Community Economic Development Planning Grants
Agency: Administration for Children and Families - OCS
Posted: 2024-05-02 | Closing date: 2024-07-02
Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time on the listed application due date.
Estimated total program funding: 1500000
Award ceiling: 150000
Award floor: 75000
Expected number of awards: 10
Cost sharing or matching requirement: No

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) will solicit applications to award approximately $1.5 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary funds to Community Development Corporations (CDCs) to stimulate new CED project development through administrative capacity building.OCS aims to align this funding opportunity with the following priority areas: (1) Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and the Justice40 Initiative, which underscore funding support for energy communities, (2) increased equity in geographic distribution of CED funds, in accordance with the CED statute, and (3) breaking down service silos and leveraging existing partnerships across OCS programs to reduce poverty through a wraparound services model for communities with low incomes. The objective of the CED Planning Grants is to stimulate new projects in underserved and under resourced communities. OCS intends to center equity in this funding opportunity, focusing these resources in persistent high-poverty areas with struggling economies that have been unable to put forth a viable CED project in the past. The goal of this funding opportunity is to provide CDCs with financial assistance for administrative capacity building. The awards will be a crucial step in connecting CDCs with CED resources for social and revenue reinvestment in local communities to help spark economic growth. OCS is encouraging applications from CDCs that target urban and rural areas.

Eligibility: To be eligible for the CED program, an applicant must meet three conditions:1. Applicant must be a private, non-profit CDC with 501(c)(3) status;2. Applicant must have articles of incorporation or bylaws demonstrating that the CDC has, as a principal purpose, the planning, developing, or managing of low-income housing or community economic development activities; and3. The Board of Directors must have representation from each of the following: community residents, business leaders, and civic leaders.Note: The CDC designation does not need to be specified on any official documents as long as the three requirements stated above are met. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity. Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at and, subject to the protections and requirements of 45 CFR Part 87 and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., ACF will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization's religious character, affiliation, or exercise.