(H) is formerly a youth in transition from 
foster care or the juvenile detention facilities. 
SEC. 4. COMPETITIVE GRANTS FOR PILOT PROJECTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—For each of fiscal years 2025 
through 2030, the Secretaries shall make grants, on a 
competitive basis, to eligible entities to aid target popu-
lations through carrying out a HOPE Accounts Pilot 
Project described in subsection (b) or a HOPE Action 
Plans Pilot Project described in subsection (c). 
(b) HOPE ACCOUNTS PILOT PROJECT.—A HOPE 
Accounts Pilot Project shall enable individuals from target 
populations to establish through cooperating banks, credit 
unions, or governmental or Tribal agencies HOPE ac-
counts for such individuals— 
(1) to have their paychecks deposited directly in 
such accounts; 
(2) to use such accounts to increase savings 
that would be matched with funds provided by gov-
ernment and private sources, including individual de-
velopment accounts; 
(3) to use an account application on a smart 
phone to easily locate and sign up for job training 
and placement services online; 
(4) to use any smart phone, digital tablet, or 
computer— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(A) to learn about the public and philan-
thropic programs that provide benefits to such 
individuals, including aid— 
(i) to improve health, nutrition, job 
training and placement, housing, and in-
come; and 
(ii) to receive Federal and State tax 
credits; and 
(B) subject to applicable Federal, State, 
local, or Tribal law and, in the case of private 
benefits, the cooperation of the provider of such 
benefits, to simultaneously apply for, submit eli-
gibility documents for, enroll in, and manage 
the use of such benefits at once through the 
convenience of their device if such individuals or 
their households are eligible for 1 or more of 
such benefits; 
(5) to receive— 
(A) a basic smart phone, digital tablet, or 
computer, if such individuals do not own a 
smart phone, digital tablet, or computer; and 
(B) subsidized internet Wi-Fi access; 
(6) to obtain the access and information de-
scribed in paragraph (4) with assistance at libraries, 
government offices, or nonprofit organizations if 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
such individuals are uncomfortable using internet 
technology themselves; 
(7) if such individuals are older individuals or 
individuals with a disability, to obtain access to the 
information described in paragraph (4) through re-
ceiving home visits with the assistance of govern-
ment employees, employees of nonprofit organiza-
tions, or participants in an AmeriCorps program 
carried out under subtitle C of title I of the National 
and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12571 et seq.) or under title II of the Domestic Vol-
unteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 5000 et seq.); 
(8) to access health care information that speci-
fies medical benefits, and any out-of-pocket costs, 
for each of the health plans for which such individ-
uals may be eligible, and to empower them, as prac-
ticable, to easily select the plan that works best for 
them; 
(9) to deposit in the account cash that is set 
aside for education, job training, starting a business, 
or buying a home; 
(10) in 1 central online account— 
(A) to easily access and monitor the sta-
tus, amounts, and recertification deadlines for 
some or all their benefits and savings; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(B) to pay bills online, saving high check 
cashing fees and enormous amounts of time; 
(11) to budget their resources by using real- 
time cash flow data and long-term financial planning 
data, including calculating how much they would 
lose in interest on credit cards versus how much 
they would gain in interest by saving more; 
(12) to access calendar and scheduling func-
tions that enable them to keep track of all job 
search, work, family, and school obligations, as well 
as any social service filing or appointment dates; 
(13) to be protected by security and privacy 
systems so that only such individuals, and not the 
government, nonprofit organizations, or banking 
partners, would be able to see or track private finan-
cial and appointment information; and 
(14) notwithstanding other provisions of law, to 
easily and clearly authorize their sharing of personal 
and financial information with multiple government 
agencies, solely for the purpose of those government 
agencies enabling those to apply for and utilize gov-
ernment benefits. 
(c) HOPE ACTION PLANS PILOT PROJECT.—A 
HOPE Action Plans Pilot Project shall enable individuals 
from target populations to partner with government and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
nonprofit organizations by entering into voluntary agree-
ments with such government and nonprofit organizations 
to carry out HOPE action plans that— 
(1) specify exactly how the parties to such plans 
will help such individuals and their families earn, 
learn, and save better in order to ensure greater eco-
nomic opportunity for themselves and their children 
by working together in a long-term, positive relation-
ship for the purpose of ensuring upward mobility; 
(2) could empower such individuals and their 
families to better organize their time and focus their 
activities on productive endeavors while providing 
them extra resources to do so; 
(3) could be short-term (a period of not more 
than 2 years) and aimed at helping families achieve 
very basic goals, such as avoiding homelessness and 
hunger; 
(4) could be long-term (a period of more than 
2 years) with far more ambitious goals for upward 
mobility; and 
(5) would require that participating individuals 
and their families and participating government en-
tities and nonprofit organizations have equal rights 
to hold each other accountable for plan outcomes 
and funding. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(d) APPLICATIONS; PERIOD OF GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretaries shall each 
create an application process for eligible entities to 
apply for a grant under this section. To be eligible 
to receive a grant under this section, an eligible enti-
ty shall submit to one of the Secretaries an applica-
tion— 
(A) that contains a description of how the 
applicant proposes to use the grant funds to 
implement the components of a HOPE Ac-
counts Pilot Project described in subsection (b) 
or a HOPE Action Plans Pilot Project de-
scribed in subsection (c); and 
(B) that is submitted in such form, at such 
time, and containing such other information as 
the Secretaries may require. 
(2) PERIOD.—A grant under this section shall 
be for a period not to exceed 5 years. 
(e) FORM OF GRANTS.—If a Secretary finds it appro-
priate, the Secretary may use cooperative agreements, as 
described in section 6305 of title 31, United States Code, 
for purposes of making grants under this section. 
(f) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—Grants made under this 
section shall range in amounts from $250,000 to 
$3,000,000, and shall be proportionate to the geographical 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
size, project complexity, and number of individuals partici-
pating in each project supported by the grant. Eligible en-
tities may receive grants made under this section by 2 or 
more of the Secretaries. To the extent funds are available, 
the Secretaries shall each make not fewer than 8 such 
grants annually. 
(g) DISTRIBUTION OF GRANTS.—To the extent prac-
ticable, the Secretaries shall make grants for pilot projects 
that operate statewide, as well as pilot projects designed 
to serve specific rural, urban, and suburban areas. To the 
extent practicable, pilot projects for which grants are 
made shall be distributed among diverse administrative re-
gions of the Department of Housing and Urban Develop-
ment, the Department of Health and Human Services, 
and the Department of Agriculture. 
(h) PREFERENCE.—For purposes of making grants 
under this section, preference shall be given to grants for 
pilot projects that— 
(1) serve individuals in rural or urban commu-
nities that are historically underserved and have a 
high rate of poverty; 
(2) simultaneously carry out a HOPE Accounts 
Pilot Project described in subsection (b) and a 
HOPE Action Plans Pilot Project described in sub-
section (c); 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(3) involve low-income individuals as equal part-
ners in project planning and implementation; 
(4) make additional funds available directly to 
low-income households through action plans, either 
through government payments or through subgrants 
to nonprofit organizations; 
(5) are matched by considerable non-Federal 
funds without penalizing rural or urban communities 
that are very low income, underserved, and cannot 
provide non-Federal matching funds; 
(6) propose concrete plans for long-term sus-
tainability and expansions without future Federal 
grant funds; 
(7) assist low-income households to apply for 
Federal earned income tax credits and State tax 
credits; 
(8) provide resources in English and in addi-
tional languages commonly spoken in the area served 
by the pilot project; 
(9) prioritize client-facing, fully-tested, tech-
nology and mobile device applications; 
(10) include a robust monitoring and evaluation 
planning and reporting plan, including proposed 
staffing and reporting for that plan, including re-
porting on— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(A) the extent to which the pilot project 
makes it easier, quicker, and less costly for low- 
income individuals in the United States to ac-
cess a variety of benefits; 
(B) the extent to which the pilot project 
will save administrative funds over the long 
run; 
(C) the extent to which the accuracy and 
integrity of the benefits programs included are 
maintained or improved; and 
(D) the extent to which low-income house-
holds are able to more easily obtain free or low- 
cost banking services; 
(11) subcontract part of the implementation of 
the pilot project to United States-based private busi-
nesses, banks, savings and loans, credit unions, co- 
ops, or nonprofit organizations, with relevant, suc-
cessful experience in similar or related project activi-
ties; 
(12) incorporate a benefits calculator to enable 
applicants to learn how the receipt of some benefits 
might or might not impact whether they are eligible 
for other benefits and might impact the amount of 
those other benefits for which they are eligible; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(13) include planning and funding for the eligi-
ble entities to train their staffs and clients to utilize 
the new technologies under the pilot project; 
(14) in rural and other areas without strong 
broad-band service, integrate activities under the 
pilot project with other activities to strengthen local- 
broad band service; 
(15) enable low-income individuals in the 
United States to obtain smart phones, and data 
services, at no cost or at a reduced cost; 
(16) ensure that individuals without personal 
smart phone, tablet, or computer access are able to 
benefit from the systems and technological improve-
ments under the pilot project at public locations 
such as public libraries, community centers, and so-
cial service offices; 
(17) propose a detailed, workable plan to thor-
oughly beta test and field test any new technologies 
or systems under the pilot project before making 
such technologies or systems available to all house-
holds, individuals, or the entire area served by the 
pilot project; and 
(18) identify the applicable Federal, State, 
local, or Tribal statutory and regulatory authorities, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:27 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H9845.IH
H9845
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB