Rural self-help housing technical assist

The federal Project Grant award of $197,000.00 was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service under the Rural Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance program (CFDA 10.420). The grant funding supports the Crawford - Sebastian Community Development Council, Inc., a non-profit organization in Fort Smith, Arkansas, in assisting very low- and low-income individuals and families in rural Arkansas to construct their own homes through a self-help construction method. The organization provides technical assistance services such as construction expertise, homebuyer education, financial counseling, and community outreach to guide participants through the self-help home building process. Additionally, the organization has received sub-grants to support diverse community services including dental care, energy efficiency upgrades, housing counseling, rental assistance, downpayment assistance, and construction of affordable single-family homes. The award period spans from Sep 4, 2025 to Oct 4, 2026.