) established by an Indian tribe as a result of the exercise of the tribe's sovereign power are not required to submit this certification. Tribes and TDHEs established under State law are required to submit this certification.)
(6) Applicant/Recipient Disclosure Update Report (HUD-2880);
(7) Certification that the applicant will comply with the requirements of the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and will affirmatively further fair housing.
(8) Certification required by 24 CFR 24.510. (The provisions of 24 CFR part 24 apply to the employment, engagement of services, awarding of contracts, subgrants, or funding of any recipients, or contractors or subcontractors, during any period of debarment, suspension, or placement in ineligibility status, and a certification is required.)
(F) OMB Circulars. The policies, guidances, and requirements of OMB Circular No. A-87 (Cost Principles Applicable to Grants, Contracts and Other Agreements with State and Local Governments) and 24 CFR part 84 (Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-Profit Organizations) and 24 CFR part 85 (Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State, Local, and Federally recognized Indian tribal governments) apply to the award, acceptance and use of assistance under the programs of this SuperNOFA, and to the remedies for noncompliance, except when inconsistent with the provisions of the FY 1998 HUD Appropriations Act, other Federal statutes or the provisions of this SuperNOFA. Compliance with additional OMB Circulars may be specified for a particular program in the Programs Section of the SuperNOFA. Copies of the OMB Circulars may be obtained from EOP Publications, Room 2200, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 10503, telephone (202) 395-7332 (this is not a toll free number).
(H) Prohibition against multiple billing. A recipient may not bill two or more awards for the same work, materials, or any other expenses.
III. Application Selection Process.
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(A) General. To review and rate applications, HUD may establish panels including persons not currently employed by HUD to obtain certain expertise and outside points of view, including views from other Federal agencies.
(1) Rating. All applications for funding in each program listed in this National SuperNOFA will be evaluated and rated against the criteria in this National SuperNOFA. The rating of the "applicant" or the "applicant's organization and staff" for technical merit or threshold compliance, unless otherwise specified, will include any sub-contractors, consultants, sub-recipients, and members of consortia which are firmly committed to the project.
(2) Ranking. Applicants will be ranked within each program. Applicants will be ranked only against others that applied for the same program funding and where there are set-asides within the competition, the applicant would only compete against applicants in the same set-aside competition.
(B) Threshold Requirements. HUD will review each application to determine whether the application meets all of the threshold criteria described for program funding made available under this National SuperNOFA. Applications that meet all of the threshold criteria will be eligible to be rated and ranked, based on the criteria described, and the total number of points to be awarded.
(C) Factors For Award Used To Evaluate and Rate Applications.
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(1) For all of the programs for which funding is available under this National SuperNOFA, the points awarded for the factors total 100.
(2) The Five Standard Rating Factors. In accord with the other three SuperNOFAS for this year, this National SuperNOFA uses Five Standard Rating Factors. One of these factors in the other SuperNOFAs, Rating Factor 2: Need/Extent of the Problem, has been modified to reflect the national scope of the programs under this National SuperNOFA. The Need in the other SuperNOFA programs must be identified by applicants at the local level at which they propose to undertake activities. In this National SuperNOFA, the need for the eligible activities has been determined by HUD to exist at the national level. Therefore, applicants will be expected to address this factor by describing the basis or rationale they used to determine why the proposed work activities will best address the needs that HUD has identified.
The factors for rating and ranking applicants and the maximum points for each factor are listed in this Section III.(C)(2) as follows:
Rating Factor 1: Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organizational Experience (30 Points)
This factor addresses the extent to which the applicant has the organizational resources necessary to successfully implement the proposed activities in a timely manner, and the applicant's ability to develop and implement large information campaigns, community tension projects, or training programs, as appropriate, on a national scale. The rating of the "applicant" or the "applicant's organization and staff" for technical merit or threshold compliance, unless otherwise specified, will include any sub-contractors, consultants, sub-recipients, and members of consortia that are firmly committed to the project. In rating this factor, HUD will consider the extent to which the application demonstrates:
(1) General Description of Applicant Organization and Relevant Experience.
(a) The eligibility and qualifications of the applicant organization; the type of organization (e.g., public, private, non-profit, for profit); and the organization's general areas of activity or line of business.
(b) If the applicant has managed large, complex, interdisciplinary projects, the applicant must include information on them in its response.
(c) Awards and major accomplishments of the applicant organization must be described. HUD will also consider any documented evidence, such as performance reviews, newspaper articles, or monitoring findings, that may reflect positively or negatively upon the ability of the applicant and its proposed staff to perform the work.
(d) The applicant's capability in handling financial resources with adequate financial control procedures and accounting procedures. In addition, HUD will consider findings identified in applicants' most recent audits; internal consistency in the application of numeric quantities; accuracy of mathematical calculations; and other available information on financial management capability.
(2) Specific Description of Staff for Proposed Activities. The applicant has sufficient personnel or will be able to quickly access qualified experts or professionals to deliver the proposed activities in a timely and effective fashion, including the readiness and ability of the applicant to immediately begin the proposed work program; the knowledge and experience of the overall proposed project director and staff, including the day-to-day program manager, consultants and contractors in planning and managing programs for which funding is being requested. To demonstrate that the applicant has sufficient personnel, the applicant must submit the proposed number of staff hours for the employees and experts to be allocated to the project, the titles and relevant professional background and experience of each employee and expert proposed to be assigned to the project, and the roles to be performed by each identified employee and expert. Experience will be judged in terms of at least two years' worth of recent and relevant experience to undertake eligible program activities or projects similar in scope or nature and directly relevant to the work activities proposed.
(3) Specific Description of Experience Relevant to the Proposed Activities. Applicants must describe their ability to effectively develop, implement, and manage a media campaign, tension reduction project for communities, or training program, as appropriate, on a national scale. Applicants for FHIP program funding must specifically describe their experience in formulating or crrying out programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices. Applicants must discuss their knowledge of implementing coordinated national training programs, reducing community tensions, or marketing national awareness campaigns, especially in the areas of fair housing, discrimination, public health, and housing. In responding to this subfactor, the applicant must describe the extent to which its past activities have resulted in successful national media campaigns, training programs, or reduction of tensions in communities, as appropriate, especially with respect to developing and implementing innovative strategies resulting in positive public response.
Rating Factor 2: Need/Approach to the Problem (10 Points)
This factor addresses the extent to which the applicant documents the national need that its proposed activities and methods are intended to address, and how its proposal offers the most effective approach for dealing with that national need. In responding to this factor, an applicant will be evaluated on the following:
(1) The extent to which the applicant describes and documents the national need the application intends to address, which demonstrates a grasp of the elements of the problem and its pervasiveness at the national level. The applicant's description of the national need will be used to evaluate the depth of the applicant's understanding of the problem as an indication of ability to address the problem; and
(2) The extent to which the applicant provides a rationale for how its proposed activities and methods most effectively deal with the national need described by the applicant in response to subfactor (1), immediately above. To the extent possible, applicants should demonstrate effectiveness in terms of scope and cost.
Rating Factor 3: Soundness of Approach (40 Points)
This factor addresses the quality and cost-effectiveness of the applicant's proposed work plan. In evaluating this factor, HUD will consider the extent to which:
(1) Work Plan. Applications include work plans that:
(a) Clearly describe the specific tasks and subtasks to be performed, the sequence in which the tasks are to be performed, noting areas of work which must be performed simultaneously, estimated completion dates, and the work and program deliverables to be completed within the grant period, including specific numbers of quantifiable end products and program improvements the applicant aims to deliver by the end of the award agreement period as a result of the work performed;
(b) Provide national coverage, specific protected class focus, as well as focus on persons traditionally underserved; and
(c) Describe the immediate benefits of the project and how the benefits will be measured. Applicants must describe the methods they will use to determine the effectiveness of their national marketing strategies or training programs.
(2) Budget. Applications include proposed budgets that demonstrate:
(a) Cost estimates of salary levels, staff assignments, number of staff hours, and all other budget items are reasonable, allowable, and appropriate for the proposed activities;
(b) The proposed program is cost effective in achieving its anticipated results, as well as in achieving significant impact;
(3) Proposed activities will be conducted in a manner (e.g., languages, formats, locations, distribution, use of minority media) that will reach and benefit all members of the public, especially members of target groups identified in the individual program sections of this National SuperNOFA;
(4) Applications describe how proposed activities will yield long-term results and innovative strategies or "best practices" that can be readily disseminated to other organizations and State and local governments; and
(5) The proposed media campaign, community tensions project, or training program makes activities, training and meeting sites, and information services and materials in places and formats that are accessible to all persons including persons with disabilities.
Rating Factor 4: Leveraging Resources (10 Points)
This factor addresses the ability of the applicant to secure other resources which can be combined with HUD's program resources to achieve program purposes. In evaluating this factor HUD will consider:
The extent to which the applicant has partnered with other entities to secure additional resources, including financial resources, to increase the effectiveness of the proposed program activities. Resources may include funding or in-kind contributions, such as services or equipment, allocated to the purpose(s) of the award the applicant is seeking. Resources may be provided by governmental entities, public or private nonprofit organizations, for-profit private organizations, or other entities willing to partner with the applicant. Applicants must also describe how they plan to use their affiliated branches, or partner with other organizations, to distribute materials, training or services developed under this National SuperNOFA for use at the local level. Applicants may also partner with other program funding recipients to coordinate the use of resources in the target area or subject.
Applicants must provide evidence of leveraging/partnerships by including in the application letters of firm commitment, memoranda of understanding, or agreements to participate from those entities identified as partners in the application. Each letter of commitment, memorandum of understanding, or agreement to participate should include the organization's name, proposed level of commitment and responsibilities as they relate to the proposed program. The commitment must also be signed by an official of the organization legally able to make commitments on behalf of the organization.
Rating Factor 5: Comprehensiveness and Coordination (10 Points)
This factor addresses the extent to which the applicant's program makes materials, training or services available to local community programs and implements a coordinated process of addressing the national need by using HUD funding resources and other available resources. Applicants must also describe how they plan to use their affiliated branches, or partner with other organizations, to distribute materials, training or services developed under this National SuperNOFA for use at the local level. In evaluating this factor, HUD will consider:
(1) The extent to which the application demonstrates that project activities will reach the targeted audience. This includes a discussion of the applicant's methods or approaches to ensure that activities and materials are made available to local groups and organizations and a description of how such activities can enhance or work in tandem with local activities and materials. At a minimum, the application should discuss procedures to be used to promote awareness of the services provided by the proposed project.
(2) The extent to which the application demonstrates that the applicant, in carrying out program activities, will make communities and organizations aware of opportunities for linking activities with:
(a) Other HUD funded program activities, proposed or on-going; or
(b) Other proposed or on-going State, Federal, local or privately funded activities which, taken as a whole, support and sustain a comprehensive system to address the purposes of these programs.
(D) Negotiation. After all applications have been rated and ranked and a selection has been made, HUD requires that all winners participate in negotiations to determine the specific terms of the grant agreement and budget. In cases where HUD cannot successfully conclude negotiations or a selected applicant fails to provide HUD with requested information, awards will not be made. In such instances, HUD may offer an award to the next highest ranking applicant, and proceed with negotiations with the next highest ranking applicant.
(E) Adjustments to Funding. HUD reserves the right to fund less than the full amount requested in any application to ensure the fair distribution of the funds and to ensure the purposes of the programs contained in this National SuperNOFA are met. HUD also reserves the right to adjust funding based on revisions in locations for project activities. HUD may choose not to fund portions of the applications that are ineligible for funding under applicable program statutory or regulatory requirements, or which do not meet the requirements of this General Section of this National SuperNOFA or the requirements in the Programs Section for the specific program, and fund eligible portions of the applications.
If funds remain after funding the highest ranking applications, HUD may fund part of the next highest ranking application in a given program area. If the applicant turns down the award offer, HUD will make the same determination for the next highest ranking application. If funds remain after all selections have been made, remaining funds may be available for other competitions for each program area where there is a balance of funds.
Additionally, in the event of a HUD procedural error that, when corrected, would result in selection of an otherwise eligible applicant during the funding round of this National SuperNOFA, HUD may select that applicant when sufficient funds become available.
(F) Performance and Compliance Actions of Grantees. Performance and compliance actions of grantees will be measured and addressed in accordance with applicable standards and sanctions of their respective programs.
IV. Application Submission Requirements.
As discussed earlier in the introductory section of this National SuperNOFA, part of the simplification of this funding process is to reduce the duplication effort involved in completing and submitting similar applications for HUD funded programs. The application submission requirements for all three programs under this National SuperNOFA have been consolidated. In addition to the forms, certifications and assurances listed in Section II.(E) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA, all applications must, at a minimum, contain the following items:
(A) Transmittal Letter which identifies the SuperNOFA, the program under the SuperNOFA for which funds are requested, the dollar amount requested for each program, and the applicant submitting the application. If applying for more than one program, please indicate in the letter the location where the original signed application was submitted.
(B) Budget identifying costs by cost category in accordance with the following:
(1) Direct Labor by position or individual, indicating the estimated hours per position, the rate per hour, estimated cost per staff position and the total estimated direct labor costs;
(2) Fringe Benefits identifying the rate, the salary base the rate was computed on, and the total estimated fringe benefit cost;
(3) Material Costs indicating the item, unit cost per item, the number of items to be purchased, estimated cost per item, and the total estimated material costs;
(4) Transportation Costs, as applicable. Where a local private vehicle is proposed to be used, costs should indicate the proposed number of miles, rate per mile of travel identified by item, and estimated total private vehicle costs. Where air transportation is proposed, costs should identify the destination(s), number of trips per destination, estimated air fare and total estimated air transportation costs. For purposes of estimating travel costs for the Housing Counseling National Training Program and the FHIP Community Tensions Project, applicants should project travel costs to the District of Columbia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, and New Orleans. The actual sites of activities will be determined by HUD. If other transportation costs are listed, the applicant should identify the other method of transportation selected, the number of trips to be made and destination(s), the estimated cost, and the total estimated costs for other transportation costs. In addition, applicants should identify per diem or subsistence costs per travel day and the number of travel days included, the estimated costs for per diem/subsistence, other travel costs, such as those for HUD-sponsored training, as appropriate, and the total estimated transportation costs;
(5) Equipment Charges, if any. Equipment charges should identify the type of equipment, quantity, unit costs and total estimated equipment costs;
(6) Consultant Costs, if applicable. Indicate the type, estimated number of consultant days or hours, rate per day or hour, total estimated consultant costs per consultant and total estimated costs for all consultants;
(7) Subcontract Costs, if applicable. Indicate each individual subcontract and amount. For each proposed subcontract that is in excess of 10% of the grant amount, a separate budget which identifies costs by cost categories should be included;
(8) Other Direct Costs listed by item, quantity, unit cost, total for each item listed, and total direct costs for the award;
(9) Indirect costs should identify the type, approved indirect cost rate, base to which the rate applies and total indirect costs. The submission should include the rationale used to determine costs and validation of fringe and indirect cost rates, if the applicant is not using an accepted, Federally negotiated indirect cost rate.
(C) Financial Management and Audit Information. Each applicant must submit a certification from an Independent Public Accountant or the cognizant government auditor, stating that the financial management system employed by the applicant meets the applicable prescribed standards for fund control and accountability required by: OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations; OMB Circular A-110 (as codified at 24 CFR Part 84), Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-Profit Organizations; and/or OMB Circular A-102 (as codified at 24 CFR Part 85) Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State, Local and Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments. This information should contain the name and telephone number of the Independent Auditor, cognizant Federal auditor, or other audit agency, as applicable. Copies of the OMB Circulars may be obtained from EOP Publications, Room 2200, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 10503, telephone (202) 395-7332 (this is not a toll free number).
(D) Narrative statement addressing the five Rating Factors in Section III.(C) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA. Your narrative response should be numbered in accordance with rating factor and subfactor identified under Section III.(C) of the General Section.
(E) A Work Plan which incorporates all activities to be funded in the application and details how the proposed work will be accomplished. Following a task-by-task format, the Work Plan must identify activities conducted and how the tasks meet the requirements of Rating Factor 3, Soundness of Approach, in the General Section of this National SuperNOFA.
V. Corrections to Deficient Applications.
After the application due date, HUD may not, consistent with
24 CFR part 4, subpart B, consider unsolicited information from an applicant. HUD may contact an applicant, however, to clarify an item in the application or to correct technical deficiencies. Applicants should note, however, that HUD may not seek clarification of items or responses that improve the substantive quality of the applicant's response to any eligibility or selection criterion. Examples of curable technical deficiencies include failure to submit the proper certifications or failure to submit an application containing an original signature by an authorized official. In each case, HUD will notify the applicant in writing by describing the clarification or technical deficiency. HUD will notify applicants by facsimile or by return receipt requested. Applicants must submit clarifications or corrections of technical deficiencies in accordance with the information provided by HUD within 14 calendar days of the date of receipt of the HUD notification. If the deficiency is not corrected within this time period, HUD will reject the application as incomplete.
VI. Findings and Certifications.
(A) Environmental Impact. This National SuperNOFA does not direct, provide for assistance or loan and mortgage insurance for, or otherwise govern or regulate, real property acquisition, leasing, rehabilitation, alteration, demolition, or new construction, or establish, revise or provide for standards for construction or construction materials, manufactured housing, or occupancy. Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(1), this SuperNOFA is categorically excluded from environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321).
(B) Federalism, Executive Order 12612. The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under section 6(a) of Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has determined that the policies contained in this National SuperNOFA will not have substantial direct effects on States or their political subdivisions, or on the relationship between the Federal Government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government. Specifically, the National SuperNOFA solicits applicants to implement nationwide information, outreach and education activities, and does not impinge upon the relationships between the Federal government and State and local governments. As a result, the National SuperNOFA is not subject to review under the Order.
(C) Prohibition Against Lobbying Activities. Applicants for funding under this National SuperNOFA are subject to the provisions of section 319 of the Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation Act for Fiscal Year 1991, 31 U.S.C. 1352 (the Byrd Amendment), which prohibits recipients of Federal contracts, grants, or loans from using appropriated funds for lobbying the executive or legislative branches of the Federal Government in connection with a specific contract, grant, or loan. Applicants are required to certify, using the certification found at Appendix A to 24 CFR part 87, that they will not, and have not, used appropriated funds for any prohibited lobbying activities. In addition, applicants must disclose, using Standard Form LLL, "Disclosure of Lobbying Activities," any funds, other than Federally appropriated funds, that will be or have been used to influence Federal employees, members of Congress, and congressional staff regarding specific grants or contracts. (Tribes and tribally designated housing entities (THDEs) established by an Indian tribe as a result of the exercise of the tribe's sovereign power are excluded from coverage of the Byrd Amendment, but tribes and TDHEs established under State law are not excluded from the statute's coverage.)
(D) Section 102 of the HUD Reform Act; Documentation and Public Access Requirements. Section 102 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 3545) (HUD Reform Act) and the regulations codified in 24 CFR part 4, subpart A, contain a number of provisions that are designed to ensure greater accountability and integrity in the provision of certain types of assistance administered by HUD. On January 14, 1992 (57 FR 1942), HUD published a notice that also provides information on the implementation of section 102. The documentation, public access, and disclosure requirements of section 102 apply to assistance awarded under this National SuperNOFA as follows:
(1) Documentation and public access requirements. HUD will ensure that documentation and other information regarding each application submitted pursuant to this National SuperNOFA are sufficient to indicate the basis upon which assistance was provided or denied. This material, including any letters of support, will be made available for public inspection for a 5-year period beginning not less than 30 days after the award of the assistance. Material will be made available in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and HUD's implementing regulations in 24 CFR part 15.
(2) Disclosures. HUD will make available to the public for 5 years all applicant disclosure reports (HUD Form 2880) submitted in connection with this National SuperNOFA. Update reports (also Form 2880) will be made available along with the applicant disclosure reports, but in no case for a period less than 3 years. All reports--both applicant disclosures and updates--will be made available in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and HUD's implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 15.
(3) Publication of Recipients of HUD Funding. HUD's regulations at 24 CFR 4.7 provide that HUD will publish a notice in the Federal Register on at least a quarterly basis to notify the public of all decisions made by the Department to provide:
(i) Assistance subject to section 102(a) of the HUD Reform Act; or
(ii) Assistance that is provided through grants or cooperative agreements on a discretionary (non-formula, non-demand) basis, but that is not provided on the basis of a competition.
(E) Section 103 HUD Reform Act. HUD's regulations implementing section 103 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 3537a), codified in 24 CFR part 4, apply to this funding competition. The regulations continue to apply until the announcement of the selection of successful applicants. HUD employees involved in the review of applications and in the making of funding decisions are limited by the regulations from providing advance information to any person (other than an authorized employee of HUD) concerning funding decisions, or from otherwise giving any applicant an unfair competitive advantage. Persons who apply for assistance in this competition should confine their inquiries to the subject areas permitted under 24 CFR part 4.
Applicants or employees who have ethics related questions should contact the HUD Ethics Law Division at (202) 708-3815. (This is not a toll-free number.) For HUD employees who have specific program questions, the employee should contact the appropriate field office counsel, or Headquarters counsel for the program to which the question pertains.
VII. The FY 1998 National SuperNOFA Process and Future HUD Funding Processes.
In FY 1997, Secretary Cuomo took the first step at changing HUD's funding process to better promote comprehensive, coordinated approaches to housing and community development. In FY 1997, the Department published related NOFAs on the same day or within a few days of each other. In the individual NOFAs published in FY 1997, HUD advised that additional steps on NOFA coordination may be considered for FY 1998. The SuperNOFAs published for FY 1998 represent the additional step taken by HUD to improve HUD's funding process and assist communities to make better use of available resources through a coordinated approach. This new SuperNOFA process was developed based on comments received from HUD clients and the Department believes it represents a significant improvement over HUD's approach to the funding process in prior years. For FY 1999, HUD may take even further steps to enhance this process. HUD welcomes comments from applicants and other members of the public on this process, and how it may be improved in future years.
The description of program funding available under this first National SuperNOFA to implement information, outreach and education activities on a nationwide scale follows.
Dated:April 23, 1998
Saul N. Ramirez, Jr., Acting DeputySecretary
FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR THE FAIR HOUSING INITIATIVES PROGRAM, NATIONAL FOCUS EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Approximately $3,500,000 is available for the National Focus Education and Outreach Initiative under the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). This program assists projects and activities designed to enforce and enhance compliance with the Fair Housing Act and substantially equivalent State and local fair housing laws. Under this competition, projects that have a national focus will be funded under the Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) as follows:
(1) Nationwide Education Project. Activities funded must provide a coordinated national education campaign which provides fair housing information to the public. Efforts must include targeting such information toward educating all persons about their fair housing rights, including groups historically underserved, such as new immigrant groups as well as other protected classes under the Fair Housing Act about their fair housing rights.
(2) Community Tensions Project. Funded activities must be used to develop and implement national methodologies that can be used nationwide as a model for both preventing and responding to the community tensions that arise from persons exercising their rights of equal housing choice and opportunity as guaranteed by the Fair Housing Act (nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability). Implementation of these methodologies must involve sending facilitators to work with groups in HUD-selected communities to prevent or respond to the emergence of such community tensions.
APPLICATION DUE DATE: Completed applications must be submitted no later than 12:00 midnight, Eastern time on July 7, 1998, at HUD Headquarters. See the General Section of this National SuperNOFA for specific procedures governing the form of application submission (e.g., mailed applications, express mail, overnight delivery, or hand carried).
ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS: Completed applications (one original and five copies) must be submitted to: FHIP/FHAP Support Division, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW, Room 5234, Washington, DC 20410, by mail or hand delivery. When submitting your application, please refer to FHIP National Focus, and include your name, mailing address (including zip code) and telephone number (including area code).
FOR APPLICATION KITS, FURTHER INFORMATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
For Application Kits. For an application kit and supplemental information please call the HUD SuperNOFA Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-HUD-8929. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may call the Center's TTY at 1-800-HUD-2209. The application kit also will be available on the Internet at: http://www.hud.gov. When requesting an application kit, please refer to FHIP National Focus, and provide your name, address (including zip code), and telephone number (including area code).
For Further Information. For answers to your questions, you have several options. You may contact Ivy Davis, Director, FHIP/FHAP Support Division at 202-708-0800 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons who use a text telephone (TTY) may call 1-800-290-1617.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
I. Authority; Purpose; Amount Allocated; and Eligibility
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(A) Authority. Section 561 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987, 42 U.S.C. 3616 note, established the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). The FHIP regulations are found at 24 CFR part 125.
(B) Purpose. In September 1997, HUD announced a "crackdown on housing discrimination" and pledged to double its enforcement actions. The projects funded under the FHIP in FY 98 are expected to contribute to the accomplishment of this goal.
In keeping with the announced crackdown on discrimination, HUD believes that educating immigrants about fair housing rights and ensuring enforcement mechanisms to address the specific types of discrimination they and other underserved populations encounter is necessary if we are to expand housing opportunities in communities across this nation. Additionally, HUD continues to move aggressively to expand opportunities in housing into communities which have not historically served persons who are most likely to be the victims of unlawful discrimination. HUD recognizes that community tensions often arise whenever there are changes or proposed changes in the local housing market caused by the entry or the departure of persons from a community or neighborhood. For example, such tensions may be prompted by a rise in the numbers of a particular immigrant population, proposals to establish group homes for persons with disabilities, or persons moving or attempting to move into neighborhoods where persons of their race or ethnicity have not previously lived or have been underrepresented. Recognizing that dealing with existing community tensions as well as working to prevent their development is an important element of ensuring equal housing opportunity, the Department seeks to fund a single entity that can (a) develop national methodologies for both preventing and responding to community tensions that are related to persons exercising their Fair Housing Act rights and moving into communities where members of their protected class either have not previously lived or have been underrepresented, and (b) respond to or attempt to prevent the emergence of community tensions in communities that HUD identifies as experiencing high levels of community tensions or showing a strong likelihood that such tensions may build up without intervention or preventive measures.
(C) Amount Allocated. The FY 1998 HUD Appropriations Act appropriated $15 million for activities pursuant to section 561, the Fair Housing Initiatives Program. Of the $4,500,000 allocated to the EOI, $3,500,000 is being used for this competition under the EOI for the following projects:
(1) Nationwide Education Project. Of the $3,500,000, $2,000,000 is available for a single 18-month national EOI project, of which at least $200,000 will be for activities related to Fair Housing Month.
(2) Community Tensions Project. A total of $1,500,000 will be used to fund a single 24-month project that will address tensions that arise in local communities as persons protected under the Fair Housing Act seek to expand their housing choices.
The remaining funding under this initiative was made available through the SuperNOFA published on March 31, 1998, which solicited applications that are regional/local in scope.
The full cost of FY 1998 multi-year awards under the FHIP will be funded from FY 1998 funds. HUD retains the right to transfer funds between the FHIP projects listed below, within statutorily prescribed limitations. The amounts included in this notice are subject to change based on the availability of funds.
(D) Eligible Applicants.
(1) Nationwide Education Project.
(a) The following organizations are eligible to receive funding under the EOI--Nationwide Education Project:
(i) Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (QFHOs)
(ii) Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (FHOs), and
(iii) Other non-profit organizations representing groups of persons protected under the Fair Housing Act.
(b) In addition to meeting the eligible applicant requirement, all applicants under the EOI--Nationwide Education Project must include as part of their proposal a subcontract with an established media/advertising organization which has experience in conducting national media campaigns. Applicants that fail to include such subcontract arrangements in their proposals will be ineligible for funding.
(2) Community-Tensions Project. Eligible applicants that have the organizational infrastructure of affiliate chapters, branch members or other outreach arms that can be utilized to provide national coverage and facilitate involvement at the local level in communities to be selected throughout the nation, and that possess familiarity with local circumstances and issues in diverse communities, are particularly encouraged to apply. Applicants that do not have affiliates or the organizational structure to call upon should describe plans to partner with other groups or organizations to provide national coverage. In addition, the Department particularly encourages the submission of applications from traditional civil rights organizations. The organizations that are eligible to receive funding under the EOI--Community-Tensions Project are:
(a) QFHOs;
(b) FHOs;
(c) Public or private non-profit organizations or institutions and other public or private entities that are formulating or carrying out programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices;
(d) State or local governments; and
(e) FHAP Agencies.
(E) Eligible Activities.
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(1) Nationwide Education Project. Activities eligible to be funded under the Nationwide Education Project must provide a centralized, coordinated effort for the development and implementation of a fair housing media campaign designed to educate the public of their fair housing rights. Applications must address at least one of the following statutory objectives: demonstrated cooperation with real estate industry organizations; and/or dissemination of educational information and technical assistance to support compliance with the housing adaptability and accessibility guidelines contained in the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. HUD encourages applicants to provide materials developed under this program to housing counseling agencies and service providers. HUD anticipates that products will be available in at least 3 languages other than English. Deliverables must include Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for radio and television, and posters and other graphic materials. Graphic materials may include, but are not limited to, enlarged reproductions of several print public service announcements, separately produced and printed posters for public dissemination, and the development of ad slicks to market in newspapers and magazines nationwide. The applicant should plan on using a clipping service or other appropriate means to collect information on frequency and scope of the placement of ads. Applications must include development and dissemination of media products in languages other than English and a discussion of the applicant's and/or subcontractors' expertise in languages other than English and in reaching the informational needs of such non-English speaking audiences. Applicants should also utilize media targeted to the outreach group, e.g., minority newspapers.
A minimum of $200,000 in the Nationwide Education Project must be budgeted for activities and materials developed for future Fair Housing Month activities, and budgets must clearly break out funds relating to those activities that support conformity with this requirement.
(2) Community Tensions Project. Activities funded as a community tensions project must be designed to meet the following objectives:
(a) Prevent the emergence of community tensions that may occur when persons who are members of classes (race, color, religion, sex, familial status, and disability) protected by the Fair Housing Act exercise their right of equal housing opportunity and move into communities where members of their protected class have not previously lived or have been underrepresented, and
(b) Respond through interventions when such community tensions emerge and create volatile situations which harm, or threaten to harm, those who are exercising their rights to equal housing opportunity.
The applicant would be required to develop a menu of strategies that communities can use to reduce or prevent tensions within a community due to protected classes exercising their fair housing choices and to increase the referral of individuals to file complaints with HUD when they believe they have been victims of discriminatory housing practices.
In its community response and preventive work, the applicant should solicit participation from, and work with, a diverse group of local organizations and community representatives (such as local elected officials, schools, police departments, faith-based community groups, civil rights organizations, community service organizations, FHAP agencies). It is anticipated that the community response and preventive work will implement some of the developed strategies and address not only immediate problems or problems anticipated at that time, but also the underlying issues which make the existence or prospect of community tensions a long-term problem. While the application must be submitted by a single entity, the application can propose a partnership of multiple organizations, consisting of the applicant and its subrecipients or subcontractors, in order to accomplish the objectives of this project.
II. Program Requirements.
In addition to the program requirements listed in the General Section of this National SuperNOFA, grantees must meet the following program requirements:
(A) Definitions.
The additional definitions that apply to this program section of the National SuperNOFA are as follows:
(1) Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) Agencies means State and local agencies funded by the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP), as described in 24 CFR 115.
(2) Fair housing enforcement organization (FHO) means an organization engaged in fair housing activities as defined at 24 CFR 125.103.
(3) Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organization (QFHO) means an organization engaged in fair housing activities as defined at 24 CFR 125.103.
(4) Traditional Civil Rights Organizations means private, non-profit organizations or institutions and/or private entities that are formulating or carrying out programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices and which have a history and primary mission of engaging in programs designed to secure civil rights protections for groups and individuals.
(B) Additional requirements. The following requirements are applicable to all applications:
(1) All projects must address or have relevance to housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.
(2) Applications that request FHIP funding in excess of the award cap will be ineligible.
(3) Projects aimed solely or primarily at research or dependent upon such data gathering, including but not limited to surveys and questionnaires, will not be eligible under this program section of the National SuperNOFA.
(4) All proposals must contain a description of how the activities or the final products of the projects can be used by other agencies and organizations and what modifications, if any, would be necessary for that purpose.
(5) Every Community Tensions Project application must include as one of its activities a procedure for referring persons with fair housing complaints to HUD for further enforcement processing. Every Nationwide Education Project must propose to use HUD toll free Housing Discrimination Hotline numbers for voice and TTY.
(6) In accordance with 24 CFR 125.104(f), no recipient of assistance under the FHIP may use any funds provided by the Department for the payment of expenses in connection with litigation against the United States.
(7) Applicants Limited to a Single Award. Applicants may apply for funding for more than one project or activity under one or more Initiatives. However, applicants are limited to one award under this program section of the National SuperNOFA. If more than one eligible application is submitted by an applicant for the program section of the National SuperNOFA and both are within funding range, the Department will select the application which the applicant has indicated as its preference for award.
(8) Independence of Applications. There are no limits on the number of applications that can be submitted by a single applicant for this National SuperNOFA. However, each project or activity proposed in an application must be independent and capable of being implemented without reliance on the selection of other applications submitted by the applicant or other applicants. This provision does not preclude an applicant from submitting a proposal which includes other organizations as subcontractors to the proposed project or activity.
(9) Project Starting Period. The Department has determined that all applications must propose that the project will begin immediately upon issuance of an award.
(10) Page Limitation. Applicants will be limited to 10 pages of narrative responses for each of the selection factors (this does not include forms or documents which are required under each factor). Brochures, news articles, PSAs, posters, and other materials submitted to document capability will be considered in the evaluation process and will not count towards the page limitation. Applicants that exceed the 10-page limit for each factor will only have the first 10 pages evaluated for each factor. Failure to provide narrative responses to all selection factors will result in an application being ineligible.
(11) Training. All applications must include a training set-aside of $3,000 for single-year projects and $6,000 (total) for multi-year projects in all project budgets. HUD will permit grantees to use these funds to attend both HUD-sponsored and HUD-approved training.
(12) Accessibility Requirements.
All activities funded by FHIP must be accessible to persons with disabilities and materials must be available in accessible formats.
III. Application Selection Process.
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(A) Rating and Ranking.
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(1) General. The selection process is structured to achieve the objectives set forth in section I.(B) of this program section of the National SuperNOFA. Awards will be made in rank order, except that the additional procedures described below will be followed to make awards out of rank order to achieve the goals outlined below.
Each application for funding will be evaluated competitively. Upon receipt, the applications will be sorted into two categories: EOI-Nationwide Education Project and EOI--Community Tensions Project. Then, in each category, they will be awarded points and assigned a score based on the Rating Factors identified in section III.(C) of the General Section of the National SuperNOFA. After eligible applications are evaluated against the factors for award and assigned a score, they will be organized by rank order. Awards for each category listed above will be funded in rank order until all available funds have been obligated, or until there are no acceptable applications, with the exception described in section III.(A)(2), immediately below. The final decision rests with the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity or designee.
(2) Tie breaking. When there is a tie in the overall total score and insufficient funding is available to fund all applications with the tied score, the award will be made to the applicant that has the higher score under Rating Factor 3 (Soundness of Approach). If these applications are equal in this respect, the application that receives a total higher number of points under Rating Factor 1 (Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organizational Experience) will receive the award.
(3) Applicant Notification and Award Procedures.
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(a) Notification. No information will be available to applicants during the period of HUD evaluation, approximately 90 days, except for notification in writing or by telephone to those applicants that are determined to be ineligible or that have technical deficiencies in their applications that may be corrected. Selectees will be announced by HUD upon completion of the evaluation process, subject to final negotiations and award.
(b) Negotiations. After HUD has ranked the applications and provided notifications to applicants whose scores are within the funding range, HUD will require that applicants in this group participate in negotiations to determine the specific terms of the cooperative agreement. HUD will follow the negotiation procedures described in Section III.(D) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA.
(c) Funding Instrument. HUD expects to award a cost reimbursable cooperative agreement to each successful applicant. HUD reserves the right, however, to use the form of assistance agreement determined to be most appropriate after negotiation with the applicant.
(d) Reduction of Requested Grant Amounts and Special Conditions. As provided in Section III.(E) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA, HUD may approve an application for an amount lower than the amount requested, fund only portions of an application, withhold funds after approval, and/or require the grantee to comply with special conditions added to the grant agreement.
(e) Performance Sanctions. A recipient failing to comply with the procedures set forth in its grant agreement will be liable for such sanctions as may be authorized by law, including repayment of improperly used funds, termination of further participation in the FHIP, and denial of further participation in programs of the Department or of any Federal agency.
(B) Factors For Award Used To Evaluate and Rate Applications.
The factors for rating and ranking applicants, and maximum points for each factor, are provided in Section III.(C) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA.
IV. APPLICATION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
In addition to the forms, certifications and assurances listed in Section II.(E) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA, all applications must, at a minimum, also contain the items listed in Section IV. of the General Section.
V. Corrections to Deficient Applications.
The General Section of this National SuperNOFA provides the procedures for corrections to deficient applications.
VI. Environmental Requirements.
In accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(9) and (12) of the HUD regulations, activities assisted under this program are categorically excluded from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and are not subject to environmental review under the related laws and authorities.
FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR THE NATIONAL HOUSING COUNSELING TRAINING PROGRAM
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Approximately $550,000 in housing counseling funds is available for the Housing Counseling Training (HCT) Program to train housing counselors of local HUD-approved counseling agencies nationwide. HUD's HCT Program will cover basic to advanced comprehensive counseling.
APPLICATION DUE DATE: Completed applications must be received no later than 12:00 midnight, Eastern time on July 7, 1998, at HUD Headquarters. See the General Section of this National SuperNOFA for specific procedures governing the form of application submission (e.g., mailed applications, express mail or overnight delivery, or hand carried).
ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS: Completed application (one original and two copies) must be submitted to: the Director, Marketing and Outreach Division, office of Single Family Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Room 9166, Washington, DC 20410. When submitting your application, please refer to the National Housing Counseling Training Program, and include your name, mailing address (including zip code) and telephone number (including area code).
FOR APPLICATION KITS, FURTHER INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
For Application Kits. For an application kit and supplemental information, please call the SuperNOFA Information Center at 1-800-HUD-8929. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may call the Center's TTY number at 1-800-HUD-2209. The application kit also will be available on the Internet through the HUD web site at http://www.hud.gov. When requesting an application kit, please refer to the National Housing Counseling Training Program.
For Further Information and Technical Assistance. You may call the Marketing and Outreach Division at HUD Headquarters at 202-708-0317. Before the application deadline, HUD Headquarters staff will be available to provide general guidance.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
I. Authority; Purpose; Amount Allocated; and Eligibility.
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(A) Authority. HUD's Housing Counseling Program is authorized by section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x), and is generally governed by HUD Handbook 7610.1, REV-4, dated August 9, 1995.
(B) Purpose. Section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 authorizes HUD to provide counseling and advice to tenants and homeowners with respect to property maintenance, financial management, and such other matters as may be appropriate to assist tenants and homeowners in improving their housing conditions and meeting the responsibilities of tenancy and homeownership.
This includes housing counseling training for housing counselors of local HUD-approved counseling agencies nationwide to assure that the counseling being provided is current and accurate. To achieve this purpose, the training must include instructions to the housing counselors on (1) how to conduct community outreach to potential first-time homebuyers, and (2) how to provide counseling to individuals with the objective of increasing awareness of homeownership opportunities and improving access of low and moderate income households to sources of mortgage credit. HUD believes that this training is key to providing effective counseling which will support the revitalization and stabilization of low income and minority neighborhoods.
In FY 1998, HUD is requiring applicants to include in their proposed training, counseling for:
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(1) First-time homebuyers by offering Homebuyer Education and Learning Program (HELP) training sessions;
(2) Eligible persons 62 or older who desire to use the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) in order to convert their equity into a lump sum payment or an income stream that can be used for such purposes as home improvements, medical costs, and/or pay living expenses.
(3) Other homebuyers, homeowners and renters.
(C) Amount Allocated. Under this National SuperNOFA program, approximately $550,000 is available for eligible non-profits or public entities to provide technical training under the HUD Housing Counseling program, fundable for a period from twelve (12) to eighteen (18) calendar months. This funding is available from unused Housing Counseling funds appropriated in FY 1997. The funding period may begin from the date that the award is executed by HUD.
(D) Eligible Applicants.
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(1) Applicants must be public or private non-profit organizations that are HUD-approved housing counseling agencies with at least 2 years of relevant training experience. Applicants may propose to provide all, or a portion of, the eligible activities specified in section I.(E) of this program section of the National SuperNOFA, below.
(2) Number of Applicants To Be Selected. One or more training applicants will be selected who are experienced in delivering housing counseling training on a nationwide basis; receive a high score based upon the Rating Factors in Section III.(C) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA; and satisfy all other criteria in this National SuperNOFA. They include the following: a HUD-approved local housing counseling agency; a HUD-approved national, regional, or multi-state housing counseling intermediary, or affiliate; or, a State housing finance agency, or affiliate.
(E) Eligible Activities. The applicant(s) funded under this National SuperNOFA program will deliver comprehensive housing counseling training, or a portion of such training, which may be conducted on-site, through satellite broadcast, or by means of CD-ROM computer training software, to cover the following components:
(1) Homebuyer Education Programs, including HUD's Homebuyer Education and Learning Program (HELP) and similar programs may be used in sessions that consist of approximately sixteen (16) hours of training. Completion of the training may allow graduates to receive first-time homebuyer incentives, such as the reduction in the FHA insurance premium. Marketing and outreach personnel at each HUD Homeownership Center will be available to assist agencies in this endeavor.
(2) Pre-purchase Homeownership Counseling covering such issues as purchase procedures, mortgage financing, down payment/closing cost fund accumulation, accessibility requirements of the property, and if appropriate, credit improvement, and debt consolidation.
(3) Post-purchase Counseling, including such issues as property maintenance, and personal money management.
(4) Mortgage delinquency and default resolution counseling including restructuring debt, arrangement of reinstatement plans, loan forbearance, and loss mitigation.
(5) Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) counseling that assists clients, who are 62 years old or older, with the complexity of converting the equity in their home to income that is used to pay such items as living expenses or medical expenses.
(6) Loss Mitigation Counseling for clients who may be facing default and foreclosure, and need mortgage default resolution and foreclosure avoidance counseling.
(7) Outreach Initiatives including providing general information about housing opportunities within the community and providing appropriate information to persons with disabilities.
(8) Renter Assistance including information about rent subsidy programs, rights and responsibilities of tenants, and lease and rental agreements.
(9) Fair housing counseling that identifies rights, obligations and requirements under the Fair Housing Act.
(F) Eligible costs. In addition to the budget items required under the application submission requirements in Section IV. of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA, the following costs are eligible:
(1) Equipment Needed At Training. Training sites must have the equipment necessary for conducting the training, such as overhead projectors, and microphones. The training program must provide for training sites, information services, and materials accessible to all persons, including those with a wide range of disabilities. These costs must be included in the budget submitted by applicants.
(2) Cost of Training Facilities. The cost is to be included in the budget unless provided without charge by the hotels or other training sites.
II. Program Requirements.
In addition to the program requirements listed in the General Section of this National SuperNOFA, grantees must meet the following program requirements:
(A) Requirements Applicable to Religious organizations. Where the applicant is a religious organization, or a wholly secular organization established by a primarily religious organization, to provide training, the organization must undertake its responsibilities under the counseling training program in accordance with the following principles:
(1) It will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment under the program on the basis of religion and will not limit employment or give preference in employment to persons on the basis of religion;
(2) It will not discriminate against any person applying for counseling under the program on the basis of religion and will not limit such assistance or give preference to persons on the basis of religion; and
(3) It will provide no religious instruction or religious counseling, conduct no religious services or worship, engage in no religious proselytizing, and exert no other religious influence in the provision of assistance under the Housing Counseling Program.
(B) On-Site Training.
(1) Number of Training Sites. If applying for on-site training, include the following locations: District of Columbia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, and New Orleans.
(2) Number of Workshops at Each Site. There will be one to three workshops at each site. Approximately 40 to 50 participants will attend each workshop which will cover approximately from two to three days.
(3) Total Number of Participants. It is estimated that the total number of participants will vary from an estimated 700 to 1000 participants.
(4) Eligible Participants. Housing counselors on the staff of local HUD-approved housing counseling agencies may participate. At least one housing counselor from each local HUD-approved counseling agency will be invited to attend the training. In some instances, two participants may participate in the workshop particularly where there is a high turnover of housing counseling staff and an agency has recently become HUD-approved. On a case by case basis, agencies applying for HUD-approval may be authorized by the Government Technical Representative (GTR) to send staff housing counselors to the workshop. There are approximately 1250 HUD-approved local housing counseling agencies with branch offices. One or more housing counselors from the staff of each may be invited to attend the training.
(C) Reimbursement to Participants. Participants will not be reimbursed for their travel, hotel and food costs by the grantee. There will be no charge to the participants for attending the workshop, for the training manual and other materials and handouts. However, the participants may be reimbursed for their travel and/or hotel costs by their agencies.
(D) Applicants will use the HUD grant to undertake any of the eligible housing counseling activities described in this National Housing Counseling Training Program as included in their proposed training activities. To the maximum extent possible, applicants may provide in-kind contributions and seek other private and public sources of funding for housing counseling training to supplement HUD funding.
(E) Training Manual. The selected grantee(s) will use existing materials from HUD and other acceptable sources to prepare training materials. The grantee(s) will be required to update this information and incorporate the updated material within a training manual. HUD will print and distribute the training manual to the training sites. In the case of CD-ROM training, the training manual shall be incorporated on the CD-ROM. In the case of satellite training, the training manual must be available in text format via the Internet.
(1) Cost of Packaging, Reproducing, and Mailing to Training Sites. These costs will be borne by HUD outside of the grant amount.
(2) Use of Color or Black and White for Training Manual. There will be several programs included in the training manual, including, Comprehensive Housing Counseling, Risk Loss Mitigation Counseling, and Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Counseling. The training manual must separate sections of the manual to allow trainees to easily identify each section.
(F) Training Level. The training to be provided under this program is designated "Basic to Advanced." It will include participants from beginners to experienced.
(G) Training Content. Training will include housing counseling basics: initial interview; intake and family history; recordkeeping; how to write-up a case; use of the computer; referrals and follow-ups; and reporting, such as form HUD-9902; and Housing Counseling Agency Fiscal Year Activity Report. Intermediate and advanced training will include complex problem solving covering the counseling components.
(H) In-kind Contributions. Applicant may provide such benefits.
III. Application Selection Process.
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(A) General. Applications will be evaluated competitively, and ranked against all other applicants that have applied for the HCT program. However, after selection, the actual amount funded is subject to negotiation and adjustment as described in the General Section of this National SuperNOFA.
(B) Factors For Award Used To Evaluate and Rate Applications. The factors for rating and ranking applicants, and maximum points for each factor, are provided in Section III.(C) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA.
IV. Application Submission Requirements.
In addition to the forms, certifications and assurances listed in Section II.(E) of the General Section, all applications must, at a minimum, also contain the items listed in Section IV of the General Section.
V. Corrections to Deficient Applications.
The General Section of this National SuperNOFA provides the procedures for corrections to deficient applications.
VI. Environmental Requirements.
In accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(9) of the HUD regulations, activities assisted under this program are categorically excluded from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and are not subject to environmental review under the related laws and authorities.
FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR THE NATIONAL LEAD HAZARD AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Approximately $1,000,000 is available to fund this grant program for a national media campaign to market "The Campaign for a Lead-Safe America," as well as increase overall lead awareness on a national scale. Efforts must include developing and marketing several public service announcements, assisting activities funded under the Local Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign grant to develop the infrastructure needed to implement media strategies to successfully market "The Campaign for A Lead-Safe America," as well as identifying and implementing media strategies to use print, radio and television to increase awareness about the dangers of lead-based paint nationally. Up to $1 million will be awarded on a competitive basis to eligible organizations with grant awards ranging between $50,000 - $1 million.
APPLICATION DUE DATE: Completed applications must be submitted no later than 12:00 midnight, Eastern time on July 7, 1998, at the address shown below. HUD reserves the right to republish this program section of the National SuperNOFA and announce additional due dates, or to make no awards at all, if proposals are deficient.
ADDRESS FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS: Completed applications (one original and two copies) must be submitted to: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Lead Hazard Control, 451 7th Street, SW, B-133, Washington, DC 20410, by mail or hand delivery. When submitting your application, please refer to the National Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign, and include your name, mailing address (including zip code) and telephone number (including area code).
FOR APPLICATION KITS, FURTHER INFORMATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
For Application Kits. For an application kit and supplemental information please call the HUD SuperNOFA Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-HUD-8929. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may call the Center's TTY at 1-800-HUD-2209. The application kit also will be available on the Internet at: http://www.hud.gov. When requesting an application kit, please refer to National Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign grant, and provide your name, address (including zip code), and telephone number (including area code).
For Further Information and Technical Assistance. Dolline Hatchett, Community Outreach Officer, Office of Lead Hazard Control, 202-755-1785, extension 114 (this is not a toll-free number).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
I. Authority; Purpose; Amount Allocated; and Eligibility.
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(A) Authority. The National Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign is authorized under Title X, The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 of the Housing and Community Development Act 1992, Pub.L. 102-550, section 1011(g)(1).
(B) Purpose. The Federal government has launched a national public education and outreach campaign to protect America's children from the health hazards of lead-based paint. The Campaign for a Lead-Safe America was announced by Mrs. Tipper Gore, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at a White House press conference on November 17, 1997. The National Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign funding under this program section of the National SuperNOFA will be awarded to conduct a national media campaign to market "The Campaign for a Lead-Safe America"; increase lead hazard awareness through the use of radio, newspaper, and television public service announcements; and identify and maximize opportunities to raise visibility of the lead hazard issue among the general public.
In keeping with the announced public awareness campaign, the Department has developed partnerships with major national hardware retailers to display posters in their paint sections and to otherwise educate consumers about lead hazards. Public service advertisements have also been developed for various publications throughout the nation. In addition, Mrs. Tipper Gore has taped two video public service announcements for the Department to use as part of the Campaign for A Lead-Safe America under the slogan, "Take the Lead on Lead."
The purpose of the campaign is: (1) to identify and maximize opportunities to raise visibility of the lead issue among the general public, and invigorate the efforts in both the public and private sectors to help eradicate the problem, and (2) to increase lead hazard awareness through education and outreach activities to specific high risk communities, and other identified audiences such as parents, caretakers, pediatricians, children, pregnant women, building owners, and renovation and maintenance personnel.
(C) Amount Allocated. Up to $1 million will be made available on a competitive basis to eligible organizations with grant awards ranging between $50,000 - $1 million. The funding selections will be based on the Rating Factors described in the General Section of the National SuperNOFA. The amounts included in this program section of the National SuperNOFA are subject to change based on funds availability.
(D) Eligible Applicants. The types of organizations listed below are eligible to receive funding under this program section of the National SuperNOFA. Partnerships are encouraged, although the application must be made by a single entity.
(a) Public Relation Firms (PRFs) - For profit firms may not include a fee or profit in their budget or costs;
(b) Marketing/Advertising Companies (MACs); and
(c) Non-profit organizations - must submit proof of non-profit status.
(E) Eligible Activities. Eligible activities to be funded under this program section of the National SuperNOFA shall include but not be limited to developing and conducting a national media campaign to increase lead awareness on a national scale to market "The Campaign for A Lead-Safe America." Activities must also work cooperatively with those funded under the Local Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign NOFA to assist in the development of the infrastructure needed to implement media strategies to successfully market "The Campaign for A Lead-Safe America," as well as conduct public education and outreach for lead awareness in specific localities. In addition, applicants are encouraged to focus on innovative methods of marketing several public service announcements, and using well-known public figures as spokespersons for the campaign, as well as identifying and implementing media strategies using print, radio and television to increase awareness about the dangers of lead-based paint nationally. Eligible activities will also include work with major national hardware retailers to identify and coordinate opportunities to increase lead awareness among consumers. Activities may also include the preparation of additional graphics needed to maintain store inventories of lead related posters and educational information. Graphic materials may include, but are not limited to, enlarged reproductions of several print public service announcements, separately produced and printed posters for public dissemination, and the development of ad slicks to market in newspapers and magazines nationwide. The applicant should plan on using a clipping service or other appropriate means to collect information on frequency and scope of the placement of ads. Applications which include development and dissemination of media products in languages other than English must include a discussion of the applicant's and/or subcontractors' expertise in languages other than English and in reaching the informational needs of such non-English speaking audiences. Applicants should also utilize minority media in an effort to achieve diversity in its outreach efforts.
The performance measures and deliverables will be negotiated between the grantee and HUD as part of the executed grant agreement and will be based upon the applicant's proposal.
II. Program Requirements.
In addition to the program requirements listed in the General Section of this National SuperNOFA, grantees must meet the following program requirements:
(A) Applicants Limited to a Single Award. Applicants are limited to one FY 1998 award under this program. If more than one eligible application is submitted by an applicant and both have an adequate score, the Department will select the application which the applicant has indicated as its preference for award.
(B) Independence of Applications. There are no limits on the number of applications that can be submitted by a single applicant. However, each application must be independent and capable of being implemented without reliance on the selection of other applications submitted by the applicant or other applicants. This provision does not preclude an applicant from submitting a proposal which includes other organizations as subcontractors to the proposed project or activity.
(C) Project Starting Period. The period of performance will be up to 2 years. The applicant must be able to commence work immediately.
(D) Page Limitation. Applicants will be limited to 10 pages of narrative responses for each of the rating factors for a total of no more than 50 pages (this does not include forms or documents which are required under each factor). Items such as brochures and news articles or similar items included in the application will be considered in the evaluation process and will not count towards the page limitation. Applicants that exceed the 10-page limit for each factor will only have the first 10 pages evaluated for each factor. Failure to provide narrative responses to all selection criteria will result in an application being ineligible.
(E) Payment Contingent on Completion. Payment to grantees will be contingent on the satisfactory completion of each project activity.
(F) Accessibility Requirements. All activities and materials funded by the grant must be accessible to persons with disabilities.
(G) Type of Award. HUD reserves the right to award a cooperative agreement that is cost reimbursable or fixed price.
(H) Funding Requests. Applications that request funding in excess of the stated maximum award will be ineligible.
(I) Ineligible Projects. Projects aimed primarily at research or data gathering, including but not limited to surveys and questionnaires, will not be eligible under this program section of the National SuperNOFA.
(J) Interagency Cooperation and Coordination. All proposals must contain a description of how the activities or the final products of the projects can be used by other agencies and organizations and what modifications, if any, are needed to achieve that purpose.
(K) Minimum Application Score. In order to be funded applicants must have a score of 80 points or better. If applicants score less than 80 points, they may apply again later under the republished program section of this National SuperNOFA, if funds remain available. Not all applicants with scores above 80 will necessarily receive awards.
(L) Definitions. The definitions that apply to this program section of the National SuperNOFA are as follows:
High Risk Communities refers to communities which consist of housing built before 1978.
Media/Advertising Companies (MACs) means private companies that develop, advertise and market ideas using media strategies to increase awareness and better understanding about a product, method, idea, or campaign.
Public Relations Firms (PRFs) means private organizations that develop and implement public awareness methods by using print, broadcast and electronic media, or other communication tools to influence public opinion.
III. Application Selection Process.
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(A) Rating and Ranking.
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(1) General. The selection process is structured to achieve the purpose set forth in Section I(B) of this program section of the National SuperNOFA. Awards will be made in rank order.
Each application for funding will be evaluated competitively, and the applicant will be assigned a score based on the Rating Factors used to evaluate and rate applications identified in Section III.(C) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA. After eligible applications are evaluated based upon the factors for award and assigned a score, they will be organized by rank order.
(2) Tie breaking. When there is a tie in the overall total score and insufficient funding is available to fund all applications with the tied score, the the award will be made to the applicant that has the higher score under Rating Factor 3 (Soundness of Approach). If these applications are equal in this respect, the application that receives a total higher number of points under Rating Factor 1 (Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organizational Experience) will receive the award.
(B) Factors For Award Used To Evaluate and Rate National Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign.
The factors for rating and ranking applicants, and maximum points for each factor, are provided in Section III.(C) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA.
(C) Applicant Notification and Award Procedures.
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(1) Notification. No information will be available to applicants during the period of HUD evaluation of proposals, which is approximately 90 days, except for HUD notification in writing or by telephone to those applicants that are determined to be ineligible or that have technical deficiencies in their applications that may be corrected. Selectees will be announced by HUD upon completion of the evaluation process, subject to final negotiations and award.
(2) Funding Instrument. HUD expects to award a fixed price or cost reimbursable cooperative agreement to each successful applicant. HUD reserves the right, however, to use the form of assistance determined to be most appropriate after negotiation with the applicant.
(3) Performance Sanctions. A recipient failing to comply with the procedures set forth in its grant agreement will be liable for such sanctions as may be authorized by law, including repayment of improperly used funds, termination of further participation in the program, and denial of further participation in programs of the Department or of any Federal agency.
IV. Application Submission Requirements.
In addition to the forms, certifications and assurances listed in Section II.(E) of the General Section, all applications must, at a minimum, also contain the items listed in Section IV of the General Section.
V. Corrections to Deficient Applications
The General Section of this National SuperNOFA provides the procedures for corrections to deficient applications.
VI. Environmental Requirements.
In accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(2), (9) and (12) of the HUD regulations, the assistance provided under this program relates only to information services, technical assistance and supportive services and therefore is categorically excluded from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and is not subject to environmental review under the related laws and authorities. This determination is based on the ineligibility of real property acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, conversion, leasing or repair for HUD assistance under this program.
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