Full Announcement for 2021 HBCU Research Center of Excellence FR-6400-N-61.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Policy Development and Research

HBCU Research Center of Excellence

FR-6400-N-61

07/29/2021

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

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

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. Statutory and Administrative, National and Department Requirements for HUD Recipients

C. Reporting

D. Debriefing

VII. Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

APPENDIX

Program Office:

Policy Development and Research Funding Opportunity Title:

HBCU Research Center of Excellence Funding Opportunity Number:

FR-6400-N-61

Primary CFDA Number:

14.506 Due Date for Applications:

07/29/2021 Overview The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to invite applications from eligible applicants for the program and purpose described within this NOFO. 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 NOFO: Please direct questions regarding the specific requirements of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to the office contact identified in Section VII.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. The information collection requirements in this notice have been approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501- 3520). In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection displays a valid OMB control number. Each NOFO will identify its applicable OMB control number unless its collection of information is excluded from these requirements under 5 CFR part 1320.

OMB Approval Number(s):

2528-0299

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION.

A. Program Description.

1. Purpose A. Program Description.

1. Purpose The purpose of this grant is to conduct research projects on multiple topics of strategic interest to the Department of Housing and Urban Development enabling the establishment of one, or up to two Historically Black College and Universities Center(s) of Excellence to (COE). The research projects are intended to initiate an ongoing series of reports focused on housing, community, and economic development in underserved communities that can serve as national, local, or regional benchmarks and assist in support of COE(s) that expand the housing and community development research efforts at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). For benchmark comparisons, applicants are encouraged to consider the work of other university based housing research centers such as Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, New York University’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies at the University of Florida, and the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at the University of California Berkeley, that sometimes focus on national issues, but largely focus on local or regional housing and community development issues. The research projects, proposed by the awardee, will focus on topics of interest to the Department about underserved communities from the unique perspective of institutions that are often located in, and serve the residents of underserved communities.

Specifically, the purpose of the COE is to conduct innovative research of housing and economic development topics that include but are not limited to home ownership, the production and availability of affordable housing, neighborhood distress including abandoned or low-quality housing issues, housing shortage including issues of overcrowding and/or homelessness, and related issues. The COE should take a multidisciplinary approach to housing and community development research, and through innovative methods study the social and economic factors that create healthy communities. Ultimately, the purpose of the COE should be to influence policy at the local, state, and national levels, providing evidence-based innovative approaches to community development based on research it undertakes.

Additionally, the awardee will be required to develop and submit a detailed plan for the development and long-term sustainment (beyond 5 years) of a Center of Excellence to carry on the work of the initial reports and to serve as a focus of thought leadership and alternative analysis of the issues related to underserved communities. The COE will serve as a platform for the formulation, analysis and dissemination of solutions utilizing alternatives to current academic theory and policy prescriptions to address problems confronting underserved communities. The COE will perform academic research, hold expert convenings, and conduct related activities designed to advance understanding of economic and social factors that affect communities, including housing, economic and workforce development, health and health care, education, civic engagement, public safety, and other dimensions of community health. Through academic programs, research projects and thought leadership, the COE will help leaders across all levels of government as well as the business and civic sectors address critical issues that impact the social and economic well-being of the families and individuals who reside in underserved urban and rural communities.

The challenges faced by underserved urban and rural communities are long-standing and complex and have defied conventional approaches for decades. HUD intends to fund research projects to initiate a series of benchmark reports that will apply new and context-specific approaches and methods to studying those challenges to develop innovative, evidence-based policy recommendations. HUD seeks applicants with demonstrated ability to conduct complex research and devise actionable policy recommendations. At the same time, HUD encourages applicants to propose building on their demonstrated experience to do something new and innovative. HUD encourages the submission of proposals that draw on novel research approaches, including big data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence; and novel partnerships such as academic consortia, and collaboration with private entities or other federal agencies. Competitive applications will include action and sustainability plans, creative partnerships and collaboration models, multidisciplinary and holistic methodologies, and new or enhanced theory of change models designed to achieve transformative outcomes.

The funds made available under this NOFA will make awards for recipients to undertake multiple research projects. This will assist in the COE(s) ability to use this work to develop other streams of revenue and grant funding, including from private enterprise and private philanthropic organizations, to support on-going and sustainable operations and activities.

HUD is particularly interested in research that may include, as noted in the Presidential Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, a better understanding of the disparities in our laws and public policies, and in our public and private institutions, that may be denying equal housing and community building opportunity to individuals and communities and policy prescriptions that might address these disparities, the results of which would widely be available for application in the field. The subjects addressed by the applicant should be framed by issues of barriers to improving the quality of life and creating paths to increased economic success in underserved communities while improving access to sustainable rental and owner housing, particularly for minority residents. The research should take the view of both short- and long-term strategies.

Research must be framed toward a long-term goal (e.g., improving minority homeownership). It may also include, but not limited to:

The production and availability of quality affordable housing and Impact studies, policy analysis and alternatives for housing and community and economic development initiatives focused on people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.

Eligible Activities

In support of the objectives listed in the section above, applicants are being asked to conduct multiple research projects on topics described in this NOFA that will assist in the creation of a sustainable Center(s) of Excellence for research which can undertake a variety of future research activities, including articulating research questions and establishing and implementing appropriate data analysis, communicating research findings, and producing informational tools and resources that improve practice and policy for a variety of issues confronting underserved communities.

Funds may be used to hire staff for center research and administration only. Rental and maintenance of office space is allowed only under the following conditions: 1) the lease must be for existing facilities not requiring rehabilitation or construction except for minimal alterations to make the facilities accessible for a person with disabilities; 2) no repairs or renovations of the property may be undertaken with funds provided under this NOFA; 3) properties in the Coastal Barrier Resources System designated under the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3501) cannot be leased or rented with federal funds.

Funds may not be used for construction or other construction related activities or for the purchase of real property, equipment or furnishings.

Deliverables At a minimum, HUD expects each award recipient to produce the following deliverables for the 36-month performance period:

Research Policy Papers including, but not limited to multiple research projects on the subjects listed above: and

Develop a detailed plan for the establishment, sustainability and ongoing financial stability of the center with particular emphasis on the elements of Rating Factors 2 and 4 below.

The Government Technical Representative (GTR) and/or other HUD staff as assigned by the GTR will work closely with the awardee on defining these deliverables. HUD expects to have an opportunity to review and comment on these deliverables to ensure that they meet the project objectives.

Management and Work Plan (MWP): The MWP shall outline the overall strategy for completing the research within the budget and timeframe allotted. It will describe activities to be undertaken, assign staff, and provide a schedule of key tasks. A draft MWP must be submitted with the application. After award, HUD will provide comments to the awardee and a final MWP must be submitted to HUD within two weeks of the receipt of HUD comments. A revised final budget may also be required with the final MWP.

1. Research Design (RD): The RD will describe and explain the methodology that will be used to complete the proposed effort including how you will collect, manage, and analyze the information and data. If appropriate, describe the plan for testing and data analysis, specifically relating those actions to the existing codes, standards, and protocols. After award, HUD will provide feedback and a final RD must be submitted to HUD within four weeks of the receipt of HUD comments.

2. Quality Control Plan (QCP): A draft QCP, which addresses all potential points of a Quality Control Lapse, shall be delivered within two weeks after grant award and the final QCP shall be submitted for GTR approval within six weeks of grant award. A comprehensive QCP shall be submitted to the GTR within five working days when changes are made thereafter. The awardee shall receive the GTR's acceptance in writing of any proposed change to its QCP.

3. Quarterly Progress Reports: Quarterly Progress Reports will document activities completed in the most recent reporting period, planned activities for the upcoming reporting period, and budget expenditures by line item (including hours worked for specific staff). Progress reports must be submitted quarterly and shall be aligned with the submission of draw down requests.

4. Draft Final Report - Applicants will also be required to submit a draft final report which summarizes the entire work, achievements, and findings conducted under award. This draft report will address the specific outcomes described in the applicant’s proposal, the cooperative agreement award, achievement of project goals and metrics, and the management plan. The report format and style requirements are provided at https://www.huduser.gov/porta l/About/style-guide-for-reports.pdf. HUD will have 4 weeks to review the draft final report and return comments to the grantee.

5. Final Report - Applicants shall submit a final report that adequately addresses HUD’s comments. This report is expected to be submitted just before the conclusion of the grant.

2. Changes from Previous NOFO.

Not applicable

3. Definitions.

a. Standard Definitions

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH). Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) means taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics. Specifically, affirmatively furthering fair housing means taking meaningful actions that, taken together, address significant disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunity, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas https://www.huduser.gov/portal/About/style-guide-for-reports.pdf of poverty into areas of opportunity, and fostering and maintaining compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws. The duty to affirmatively further fair housing extends to all of a program participant’s activities and programs relating to housing and urban development.

Assistance Listings means a unique number assigned to identify a Federal Assistance Listing, formerly known as the CFDA Number.

Federal Financial Assistance means assistance that entities received or administer in the form of:

1) Grant;

2. Cooperative agreements (which does not include a cooperative research and development agreement pursuant to the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986, as amended (15 U.S.C. 3710a));

3. Loans;

4. Loan guarantees;

5. Subsidies;

6. Insurance;

7. Food commodities;

8. Direct appropriations;

9. Assessed or voluntary contributions; or

10. Any other financial assistance transaction that authorizes the non-Federal entity's expenditure of Federal funds.

b. Federal Financial Assistancedoes not include:

1. Technical assistance, which provides services in lieu of money; and

2. A transfer of title to federally owned property provided in lieu of money, even if the award is called a grant.

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.

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 HUD’s requirements regarding the Consolidated Plan and related Action Plan).

Contract means, for the purpose of Federal financial assistance, a legal instrument by which a recipient or subrecipient purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a Federal award. For additional information on contractor and subrecipient determinations see 2 CFR 200.331.

Contractor means an entity that receives a contract as defined in 2 CFR 200.1.

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 Deficiencies may be corrected by the applicant 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 Deficiencies cannot be corrected by an applicant 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 Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Number

System identification number assigned to a business or organization by Dun & Bradstreet and provides a means of identifying business entities on a location-specific basis. OMB removed duplicate recipients based on recipient Data Universal Number System (DUNS) numbers, from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). At this time all Federal financial assistance recipients are required to register for DUNS numbers.

E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) A user registered as an organization applicant who is responsible for the administration and management of grant activities for his or her organization.

The E-Biz POC is likely to be an organization's chief financial officer or authorizing official. The E-Biz POC authorizes representatives of their organization to apply on behalf of the organization (see Standard AOR and Expanded AOR). There can only be one E-Biz POC per DUNS Number.)

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

Federal award, has the meaning, depending on the context, in either paragraph (1) or (2) of this definition:

(1)(i) The Federal financial assistance that a recipient receives directly from a Federal awarding agency or a subrecipient receives indirectly from a pass-through entity, as described in 2 CFR §200.101; or

ii. The cost-reimbursement contract under the Federal Acquisition Regulations that a non- Federal entity receives directly from a Federal awarding agency or indirectly from a pass-through entity, as described in 2 CFR §200.101.

2. The instrument setting forth the terms and conditions. The instrument is the grant agreement, cooperative agreement, other agreement for assistance covered in paragraph

(2) of the definitions of Federal financial assistance in 2 CFR §200.1, or the cost-reimbursement contract awarded under the Federal Acquisition Regulations.

3. Federal award does not include other contracts that a Federal agency uses to buy goods or services from a contractor or a contract to operate Federal Government owned, contractor operated facilities (GOCOs).

4. See also definitions of Federal financial assistance, grant agreement, and cooperative agreement.

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 NOFO.

Non-Federal Entity (NFE) means a state, local government, Indian tribe, Institution of Higher Education (IHE), or non-profit organization that carries out a Federal award as a recipient or subrecipient.

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.

Recipient means an entity, usually but not limited to non-Federal entities, that receives a Federal award directly from HUD. The term recipient does not include subrecipients or individuals that are beneficiaries of the award.

Small business is defined as a privately-owned corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship that has fewer employees and less annual revenue than a corporation or regular-sized business.

The definition of "small"—in terms of being able to apply for government support and qualify for preferential tax policy—varies by country and industry. The U.S. Small Business Administration defines a small business according to a set of standards based on specific industries.{e-CFR Title 13-Chapter I – Part 121}

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 pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a Federal program. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that pass-through entity considers a contract.

Subrecipient means an entity, usually but not limited to non-Federal entities, that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a Federal award but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such award. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other Federal awards directly for a Federal awarding agency.

System for Award Management (SAM) means the Federal Repository into which an entity must provide information required for the conduct of business as a recipient. Registration with SAM is required for submission of applications via Grants.gov. You can access the website athttps://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.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=0ff5f0839abff4eec707b4478ed733c6&mc=true&node=pt13.1.121&rgn=div5&se13.1.121_1101 https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

Unique Entity Identifier means the identifier required for SAM registration to uniquely identify business entities.

4. Program Definitions

Program theory: A program theory or logic model explains how the activities of an intervention are understood to contribute to a chain of results (short-term outputs, medium-term outcomes) that produce ultimate intended or actual impacts.

Theory of Change: Theory of Change is a comprehensive description and illustration of how and why a desired change is expected to happen in a particular context. It is focused in particular on mapping out or “filling in” what has been described as the “missing middle” between what a program or change initiative does (its activities or interventions) and how these lead to desired goals being achieved.

B. Authority.

Funding for this program is provided by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-94, approved December 20, 2019) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, approved December 27, 2020 (Public Law 116-260). This program is authorized under sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. §§ 1701z- 1 and 1701z-2) .

II. Award Information.

A. Available Funds Funding of approximately $ 4,500,000 is available through this NOFO.

Additional funds may become available for award under this NOFO, 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 NOFO.

$2,375,000 will be used by FY 2020 funds; and $ 2,125,000 will be used by FY 2021 funds for a total of $4,500,000.

B. Number of Awards.

HUD expects to make approximately 2 awards from the funds available under this NOFO.

HUD intends to make one, or up to two awards totaling $4,500,000, and no less than $2,000,000 to conduct research projects on multiple topics of strategic interest to HUD to assist in the establishment of Innovative Research Center(s) of Excellence (COE) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) focused on housing, community, and economic development in underserved communities.

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information

Estimated Total Funding:

$ 4,500,000 Minimum Award Amount:

$ 2,000,000 Per Project Period

Maximum Award Amount:

$ 4,500,000 Per Project Period

D. Period of Performance

Estimated Project Start Date:

09/15/2021 Estimated Project End Date:

09/15/2024 Length of Project Periods:

36-month project period and budget period

Length of Periods Explanation of Other:

N/A

E. Type of Funding Instrument.

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) III. Eligibility Information.

A. Eligible Applicants.

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

Additional Information on Eligibility Eligible organizations include all Historically Black Colleges and Universities as defined in Section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Only Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) are eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as: “.…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary (of Education) to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.”

B. Ineligible Applicants.

Applicants that are not Historically Black Colleges and Universities as defined in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

C. Cost Sharing or Matching.

This Program does not require cost sharing or matching.

N/A

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. Resolution of Civil Rights Matters. Outstanding civil rights matters must be resolved before the application deadline. Applicants, who after review are confirmed to have civil rights matters unresolved at the application deadline, will be deemed ineligible. Their applications will receive no further review, will not be rated and ranked, and they will not receive funding.

a. Applicants having any of the charges, cause determinations, lawsuits, or letters of findings referenced in subparagraphs (1) – (5) that have not been resolved to HUD’s satisfaction before or on the application deadline date are ineligible for funding. Such matters include:

1. Charges from HUD concerning a systemic violation of the Fair Housing Act or receipt of a cause determination from a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing agency concerning a systemic violation of a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing law proscribing discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or familial status;

2. Status as a defendant in a Fair Housing Act lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice alleging a pattern or practice of discrimination or denial of rights to a group of persons raising an issue of general public importance under 42 U.S.C. 3614(a);

3. Status as a defendant in any other lawsuit filed or joined by the Department of Justice, or in which the Department of Justice has intervened, or filed an amicus brief or statement of interest, alleging a pattern or practice or systemic violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, the Americans with Disabilities Act or a claim under the False Claims Act related to fair housing, non-discrimination, or civil rights generally including an alleged failure to affirmatively further fair housing;

4. Receipt of a letter of findings identifying systemic non-compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; or the Americans with Disabilities Act; or

5. Receipt of a cause determination from a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing agency concerning a systemic violation of provisions of a state or local law prohibiting discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or lawful source of income.

b. HUD will determine if actions to resolve the charge, cause determination, lawsuit, or letter of findings taken before the application deadline date will resolve the matter.

Examples of actions that may be sufficient to resolve the matter include, but are not limited to:

1. Current compliance with a voluntary compliance agreement signed by all the parties;

2. Current compliance with a HUD-approved conciliation agreement signed by all the parties;

3. Current compliance with a conciliation agreement signed by all the parties and approved by the state governmental or local administrative agency with jurisdiction over the matter;

4. Current compliance with a consent order or consent decree;

5. Current compliance with a final judicial ruling or administrative ruling or decision; or

6. Dismissal of charges.

2. Timely Submission of Applications. Applications submitted after the deadline stated within this NOFO 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.

Active Prime and Sub Recipient registration with SAM.gov 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

F. Program-Specific Requirements.

N/A

G. Criteria for Beneficiaries.

N/A

IV. Application and Submission Information.

A. Obtaining an Application Package.

Instructions for Applicants.

You must download both the Application Instructions and the Application Package from Grants.gov. You must verify that the Assistance Listing Number and Assistance Listing https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/spm/gmomgmt/grantsinfo/fundingopps

Description on the first page of the Application Package, and the Funding Opportunity Title and the Funding Opportunity Number match the Program and NOFO to which you are applying.

The Application Package contains the portable document forms (PDFs) available on Grants.gov, such as the SF-424 Family. The Instruction Download contains official copies of the NOFO and forms necessary for a complete application. The Instruction Download may include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and additional documents.

An applicant demonstrating good cause may request a waiver from the requirement for electronic submission, for example, a lack of available Internet access in the geographic area in which your business offices are located. Lack of SAM registration or valid DUNS Number is not good cause. If you cannot submit your application electronically, you must ask in writing for a waiver of the electronic grant submission requirements. HUD will not grant a waiver if HUD does not receive your written mailed, shipped, or emailed request at least 15 calendar days before the application deadline and if you do not demonstrate good cause. If HUD waives the requirement, HUD must receive your paper application before the deadline of this NOFO. To request a waiver, you must contact:

Name:

Kinnard D. Wright Email:

Kinnard.d.wright@hud.gov HUD Organization:

PD&R

Street:

451 7th St., SW City:

Washington State:

DC DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Zip:

20410 B. Content and Form of Application Submission.

You must verify that boxes 11, 12, and 13 on the SF-424 match the NOFO for which you are applying. If they do not match, you have downloaded the wrong Application Instruction and Application Package.

Submission of an application that is otherwise sufficient, under the wrong Assistance Listing and Funding Opportunity Number is non curable unless otherwise stated in Threshold requirements.

1. Content.

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description

Application for Federal Assistance

(SF424)

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SFLLL), if applicable

HUD will provide instructions to grantees on how the form is to be submitted.

If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the applicant shall complete and submit the SF-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions. Applicants must furnish an executed copy of the Certification Regarding Lobbying prior to award.

HUD Applicant Recipient Disclosure Report (HUD) 2880 Applicant/Recipient Disclosure/Update Report

HUD will provide instructions to grantees on how the form is to be submitted.

HUD instructions to grantees are provided by webcast, To view the webcast, click here.

HUD424CBW

Form included in Instructions zip

Include a total budget supporting cost justification of up to four pages, which will cover all budget categories of the federal grant request.

Additionally, your complete application must include the following narratives and non-form attachments.

a. Application Abstract (two-page maximum, see par. 3, below for the page layout requirements). An abstract with the project title, the names and affiliations of all http://media.gss.hud.gov:8080/WC/2011/02/11/HUDForm2880.wmv investigators; identification of partner organizations; a summary of the research objectives, study design, and expected results, and the total funds requested, must be included in the proposal. Information contained in the abstract will not be considered in the evaluation and scoring of your application and will not be counted towards the 25-page maximum. Any information you wish to be considered in scoring of the application must be provided under the appropriate rating factor response.

b. Response to Rating Factors (25-page limit). A project description/narrative statement addressing the rating factors for award, which are identified in section V.A.1. The narrative statement must be identified in accordance with each factor for award (Rating Factors 1 through 5). The full application must be formatted as per section IV.B.2.b. The project description or narrative must be included in the responses to the rating factors.

Any description/narrative in excess of this 25-page limit will not be read. The points you receive for each rating factor will be based on the portion of your narrative statement that you submit in response to that particular factor, supplemented by any appendices that are referenced in your narrative response to the rating factor. Supporting materials that are not referenced or discussed in your responses to the individual rating factors will not be considered. Additional materials (e.g., appendices) can be submitted with your application. The footer on the pages of these materials should identify the rating factor that they are supporting.

c. Supporting Materials. Include, as appendices the following materials that are needed to support your responses to the rating factors. These will not be counted towards the Rating Factors narrative 25-page limit:

1. The resumes of the principal investigator and other key personnel. Each resume shall not exceed three pages and is limited to information that is relevant in assessing the qualifications and experience of key personnel to conduct and/or manage the proposed technical study.

2. Organizational chart

3. Letters of commitment

4. List of references cited in your responses to the rating factors.

d. Additional Information. The additional optional materials must not exceed 20 pages. Any pages in excess of this limit will not be read. Do not include additional narrative information that is an extension of or expands upon any of your rating factor responses.

Such narrative will not be considered.

e. Budget. Include a total budget using form HUD424CBW, included in the Instructions download at Grants.gov with supporting cost justification of up to four pages, which will cover all budget categories of the federal grant request. This information will not be counted towards the Rating Factors narrative 25-page limit. Use the budget format discussed in Rating Factor (3), Section V.A.1.b below. In completing the budget forms and justification, you should address the following elements:

1. Direct Labor costs, including all full- and part-time staff required for the planning and implementation phases of the project. These costs should be based on full time equivalent (FTE) or hours per year (hours/year) (i.e., one FTE equals 2,080 hours/year);

2. Allowance for two trips to HUD Headquarters in Washington, DC, during the period of performance of your grant, planning each trip for 1-2 people, as needed.

In planning your trips, you should assume one or two overnight stays depending on your location;

3. A separate budget form and justification for each sub-recipient receiving more than 10 percent of the total federal budget request;

4. Supporting documentation for salaries and prices of materials and equipment, upon request.

2. Format and Form.

Narratives and other attachments to your application must follow the following format guidelines.

25 Pages maximum length of narratives

Double spaced 12-point (minimum) Times Roman font on letter sized paper (8 1/2 x 11 inches) with at least 1-inch margins on all sides

a. Application:

Twenty-five (25) 8-1/2 x 11-inch page limit.

Number the pages of the narrative.

Minimum 12-point Times New Roman font. Minimum margin width of 1-inch on all sides Minimum of single line spacing

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

1. SAM Registration Requirement.

Applicants must be registered with https://www.sam.gov/ before submitting their application.

Applicants must maintain current information in SAM on immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all predecessors that have been awarded a Federal contract or grant within the last three years, if applicable. Information in SAM must be current for all times during which the applicant has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by HUD.

2. DUNS Number Requirement.

Applicants must provide a valid DUNS number, registered and active at https://www.sam.gov/ in the application. DUNS numbers may be obtained for free from Dun & Bradstreet.

3. Requirement to Register with Grants.gov.

Anyone planning to submit applications on behalf of an organization must register at grants.gov and be approved by the E-Biz POC in SAM to submit applications for the organization.

Registration for SAM and grants.gov is a multi-step process and can take four (4) weeks or longer to complete if data issues arise. Applicants without a valid registration cannot apply through grants.gov. Complete registration instructions and guidance are provided on grants.gov.

http://www.sam.gov/

D. Application Submission Dates and Times.

Application Due Date Explanation The application deadline is 11:59:59 PM Eastern Standard time on

07/29/2021 Applications must be received no later than the deadline, or, if HUD has issued you a waiver allowing you to submit your application in paper form, by HUD no later than the deadline.

Submit your application to Grants.gov unless a waiver has been issued allowing you to submit your application in paper form. Instructions for submitting your paper application will be contained in the waiver of electronic submission.

"Received by Grants.gov" means the applicant received a confirmation of receipt and an application tracking number from Grants.gov. Grants.gov then assigns an application tracking number and date-and timestamps each application upon successful receipt by the Grants.gov system. A submission attempt not resulting in confirmation of receipt and an application tracking number is not considered received by Grants.gov.

Applications received by Grants.gov must be validated by Grants.gov to be received by HUD.

"Validated by Grants.gov" means the application has been accepted and was not rejected with errors. You can track the status of your application by logging into Grants.gov, selecting "Applicants" from the top navigation, and selecting “Track my application” from the dropdown list. If the application status is "rejected with errors,” you must correct the error(s) and resubmit the application before the 24-hour grace period ends. Applications in “rejected with errors” status after the 24-hour grace period expires will not be received by HUD. Visit Grants.gov for a complete description of processing steps after applying.

HUD strongly recommends you submit your applications at least 48 hours before the deadline and during regular business hours to allow enough time to correct errors or overcome other problems.

Grants.gov Customer Support. Grants.gov provides customer support information on its website at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html . Applicants having difficulty accessing the application and instructions or having technical problems can receive customer support from Grants.gov by calling (800) 518-GRANTS (this is a toll-free number) or by sending an email to support@grants.gov. The customer support center is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week, except Federal holidays. The phone number above may also be reached by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who have speech disabilities, through the Federal Relay Service’s teletype service at 800-877-8339.

You can verify the contents of your submitted application to confirm Grants.gov received everything you intended to submit. To verify the contents of your submitted application:

Log in to Grants.gov.

Click the Check Application Status link, which appears under the Grant Applications heading in the Applicant Center page. This will take you to the Check Application Status page.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov.

Enter search criteria and a date range to narrow your search results.

Click the Search button. To review your search results in Microsoft Excel, click the

Export Data button.

Review the Status column, to view more detailed submission information, click the

Details link in the Actions column.

To download the submitted application, click the Download link in the Actions column.

Please make note of the Grants.gov tracking number as it will be needed by the Grants.gov Help Desk if you seek their assistance.

HUD may extend the application deadline for any program if Grants.gov is offline or not available to applicants for at least 24 hours immediately prior to the deadline date, or the system is down for 24 hours or longer and impacts the ability of applicants to cure a submission deficiency within the grace period.

HUD may also extend the application deadline upon request if there is a presidentially declared disaster in the applicant’s area.

If these events occur, HUD will post a notice on its website establishing the new, extended deadline for the affected applicants. HUD will also include the fact of the extension in the program’s Notice of Funding Awards required to be published in the Federal Register.

In determining whether to grant a request for an extension based on a presidentially-declared disaster, HUD will consider the totality of the circumstances including the date of an applicant’s extension request (how closely it followed the basis for the extension), whether other applicants in the geographic area are similarly affected by the disaster, and how quickly power or services are restored to enable the applicant to submit its application.

PLEASE NOTE: Busy servers, slow processing, large file sizes, improper registration or password issues are not valid circumstances to extend the deadline dates or the grace period.

1. Amending or Resubmitting an Application.

Before the submission deadline, you may amend a validated application through Grants.gov by resubmitting a revised application containing the new or changed material. The resubmitted application must be received and validated by Grants.gov by the applicable deadline.

If HUD receives an original and a revised application for a single proposal, HUD will evaluate only the last submission received by Grants.gov before the deadline.

2. Grace Period for Grants.gov Submissions.

If your application is received by Grants.gov before the deadline, but is rejected with errors, you have a grace period of 24 hours after the application deadline to submit a corrected, received, and validated application through Grants.gov. The date and time stamp on the Grants.gov system determines the application receipt time. Any application submitted during the grace period not received and validated by Grants.gov will not be considered for funding. There is no grace period for paper applications.

3. Late Applications.

An application received after the NOFO deadline date that does not meet the Grace Period requirements will be marked late and will not be received by HUD for funding consideration.

Improper or expired registration and password issues are not causes that allow HUD to accept applications after the deadline.

4. Corrections to Deficient Applications.

HUD will not consider information from applicants after the application deadline.

HUD will uniformly notify applicants of each curable deficiency. See curable deficiency in the definitions section (Section I.A.3). Examples of curable (correctable) deficiencies include inconsistencies in the funding request and failure to submit required certifications. These examples are non-exhaustive.

When HUD identifies a curable deficiency, HUD will notify the authorized organization representative identified on the SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance via email. This email is the official notification of a curable deficiency.

Applicants must email corrections of curable deficiencies to applicationsupport@hud.gov within the time limits specified in the notification. The time allowed to correct deficiencies will be no less than 48 hours and no more than 14 calendar days from the date of the email notification. The start of the cure period will be the date stamp on the email sent from HUD. If the deficiency cure deadline date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, Federal holiday, or on a day when HUD’s Headquarters are closed, then the applicant’s correction must be received on the next business day HUD Headquarters offices in Washington, DC are open.

The subject line of the email sent to applicationsupport@hud.gov must state: Technical Cure and include the Grants.gov application tracking number or the GrantSolutions application number (e.g., Subject: Technical Cure - GRANT123456 or Technical Cure - XXXXXXXXXXX). If this information is not included, HUD cannot match the response with the application under review and the application may be rejected due to the deficiency.

Corrections to a paper application must be sent in accordance with and to the address indicated in the notification of deficiency. HUD will treat a paper application submitted in accordance with a waiver of electronic application containing the wrong DUNS number as having a curable deficiency. Failure to correct the deficiency and meet the requirement to have a DUNS number and active registration in SAM will render the application ineligible for funding.

5. Authoritative Versions of HUD NOFOs. The version of these NOFOs as posted on Grants.gov are the official documents HUD uses to…