Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Awards

CED and RCD are two funding opportunities in this program with a focus on development of communities with low income. CED is the only federal opportunity that primarily focuses on creating jobs for individuals with low income in communities with high unemployment and poverty rates. CED projects utilize multiple strategies such as providing start-up capital, loans, financial equity investments, and funding for construction. Projects create and expand businesses that include but are not limited to: restaurants and commercial kitchens; distribution, shopping, and childcare centers; and agricultural and environmental initiatives. RCD supports the nation’s unincorporated areas and lowest income communities, including tribal and persistent poverty areas that face unique challenges in managing their water and wastewater systems. RCD award recipients use funds to provide training and technical assistance to communities so that they can develop and manage affordable, safe water and wastewater systems.

For each CED award, eligibility is restricted to private, nonprofit organizations that are community development corporations (CDCs) that provide technical and financial assistance for economic development activities designed to address the economic needs of low-income individuals and families by creating employment and business development opportunities. For a CDC to receive funds to carry out CED activities, the corporation shall be governed by a board that shall consist of residents of the community and business and civic leaders and shall have as a principal purpose planning, developing, or managing low-income housing or community development projects. Under RCD, eligibility is restricted to multi-state, regional, private, nonprofit organizations, including those that support tribal entities, with the ability to enable the organizations to provide training and technical assistance to small, rural communities concerning meeting their community facility needs. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under all funding opportunities. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity.

For CED: the beneficiaries are individuals, families, and unemployed individuals with low Income. Seventy-five percent of the jobs created must be filled by individuals whose household income level does not exceed 200 percent of the official poverty guidelines, as found in the most recent revision of the HHS Poverty Guidelines published by HHS at https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines. For RCD: the beneficiaries are small, rural communities that face unique challenges in managing their water and wastewater systems and lack the resources and technical skills to address very small water and wastewater system needs.

Each application is reviewed against four factors: eligibility, the application deadline, required electronic submission or waiver requested and approved, and the Award Ceiling. If the application does not meet all of these factors, then it is disqualified from the merit review process. After the initial review, applications are reviewed and evaluated by merit review panels using only the criteria described in the Application Review section of the NOFO. Each panel is composed of experts with knowledge and experience in the area under review. Generally, review panels include three reviewers and one chairperson. While merit review scores and their ranking are not binding, ACF does consider them when selecting projects for funding. Scores and rankings are only one element used in the award decision-making process. Other criteria are explained in the Program Description section and in the Application Review section of the NOFO. For example, ACF may reserve the right to evaluate applications in the larger context of the overall portfolio by considering the geographic distribution of federal funds (e.g., ensuring coverage of states, counties, or service areas) in its pre-award decisions. ACF may elect not to fund applicants with management or financial problems that would indicate an inability to successfully complete the proposed project. In addition, ACF may elect to not allow a prime recipient to subaward if there is any indication that they are unable to properly monitor and manage subrecipients. Applications may be funded in whole or in part. Successful applicants may be funded at an amount lower than requested.