FY20 FSS Supplemental NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Public and Indian Housing

2020 Family Self-Sufficiency – Renewal NOFA Supplemental

FR-6400-N-04

01/22/2021

Table of Contents Overview

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description

B. Authority

II. Award Information

A. Available Funds

B. Number of Awards

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information

D. Period of Performance

E. Type of Funding Instrument

F. Supplementation

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Ineligible Applicants

C. Cost Sharing or Matching

D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements

E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility

F. Program-Specific Requirements Affecting Eligibility

G. Criteria for Beneficiaries

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Obtaining an Application Package

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number

D. Application Submission Dates and Times

E. Intergovernmental Review

F. Funding Restrictions

G. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

A. Review Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

B. Administrative, National and Department Policy Requirements for HUD recipients

C. Reporting

D. Debriefing

VII. Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

APPENDIX

Program Office:

Public and Indian Housing Funding Opportunity Title:

2020 Family Self-Sufficiency – Renewal NOFA Supplemental Funding Opportunity Number:

FR-6400-N-04

Primary CFDA Number:

14.896 Due Date for Applications:

01/22/2021 Overview The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issues this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to invite applications from eligible applicants for the program and purpose described within this NOFA. Prospective applicants should carefully read all instructions in all sections to avoid sending an incomplete or ineligible application. HUD funding is highly competitive. Failure to respond accurately to any submission requirement could result in an incomplete or noncompetitive proposal.

During the selection process HUD is prohibited from disclosing 1) information regarding any applicant’s relative standing, 2) the amount of assistance requested by an applicant, and 3) any information contained in the application. Prior to the application deadline, HUD may not disclose the identity of any applicant or the number of applicants that have applied for assistance.

For Further Information Regarding this NOFA: Please direct questions regarding the specific requirements of this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to the office contact identified in Section VII.

OMB Approval Number(s):

2577-0178

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION.

A. Program Description.

1. Purpose

a. Overview: This is a supplemental FY 2020 Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program NOFA. The purpose of this supplemental NOFA is to allow eligible applicants who were not awarded FY 2020 funds under the original FY 2020 NOFA the opportunity to compete for FY 2020 FSS funds. The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program supports the Department’s strategic goal of increasing economic opportunity for HUD-assisted families. FSS provides grants to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to support the salaries and training needs of FSS Program Coordinators who assist participating families receiving housing assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV/PBV) and Public Housing (PH) programs. FSS Program Coordinators develop local strategies to connect participating families to public and private resources to increase their earned income and financial empowerment, reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance, and make progress toward economic independence and self-sufficiency. In the context of the Self Sufficiency account, “self-sufficiency” is defined as a household’s ability to maintain financial, housing, and personal/family stability. To achieve self-sufficiency, individuals in a household move along a continuum towards economic independence and stability; such movement is facilitated by the achievement of educational, professional, and health/mental health and financial empowerment-related goals. For the FSS program, self-sufficiency is further defined as a work-able -family’s ability to maintain itself free from income-based public safety net programs such as TANF, SNAP, Medicaid and housing assistance.

PHAs execute a five-year Contract of Participation with each individual participating family that incorporates the responsibilities of each party, as well as a training and services plan to help the family become more self-sufficient. PHAs are not permitted to limit FSS participation to those families most likely to succeed.

On May 24 2018, The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act became Public Law No: 115-174. Section 306 of the Act amended the United States Housing Act of 1937 to revise the FSS program. The Act specifically changes program requirements related to program eligibility, escrow deposits, and supportive services; allows the Secretary to establish a funding formula; and extends eligibility by allowing private owners of project-based rental assistance (PBRA) properties to voluntarily make an FSS program available to their tenants.

The changes to the FSS program are not in effect until HUD issues implementing regulations. As of the date of the publication of this NOFA, the final rule has not been issued, so this NOFA does not reflect any changes from P.L. 115-174.

b. Responsibilities of FSS Program Coordinators.

An FSS Program Coordinator must:

Build partnerships with employers and service providers in the community and work with the Program Coordinating Committee (PCC) and with such local service providers to ensure that FSS program participants are linked to the supportive services they need to achieve self-sufficiency, including services for participants with limited English proficiency. Further, grantees should provide reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to persons with limited English proficiency in addition to providing all materials, notices, and communications in a manner that is effective for persons with hearing, visual and other communication-related disabilities. See Section I.A.4 of this NOFA ("Definitions") for the definition of PCC. For more information on Partnerships and Collaborations, see Notice PIH 2011-51, and for more information on partnerships between PHAs and Department of Labor Workforce Development Boards/One Stops, see "From the Ground Up: Creating Partnerships between Public Housing Authorities and Workforce Investment Boards" at https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/14_DOL_PUBLICATION.PDF.

Ensure that an Individual Training and Services Plan (ITSP) is prepared for the head of the FSS family and each adult member of the FSS family who elects to participate in the FSS program. See Section I.A.4 eligible families.

Ensure that the services included in the participants' Contracts of Participation are provided on a regular, ongoing and satisfactory basis; participants are fulfilling their https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/pih2011-51.pdf https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/14_DOL_PUBLICATION.PDF responsibilities under the Contracts; and FSS escrow accounts are established and properly maintained for eligible families.

FSS coordinators may also perform job development functions (e.g., outreach to potential employers) for the FSS program.

Monitor the progress of participants.

FSS Coordinators are encouraged to ensure that participants have greater access to financial education/literacy/empowerment/coaching programs that will help them acquire the knowledge and skills to make informed and effective decisions that ultimately help them reach their goals and achieve self-sufficiency and financial stability. This includes partnering with organizations that conduct financial education workshops that cover topics such as credit, debt, savings, budgeting, asset building and banking services; and/or organizations that can provide financial coaching.

For information on financial empowerment tools and resources available to help HUD-assisted families enhance their financial empowerment and asset building skills, please see Notice

PIH 2014-26 (HA).

The FSS Guidebook and Online training is a resource that FSS Coordinators, PCCs, PHA board members and commissioners, executive directors, senior housing staff, and other staff who may work with the FSS program can use to better serve FSS participants and run an effective FSS program. The guidebook and online training provide in-depth information about all aspects of the FSS program, drawing on evidence about "what works" and the experience of practitioners. All FSS applicants must have a representative from their agency complete the FSS training. See Section III.A.2 for more information.

c. Staffing Guidelines. Under normal circumstances, a full-time FSS Program Coordinator should be able to serve approximately 50 FSS participants, depending on the coordinator's case management functions. While this NOFA requires at least 25 FSS participants to qualify for one full-time FSS Coordinator position (see Section III.F.3. of this NOFA "Eligibility Requirement:

Number of FSS families served" for more information), grantees are encouraged to serve at least 50 FSS participants per full-time coordinator position.

d. Outreach. Grantees are encouraged to reach out to eligible families with disabilities and to persons with limited English proficiency who might be interested in participating in the FSS program, and to include agencies that work with and provide services to families with disabilities and agencies that work with and provide services to persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) on their FSS Program Coordinating Committee (PCC).

Further, grantees must take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to their programs and activities to LEP individuals. As an aid to recipients, HUD published Final Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients: Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons (LEP Guidance) in the Federal Register on January 22, 2007 (72 FR 2732). LEP guidance and LEP information is available here: Federal Register.

All materials, notices, and communications used shall be provided in a manner that is effective for persons with hearing, visual, and other communication-related disabilities, consistent with https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/pih2014-26.pdf https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/pih2014-26.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2007/03/16/E7-4794/final-guidance-to-federal-financial-assistance-recipients-regarding-title-vi-prohibition-against https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2007/03/16/E7-4794/final-guidance-to-federal-financial-assistance-recipients-regarding-title-vi-prohibition-against

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and HUD's Section 504 regulations (see 24 CFR 8.6.) All methods that include public meetings must be held in facilities that are physically accessible to persons with disabilities. Where accessibility for persons with disabilities is not possible, you must give priority to alternative methods of delivery that offer qualified individuals with disabilities the most integrated setting appropriate in accordance with 24 CFR part 8. Additionally, grantees are encouraged to reach out to formerly homeless persons, veterans, and formerly incarcerated persons.

e. Coordination between Programs with Services or Service Coordination. Grantees that are located in a jurisdiction that receives multiple sources of funding (from the programs listed below) to serve the same population or geographic area, should coordinate among those programs, where appropriate, so as to leverage shared resources, avoid duplication of services, and improve access and service delivery to participating families: ROSS Service Coordinators (ROSS-SC), Jobs Plus, HOPE VI Revitalization, Choice Neighborhoods, Elderly/Disabled Service Coordinators, HUD-VASH, Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers, Multi-Family Service Coordinators, Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA), Continuum of Care programs and/or other special use housing assistance with services or service coordination.

One example of coordination is a PHA that administers both FSS and ROSS-SC programs using a single Program Coordinating Committee. Coordination between programs should be conducted by and between program coordinators or other program management staff. In general, residents that are part of FSS should not also be served by ROSS-SC and should be very carefully managed between FSS and Jobs Plus. Jobs Plus programs should consult their Grant Managers for more information.

2. Changes from Previous NOFA.

Please note that this section highlights only the major changes from the previous FSS (FY 2019) NOFA. Applicants should read this entire NOFA carefully to ensure that all threshold and eligibility requirements are met (otherwise the applicant will be ineligible for funding), and that the program requirements listed in this NOFA are followed.

Eligibility: This NOFA has updated eligible applicants because this is a supplemental FY 2020 NOFA. Refer to Appendix C to determine eligibility.

Funding Priority Categories: In the previous NOFA HUD offered three funding priority categories, including Category 3, for increases in funding amounts. In this NOFA, there will be only two funding categories, which are Category 1: Renewal Funding for Eligible Applicants and Category 2: Increases from Part-time to Full-Time Renewal Positions. Category 2-eligible applicants may be funded at no more than the their last funded amount plus the equivalent of one-half of a full-time position, based on their last funded amount divided by their last number of funded positions. See Appendix C and Section V.B.3.

Salary Comparability Information: In previous NOFAs, HUD asked applicants to submit salary comparability information with their application. Under this NOFA, salary comparability information is NOT accepted.

Uses of Unexpended Funds. Funds awarded under recent NOFAs that were projected to remain unexpended by the end of the grant period for good cause (such as FSS coordinator turnover or prolonged absence) were able to be used for eligible administrative and training costs related to the FSS program, subject to prior HUD approval and a cap of 10% of the total award amount. This is no longer the case. Any unexpended funds will be recaptured and used to make future grants.

Target Period: The target period for this NOFA is from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019.

The removal of the HUD form 52651 under this NOFA. This NOFA will not require the HUD-52651, as has been the case in prior FSS Renewal NOFAs. Instead, the relevant fields where HUD needs information from applicants have been indicated in the instructions in Section (V.B.2.b.) and are to be completed on the HUD-SF424. For the funding requests from an application, your request must be based on the maximum funding amount listed in Appendix C and Joint Applicant PHAs must complete question 15 on the SF 424 per instructions in the NOFA.

Each applicant must apply with a unique TIN and DUNS number. No more than one application will be accepted from any one TIN or DUNS number. HUD will treat multiple applications from one DUNS as duplicates and only review the last application received by the applicant.

3. Definitions.

a. Standard Definitions

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH). The obligation to affirmatively further the purposes and policies of the Fair Housing Act.

Assistance Listings (formerly CFDA) is a directory of the various Federal listings, projects, services and activities offering financial and non-financial assistance and benefits to the American public. An Assistance Listing (CFDA) Number is the unique number assigned to each program, project, service or activity listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA).

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is the person authorized to submit applications on behalf of the organization via Grants.gov. The AOR is authorized by the E-Biz point of contact in the System for Award Management. The AOR is listed in item 21 on the SF- 424.

Award, as used in this NOFA means a federal grant OR cooperative agreement as specified in Section II.E (Type of Funding Instrument).

Consolidated Plan is a document developed by states and local jurisdictions. This plan is completed by engaging in a participatory process to assess their affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions, and to make data-driven, place-based investment decisions with funding from formula grant programs. (See 24 CFR part 91 for more information about the Consolidated Plan and related Action Plan).

Contract means a legal instrument by which a non-Federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a Federal award. The term as used in this NOFA does not include a legal instrument, even if the non-Federal entity considers it a contract, when the substance of the transaction meets the definition of a Federal award or subaward (See 2

CFR 200.22.)

Contractor means an entity receiving a contract.

Deficiency is information missing or omitted within a submitted application. Examples of deficiencies include missing documents, information on a form, or some other type of unsatisfied information requirement (e.g., an unsigned form, unchecked box.). Depending on specific criteria, deficiencies may be either curable or non-curable.

Curable Deficiency – Applicants may correct a curable deficiency with timely action.

To be curable the deficiency must:

Not be a threshold requirement, except for documentation of applicant eligibility;

not influence how an applicant is ranked or scored versus other applicants; and be remedied within the time frame specified in the notice of deficiency.

Non-Curable Deficiency – An applicant cannot correct a non-curable deficiency after the submission deadline.

Non-curable deficiencies are deficiencies that, if corrected, would change an applicant’s score or rank versus other applicants. Non-curable deficiencies may result in an application being marked ineligible, or otherwise adversely affect an application’s score and final determination.

DUNS Number is the nine-digit identification number assigned to a business or organization by Dun & Bradstreet and provides a means of identifying business entities on a location-specific basis. Requests for a DUNS number can be made by visiting the Online DUNS Request Portal.

Eligibility requirements are mandatory requirements for an application to be eligible for funding.

Grants.gov is the website serving as the Federal government’s central portal for searching and applying for federal financial assistance throughout the Federal government. Registration on Grants.gov is required for submission of applications to prospective agencies unless otherwise specified in this NOFA.

Non-Federal Entity is a state, local government, Indian tribe, institution of higher education (IHE), or non-profit organization carrying out a Federal award as a recipient or sub recipient.

If eligible applicants under the NOFA include for profit entities, this definition of non-federal entity includes for profit entities.

Opportunity Zone (OZs) are defined in 26 U.S.C. 1400Z-1. In general, OZs are census tracts located in low-income communities where new investments, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential tax treatment.

Point of Contact (POC) is the person who may be contacted with questions about the application submitted by the AOR. The POC is listed in item 8F on the SF-424.

Promise Zones (PZs) are high poverty communities where the federal government partners with local leaders to increase economic activity, improve educational opportunities, leverage private investment, reduce violent crime, enhance public health and address other priorities identified by the community.

Recipient means a non-Federal entity receiving an award directly from HUD to carry out an activity under a HUD program.

Subaward means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the recipient. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual beneficiary of a Federal program. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that the pass-through entity considers a contract. The legal agreement must contain the subrecipient’s assurance of compliance with program requirements, including but not limited to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity requirements.

Subrecipient is a non-Federal entity receiving a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a HUD program; but does not include an individual beneficiary of such program. A subrecipient may also receive other Federal awards directly from a Federal awarding agency (including HUD).

System for Award Management (SAM), is a U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of Central Contractor Registry (CCR), Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) and the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA). Registration with SAM is required for submission of applications via Grants.gov. You can access the website at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/. There is no cost to use SAM.

Threshold Requirements are an eligibility requirement that must be met for an application to be reviewed. Threshold requirements are not curable, except for documentation of applicant eligibility and are listed in Section III.D Threshold Eligibility Requirements. Similarly, there are eligibility requirements under Section III.E, Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility.

Unique Entity Identifier is a number used to identify a specific commercial, nonprofit, or government entity. SAM states that currently Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) is the designated entity to establish and maintain the DUNS Number as the unique entity identifier required for registration in SAM and further used throughout federal procurement, financial assistance, and financial management systems. Beginning December 2020, the DUNS number will no longer be the official identifier for entities doing business with the government.

4. Program Definitions Action Plans are required by FSS program regulations to be developed by PHAs and approved by HUD. An Action Plan describes the policies and procedures of the PHA for operation of a local FSS program. For a full description of the information that the Action Plan must contain, please see 24 CFR 984.201.

Amount Last Funded is the most recent funding amount (i.e., FY 2019, FY 2018, or FY 2017) awarded to an applicant seeking FSS renewal funding. See Appendix C of this NOFA for this information for each eligible applicant.

Amount Requested is the requested funding amount for the FY 2020 renewal positions previously funded under the FY 2019, FY 2018, and/or FY 2017 FSS NOFAs, as described in Section IV.B.2.c of this NOFA. The Amount Requested may be no more than the

“Maximum Eligible Award for FY20” from Appendix C.

Cap on Number of Positions is the maximum number of FSS program coordinator positions that a PHA is eligible to receive under this NOFA. The cap is determined by the most recent number of FSS program coordinator positions funded (i.e., FY 2019, FY 2018, and/or FY 2017 FSS program coordinator positions) for applicants seeking renewal funding. See Sections IV.F.1 of this NOFA "Cap on Number of Positions" and V.B.3 “Funding Priority Categories” for more information.

Participant to Coordinator Ratio is the ratio of the total number of active FSS participants in your FSS program during the target period, relative to the number of coordinator positions last funded by HUD as represented in the "Cap on Number of Positions" column in the Public Housing Information Center (PIC) report (Appendix C). In other words, it is the ratio of Participants to Coordinators.

Contract Administrator is an overall grant administrator or a financial management agent (or both) that oversees the implementation of the grant and/or the financial aspects of the grant. See Section III.F.2 of this NOFA "Troubled PHAs" for more information.

Contract of Participation: See 24 CFR 984.103 for the definition and 24 CFR 984.303 for further information including the Contract term. In an effort to ease barriers to participation for new families enrolling in the FSS Program in 2021, the income and rent amounts to be used in the "Program Contract of Participation'' shall be taken from the amounts on the last certification, reexamination or interim determination before the family's initial participation in the FSS program. Note that in the FY2019 NOFA, HUD removed the requirement to do a new rental re-exam if more than 120 days have elapsed between the last re-exam and the effective date of the Contract of Participation. This requirement is found in the instructions for the FSS Contract of Participation, form HUD-52650. The grant agreement pursuant to this NOFA will continue to remove this requirement and instruct that PHAs use the information on the last certification, reexamination or interim determination before the family's initial participation in the FSS program.

Eligible Families Funding awarded through this NOFA may be used to serve PH residents and HCV/PBV participants. The funds may be used to continue serving residents of former PH projects that converted to PBRA through the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, provided the residents were enrolled in the FSS program prior to RAD conversion. PBRA residents not enrolled in FSS prior to a RAD conversion or PBRA residents that were not formerly PH residents are not eligible to be served by an FSS coordinator funded under this NOFA. See Section III.F.7.d "Rental Assistance Demonstration" for more information).

FSS Escrow Account is a savings account for FSS participants. As a participating family’s earned income increases, its (income-based) tenant rent payment also increases. However, under FSS, the amount of the family’s rent increase (the difference between the baseline rent, set when the family signs the Contract of Participation, and the new rent, calculated as the family’s income increases) is deposited into the participant’s escrow account. The participating family can access the funds in its escrow account upon graduation from the FSS program, or as an interim disbursement, pursuant to policies defined in each PHA’s FSS Action Plan. The escrow funds may be used for any purpose, as determined by the graduate family. See 24 CFR 984.103 for the definition and 24 CFR 984.305 for further information.

FSS Program Coordinator is the person responsible for linking FSS program participants to supportive services. See Section I.A.1.b "Responsibilities of FSS Program Coordinators" of this NOFA for more information.

Job-sharing means that two or more employees are retained on a part-time or reduced-time basis to perform a job normally fulfilled by one FSS coordinator working full-time. See Section II.A.1 of this NOFA "Eligible Use of Funds" for more information.

Maximum Eligible Award is the lower of the amount a recipient last received (FY19, FY18 or FY17) and the dollar amount that corresponds to its current eligibility based on Number of Participants during the Target Period. If the Number of FSS Service Coordinators Supported by PIC Data has dropped, HUD will calculate the Dollar Amount Last Awarded, divided by the Number of Positions Last Awarded, to determine an average amount per position. Then, the Maximum Eligible Award will be the Average Dollar Amount per Position x Number of Positions Supported by PIC. This amount is presented in Appendix C. The SF-424 request should then reflect no more than indicated as the Maximum Eligible Award in Appendix C. If the request on the SF-424 exceeds the Maximum Eligible Award, HUD reserves the right to request more information or use the lower of the two amounts.

Moving to Work (MTW) PHAs are PHAs that are under the MTW Standard Agreement or an MTW ACC amendment with HUD. See Section III.F.7.a of this NOFA "Program Administration" for more information.

Number of FSS Service Coordinators Supported by PIC Data, shown in the PIC report, is determined by the number of FSS program participants in a PHA’s entire FSS program during the target period, according to the formula in Section III.F.3 of this NOFA "Eligibility Requirement: Number of FSS families served." For example, if PIC data shows that the PHA has 75 families participating in its FSS program during the NOFA's target period, then the number of FSS coordinators supported by this level of participation would be 2.

Number of FSS Program Participants is the total number of eligible families under an FSS Contract of Participation during the target period. The total number of FSS families under an FSS Contract of Participation includes any FSS families with enrollment, progress, or exit report(s) during the target period. FSS families who have ported their assistance to another jurisdiction during the target period will be counted for both the initial and receiving PHA. If you are administering an FSS Contract for a family that has ported to another PHA, you must ensure that your PHA code is in field 17d of the HUD-50058 form in order to receive credit for that FSS family. For more information about FSS PIC reporting, see PIH Notice 2016-08.

PIC Report shows data for the HCV and PH programs, including information about participating PHAs’ FSS programs. For each eligible FSS renewal applicant, the report shows the following data points (all of these measures are as defined above): the number of FSS program participants https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/pih2016-08.pdf reported in PIC during the target period, the Number of FSS Coordinators Supported by PIC data, and the Cap on Number of Positions as well as other relevant data. The PIC report is attached to this NOFA as Appendix C.

Program Coordinating Committee (PCC), a requirement of the FSS program, assists the PHA in securing commitments of public and private resources for the operation of the FSS program within the PHA's jurisdiction, including assistance to develop the Action Plan and implement the program. See 24 CFR 984.202 for further information.

Target Period: The target period for this NOFA is from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019.

B. Authority.

The FSS program is authorized by Section 23 of the United States Housing Act of 1937. Funding for this program is authorized by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-94, enacted December 20, 2019).

II. Award Information.

A. Available Funds Funding of approximately $ 1,900,000 is available through this NOFA.

Additional funds may become available for award under this NOFA, because of HUD's efforts to recapture funds, use carryover funds, or because of the availability of additional appropriated funds. Use of these funds is subject to statutory constraints. All awards are subject to the funding restrictions contained in this NOFA.

Eligible Use of Funds

Funds awarded to PHAs under this NOFA will be used to pay the salary and fringe benefits (defined at 2 CFR 200.431 Compensation - fringe benefits) of full-time and part-time FSS program coordinators.

The funds awarded per eligible FSS coordinator position may be used to pay for more than one staff position i.e. to job-share, meaning the funds may be spread across more than one PHA staff position if FSS functions are shared between more positions than the number of FSS coordinators awarded. For example, two or more employees may be retained on a reduced-time basis to perform a job normally fulfilled by one funded FSS coordinator position working full-time.

See Section IV.F.2 of this NOFA "Ineligible Activities" for information on ineligible activities.

B. Number of Awards.

HUD expects to make approximately 28 awards from the funds available under this NOFA.

For information on the methodology used to make award determinations under this NOFA, please see Section V.B "Review and Selection Process" below.

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information Minimum and maximum total award amounts will vary depending on number of coordinators, PIC data, and amount last funded.

Total award amount will be based on the applicant's request, subject to the amount last awarded and number of FSS coordinators supported by PIC data.

Estimated Total Funding:

$ 1,900,000 Minimum Award Amount:

$ 0 Per Project Period Maximum Award Amount:

$ 0 Per Project Period D. Period of Performance Most grants made pursuant to this NOFA will run from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021.

However, the grant term may be modified or extended by HUD as determined necessary. The estimated project start and end dates below are only estimates. Please note that grant extensions are discouraged and will be done pursuant to 2 CFR Part 200.308.

This Period of Performance remains the same for any supplementary versions of this NOFA. Awardees will be allowed to use “pre-award costs” to cover grant eligible expenses starting 1/1/21.

Estimated Project Start Date:

01/01/2021 Estimated Project End Date:

12/31/2021 Length of Project Periods:

12-month project period and budget period Length of Periods Explanation of Other:

E. Type of Funding Instrument.

Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Funding will be disbursed through HUD’s Line of Credit Control System (LOCCS), in accordance with each successful applicant’s executed Grant Agreement. Beginning with awards made under the FY2014 FSS competition, all FSS grantees were required to establish an account and drawdown funds utilizing LOCCS. LOCCS is HUD’s primary grant and subsidy disbursement system that disburses and tracks the payment of grant funds to grantees.

Grantees must access and manage their grant funds through an internet version of LOCCS called eLOCCS. FSS funds will continue to be disbursed using this system, and in accordance with the Grant Agreement. Additional terms and requirements of the grant will be specified in the Grant Agreement.

All grantees should have already obtained access to LOCCS. Obtaining access to LOCCS requires HUD approval and can be a lengthy process. If your agency does not currently have LOCCS access, HUD encourages you to begin the process as soon as possible, in the event that your agency is awarded funds under this NOFA. Should you not get LOCCS approval in sufficient time, you could potentially face a lapse in availability of FSS program coordinator funding. For more information about gaining access to LOCCS, please visit http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/cfo/loccs_guidelines, or contact the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, User Support Branch at 1-877-705-7504 (toll free).

Grantees should also review the eLOCCS User Guide (http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=eloccs_registration_guide.pdf) for information on the steps needed to gain access to eLOCCS through HUD’s Secure Systems platform. For additional information, please contact your local field office representative, or the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, User Support Branch at 1-877-705-7504 (toll free).

When completing the LOCCS Access Authorization Form (HUD 27054), please indicate “ROSS” in section 5a (LOCSS Program Area) and “Resident Opport and Self Sufficiency” in block 5b (Program Name).

Please be reminded that there will be no amendment to any successful applicant’s Annual Contributions Contract, and HUD’s Financial Management Center will not disburse funding increments.

F. Supplementation.

For this NOFA, sub-section "F. Supplementation" is Not Applicable

III. Eligibility Information.

A. Eligible Applicants.

Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification) Information on Eligible Applicants

1. Eligible applicants. PHAs (including MTW PHAs) currently administering an FSS program that have served at least the minimum number of families required by this NOFA (as described in Section III.E.3. below; "Eligibility Requirement: Number of FSS Families Served") and have met all other funding requirements outlined in prior year Notice of Awards and Grant Agreements and the Terms and Conditions therein.

Due to the level of funding under this NOFA, applicants will only be eligible for funding if they meet one of the following criteria:

the applicant was funded under any of the FY 2017, FY 2018, and/or FY 2019 FSS NOFAs and has not yet been funded under any FY20 FSS NOFAs; or the applicant received an FSS program through a transfer or consolidation from a PHA that was funded under the FY 2017, FY 2018, or FY 2019 NOFA.

the applicant must be on Appendix C of this NOFA in order to be considered for funding.

2. Mandatory FSS Training. All PHAs must complete the HUD developed Online Training and Guidebook on the FSS program that provides guidance on how to develop and administer a successful FSS program. At least one person from each PHA must complete the FSS online training and submit the "get credit" form. HUD will pull a list of all individuals that have received credit for completing the training from HUD Exchange at the time of grant award. If you are not on the list generated at the time of grant award, all FSS grant funds for your PHA will be held by your Field Office until proof of course completion is submitted to your Field Office. If you have completed the training prior to the FY2019 awards, you have satisfied the requirement under this FY2020 NOFA. You are not required to submit documentation of http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/cfo/loccs_guidelines http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=eloccs_registration_guide.pdf https://www.hudexchange.info/trainings/courses/family-self-sufficiency-training/ compliance with this NOFA application.

3. Request for Review of Eligibility. If you are not listed in Appendix C, but believe you meet the eligibility criteria or are listed incorrectly, you must submit a Request for Review of Eligibility via email to fss@hud.gov. The subject line should be "2021 Review of FSS Eligibility

– [PHA Name & Number].” HUD cannot guarantee the timely review of such requests if submitted less than one week prior to the application deadline.

B. Ineligible Applicants.

1. Tribe/TDHEs Eligibility: Indian Housing Authorities (IHAs) are not eligible for funding under this NOFA since the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Demonstration Act of 1996 does not allow HUD to enter into new Annual Contributions Contracts (ACCs) with IHAs after September 30, 1997.

2. New Applicants. Applicants that have not been funded in FY 2017, FY 2018, and/or FY 2019 NOFA competitions are ineligible for funding under this NOFA. Please register with grants.gov to get updates on upcoming publications of NOFAs.

3. FY20 FSS NOFA Applicants: Applicants that have already been funded in any FY 2020 FSS NOFA competitions are ineligible for funding under this NOFA.

C. Cost Sharing or Matching.

This Program does not require cost sharing or matching.

D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements.

Applicants who fail to meet any of the following threshold eligibility requirements will be deemed ineligible. Applications from ineligible applicants will not be evaluated.

1. Outstanding civil rights matters must be resolved to HUD’s satisfaction prior to grant award, provided that all applicable legal processes have been satisfied.

2. Timely Submission of Applications. Applications submitted after the deadline stated within this NOFA that do not meet the requirements of the grace period policy will be marked late. Late applications are ineligible and will not be considered for funding. See Section IV. D. Application Submission Dates and Times.

E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility.

Eligibility Requirements for Applicants of HUD’s Grants Programs The following requirements affect applicant eligibility. Detailed information on each requirement is posted on HUD’s Funding Opportunities Page.

Outstanding Delinquent Federal Debts Debarments and/or Suspensions Pre-selection Review of Performance Sufficiency of Financial Management System False Statements Mandatory Disclosure Requirement Prohibition Against Lobbying Activities Equal Participation of Faith-Based Organizations in HUD Programs and Activities mailto:fss@hud.gov https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/spm/gmomgmt/grantsinfo/fundingopps

F. Program-Specific Requirements Affecting Eligibility.

1. Program Modifications to HUD-wide or Federal Agency-wide Requirements.

a. Sufficiency of Financial Management System. By applying for this NOFA, applicants confirm that they have a financial management system that meets federal standards (per 2 CFR Part 200, subpart D).

b. Debarment and/or Suspensions. This requirement does not apply directly to eligible applicants under this NOFA. However, no person employed by or contracted with the applicant that appears on the Excluded Parties Listing System (EPLS) may be paid pursuant to funding under this NOFA. The EPLS may be accessed through the SAM website at the following address: https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/#1.

c. Conducting Business in Accordance with Ethical Standards/Code of Conduct. In addition to submitting a copy of your code of conduct, dated and signed by the Executive Director, Chair, or equivalent official, you shall continue to maintain a written code of conduct in your PHA administrative plan and/or Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) that prohibits the solicitation or acceptance of gifts or gratuities, in excess of a nominal value, by any officer or employee of the PHA, or any contractor, subcontractor, or agent of the PHA. Your administrative plan and/or ACOP shall state PHA policies concerning PHA administrative and disciplinary remedies for violation of the PHA code of conduct. PHAs and employees must conduct business in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200. The PHA shall inform all officers, employees, and agents of its organization of the PHA’s code of conduct. Pursuant to applicable Federal and HUD regulations, applicants must disclose in writing any potential conflict of interest and all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award. If you wish to submit an updated Code of Conduct policy, please follow guidance provided on HUD.gov https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/spm/gmomgmt/grantsinfo/conductgrants. Do not submit with your application.

d. Consistency with the Consolidated Plan and Analysis of Impediments/ Assessments of Fair Housing. This requirement is not applicable to this NOFA because FSS is not one of the public housing or Section 8 programs under the United States Housing Act of 1937 that requires consistency with the consolidated plan.

2. Troubled PHAs. If you have been identified by HUD as PHAS/SEMAP Troubled as of the time of publication of this NOFA you are, as required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR 902.73 and/or 24 CFR 985.107, subject to a review, corrective action plan, and monitoring of your PH or HCV program, including, if applicable, the FSS program. If deemed necessary by the local HUD field office, you will be required to enter into a Recovery Agreement with the HUD field office, which may include contracting with an entity acceptable to the HUD field office to act as Contract Administrator for the program. See the Definitions Section of this NOFA I.A.4 for the definition of Contract Administrator. The local HUD field office may also require a Recovery agreement if you have had serious program management findings from Inspector General audits or serious outstanding HUD management review or Independent Public Accountant audit findings for your HCV and PH programs or your FSS program.

https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/#1 https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/spm/gmomgmt/grantsinfo/conductgrants

The HUD field office will work with you to put a Recovery Agreement in place prior to the funds being made available. If a Recovery Agreement is required, funding will be contingent upon execution of the Agreement. If the Recovery Agreement requires a Contract Administrator, funding cannot be disbursed until the Contract Administrator is in place, even if the Recovery Agreement has been executed.

3. Eligibility Requirement: Number of FSS Families Served. As in prior years, eligibility for funding will be based on the number of FSS program participants in your entire FSS program during the target period, according to a formula that requires 15-24 families to support one part-time position, 25 families to support one full-time position, and an additional 50 families to support each additional position beyond the first full-time position (75 families for two full-time positions, 125 families for three full-time positions, etc.). Please see the chart below for a visual representation of this principle.

State and Regional programs that operate FSS programs in administratively distinct parts of a state or region may request that the eligibility requirements be applied to each separate area where they administer an FSS program of the required size.

Please note: the PHAs that were funded under the FY18/FY19 NOFA for NEW APPLICANTS are exempt from the Number of Families Served eligibility requirement, as they have until the end of their grant term to enroll the minimum 25 families.

Number of FSS Families Served During the Target Period Number of Positions Supported

15-24 families 1 part-time position 25-74 families 1 full-time position 75-124 families 2 full-time positions 125-174 families 3 full-time positions 175-224 families 4 full-time positions 225-274 families 5 full-time positions 275-324 families 6 full-time positions 325-374 families 7 full-time positions And so on in increments of 50

a. Part-Time Renewal Positions Beyond the Initial Position.

If you were last funded (under the FY 2019, FY 2018, and/or FY 2017 FSS NOFA) for a part-time renewal position beyond your initial renewal position (e.g., you were funded for 1.5 renewal positions), you will be eligible for the same number of renewal positions and the same renewal funding amount (as shown in the PIC report on Appendix C of this NOFA), provided that the Number of FSS Families in your program meets the required minimum applicable to the next full-time position.

Example 1.

PHA A was last funded for 2.5 positions at $140,000 in FY2018. To be eligible for 2.5 positions at $140,000 under Funding Category 1 of this NOFA, PHA A will need to have at least 125 FSS families enrolled during this NOFA's target period.

Example 2.

PHA B was last funded for 4.5 positions at $300,000 in FY2017. PHA B will be eligible for 4.5 positions at $300,000 under this NOFA if PHA B has at least 225 FSS families during this NOFA's target period.

b. Part-Time Renewal Positions Beyond the Initial Position - Transfers/Consolidations.

Applicants under a transfer or consolidation under this NOFA whose combined Cap on Renewal Positions includes a part-time renewal position beyond the initial renewal position will be eligible for the combined number of renewal positions and the combined renewal funding amount of the divesting and receiving PHAs provided that the number of families in the receiving PHA’s FSS program during this NOFA’s target period is at least the same number of FSS families of the divesting and receiving PHAs under the FY 2019 FSS NOFA’s target period, or at least the required minimum number of FSS families applicable to the next full-time position as described above.

However, the receiving PHA will need to increase the number of FSS families to the required minimum applicable to the next full-time position (if not there already), starting with the FY 2021 NOFA to continue to be eligible for the same Cap on Renewal Positions and renewal funding amount. Consider the following example:

Example.

PHA A was funded for 0.5 positions at $23,500 in FY 2019. PHA B was funded for 1 full-time position at $65,235 in FY2019. PHA A transferred its program to PHA B after both were awarded FY2019 FSS funding. PHA A had 19 FSS families during the FY 2019 FSS NOFA’s target period and PHA B had 50 FSS families. To be eligible for 1.5 positions at $88,735 under funding category 1 of this NOFA, PHA B needs to have at least 69 FSS families during this NOFA’s target period. In the FY 2021 NOFA competition, PHA B will need to increase the number of FSS families during this NOFA’s target period to at least 75 to continue to be eligible for 1.5 positions at $88,735 under Category 1.

NOTE: HUD records show that there are zero (0) transfer/consolidation(s) that affect eligibility under this NOFA.

c. PIC Data.

The number of families that are under an FSS Contract of Participation (including enrollment, progress, and exit reports) during this NOFA's target period will be based on data in HUD's PIC system (as shown in the PIC report in Appendix C). In general, no additional documentation will be allowed. The only applicants who will be allowed to submit additional documentation are: (1) MTW PHAs, and (2) PHAs that serve RAD-PBRA families. See Section IV.B.1.a for more information.

NOTES:

Other than those applicants who were last funded for part-time positions beyond the initial position (e.g. an applicant who was funded for 1.5 positions) and those applicants under a transfer or consolidation whose combined Cap on Positions includes a part-time position beyond the initial position (see Section III.F.5 “Transfer/Consolidation Eligibility" of this NOFA), no other applicant may be funded for a part-time position beyond the initial position under this

NOFA.

The Number of FSS Families Served described in this section is used to determine a PHAs eligibility for funding but does not prescribe a limit on the number of families who can participate in the PHAs FSS…