Full-Announcement_FR-6700-N-USP_Update 1.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Policy Development and Research

FY2023 and FY2024 Authority to Accept Unsolicited Proposals for Research Partnerships

FR-6700-N-USP

06/30/2025

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

IV. PROPOSAL AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Obtain a Proposal Package

B. Content and Form of Proposal Submission

C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

D. Proposal Submission Dates and Times

E. Intergovernmental Review

F. Funding Restrictions

G. Other Submission Requirements

V. PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Review/Evaluation Criteria

B. Review/Evaluation Process

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices

B. Administrative, National and Departmental Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD Applicants and Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards

C. Reporting

D. Debriefing

VII. AGENCY CONTACT(S)

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

APPENDIX

Program Office:

Policy Development and Research Funding Opportunity Title:

FY2023 and FY2024 Authority to Accept Unsolicited Proposals for Research Partnerships Funding Opportunity Number:

FR-6700-N-USP

Assistance Listing Number:

14.506 Notice of Expiration Date:

06/30/2025

OVERVIEW

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) issues this Notice to announce that it has authority to accept unsolicited research proposals that address the current research priorities, which are included in this Notice. In accordance with statutory requirements, the research proposals must be submitted by eligible applicants and provide cost sharing of at least 50 percent of total project cost from philanthropic entities or Federal, state, or local government agencies. This Notice also announces that HUD is accepting research proposals for such research partnerships and provides a general description of information that should be included in any research proposal. Any organization that expects to submit a proposal to HUD should carefully read all information in this Notice to avoid sending an incomplete or ineligible proposal. Failure to respond accurately to any submission requirement could result in an incomplete or ineligible proposal.

For further information regarding this Notice, direct questions regarding the specific requirements of this Notice to the agency contact identified in section VII.

Dates: Proposals may be submitted at any time on or before this Notice's expiration date.

Proposals will be evaluated as they are received. Available funds will be awarded as proposals are received, evaluated, and approved, until funds are exhausted. HUD encourages applicants to submit proposals as early as possible to maximize the number of awards HUD can fund with amounts made available under this Notice that are subject to expiration.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501- 3520) (PRA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the information collection requirements in this notice. 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. This Notice identifies its applicable OMB control number, unless its collection of information is excluded from these requirements under 5 CFR part 1320.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description

1. Purpose

HUD developed the Research Partnerships vehicle to allow greater flexibility in addressing evidence gaps concerning strategic policy questions and to better utilize external expertise in evaluating effectiveness of programs affecting residents of urban, suburban, rural, and tribal areas, as well as local innovations in the delivery of these programs. Through the effective period of this Notice, HUD can accept unsolicited research proposals that address current research https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-1320?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-1320?toc=1 priorities and allow innovative research projects that could inform HUD’s policies and programs.

Applicants are encouraged to submit research proposals that inform important policy and program objectives of HUD that are not otherwise being addressed, that focus on one of HUD’s research priorities, and that make effective use of HUD’s funding. Review section I.A.2. of this Notice for details on HUD's priorities and research assets.

For the purpose of this Notice, a valid unsolicited proposal must: (1) be innovative; (2) be independently originated and developed by the offeror; (3) be prepared without Federal Government supervision, endorsement, direction, or direct Federal Government involvement; (4) include sufficient detail to permit a determination that Federal Government support could be worthwhile and the proposed work could benefit the agency's research and development or other mission responsibilities; (5) include sufficient detail to permit a determination that the Federal Government's support would yield a valuable return on investment; (6) not be an advance proposal for a known agency requirement that can be acquired by competitive methods; (7) not be a result of a previous competitive announcement; and (8) not be a concept paper.

2. HUD and Program-Specific Goals, Objectives, and Priorities

This Notice supports HUD’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022-2026 to accomplish HUD’s mission and vision. Each of the five goals in the Strategic Plan include what HUD hopes to accomplish, the strategies to accomplish those objectives, and the indicators of success.

However, of the five goals only those applicable to this Notice are identified below.

You are expected to align your proposal to the applicable strategic goals and objectives below.

Use the information in this section to describe in your proposal the specific goals, objectives, and measures that your proposal is expected to help accomplish. If your proposal is selected for funding, you are also expected to establish a plan to track progress related to those goals, objectives, and measures. HUD will monitor compliance with the goals, objectives, and measures in your proposal.

Applicable Goals and Objectives from HUD’s Strategic Plan

1. Strategic Goal 1: Support Underserved Communities Fortify support for underserved communities and support equitable community development for all people.

2. Strategic Goal 2: Ensure Access to and Increase the Production of Affordable Housing Ensure housing demand is matched by adequate production of new homes and equitable access to housing opportunities for all people.

3. Strategic Goal 3: Promote Homeownership Promote homeownership opportunities, equitable access to credit for purchase and improvements, and wealth-building in underserved communities.

4. Strategic Goal 4: Advance Sustainable Communities Advance sustainable communities by strengthening climate resilience and energy efficiency, promoting environmental justice, and recognizing housing's role as essential to health.

A. Research Priorities

HUD’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022-2026 is the most recent integration of diverse stakeholder viewpoints into a five-year research and learning agenda. The Learning Agenda, like prior Research Roadmaps, focuses HUD’s research resources on timely, policy-relevant research https://www.hud.gov/HUD-FY22-26-Strategic-Plan-Focus-Areas https://www.hud.gov/HUD-FY22-26-Strategic-Plan-Focus-Areas questions that address strategic evidence gaps and lie within the Department’s area of comparative advantage. This focus on comparative advantage means that HUD and PD&R need to collaborate with other research organizations in areas that are mutually important. HUD also seeks independent research that will help the Department support communities that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality and that advances equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity consistent with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (January 20, 2021).

The Learning Agenda identifies a number of research questions that PD&R is considering for the near future and that align with Departmental Priorities in HUD’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022-2026. The following are examples of priority research topics by Strategic Goal, which could be addressed through collaborative research:

1. Support Underserved Communities – Areas of interest include: a) studies on how best to support economic mobility and wealth-building for HUD-assisted households, including closing wage, credit, and opportunity gaps related to race, national origin, disability, gender, and other protected classes; b) studies on effective strategies for reducing the prevalence and length of homeless episodes; addressing youth, veteran, and formerly incarcerated person homelessness; supporting populations who may benefit from specialized services, such as individuals with severe mental illness, substance use disorders, or other physical and/or mental disabilities; reducing unsheltered homelessness; and ensuring equitable access to homelessness assistance; and c) studies on how segregation and areas of minority concentration should be defined so that HUD, local and state governments, and housing developers can best work toward ensuring that housing is located in non-segregated areas of opportunity.

2. Ensure Access to and Increase the Production of Affordable Housing – Areas of interest include: a) studies on how to improve the effectiveness of rental assistance for families of different configurations, sizes, and needs; how to increase participation by private sector owners, including owners with accessible units and those in well-resourced areas of opportunity; how to increase housing choice and geographic mobility for assisted renters; particularly for racial minorities and other protected classes; how to decrease racial segregation; how to ensure housing quality and accessibility; and how to promote long-term housing stability; b) studies related to the identification of barriers to affordable and inclusive housing; studies that explore how local, state, and federal policies affect the cost, availability, and equity of housing for low-income renters and first-time homebuyers; and studies of strategies to increase the affordable housing supply, for example in well-resourced areas of opportunity that are not minority concentrated, with access to high quality schools and employment opportunity and for underserved populations; c) research on how recipients of federal funds can better affirmatively further fair housing as required by the Fair Housing Act; d) studies related to the equity and impact of conversion, preservation, and replacement housing programs, such as the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD); and e) studies on the types of best practices Public Housing Agencies can implement when recruiting HCV landlords of accessible units such as improving outreach methods to make accessible HCV units better known to households with tenant-based vouchers and identifying and removing barriers for households with tenant-based vouchers in search of units with accessibility features.

3. Promote Homeownership – Areas of interest include: a) studies on initiatives and strategies that increase homeownership and wealth-building opportunities for lower income Americans and underserved communities, that close the racial homeownership gap, that support wealth-building and reduce risk of default and foreclosure, and/or that address financial challenges facing specific populations (e.g., people of color, students, individuals with disabilities, individuals with criminal histories, and older adults); and b) research on opportunities to reform and modernize housing finance systems.

4. Advance Sustainable and Equitable Communities – Areas of interest include: a) studies that expand energy-efficient and climate-resilient housing options in public and assisted housing, which serves primarily very low-income households and large shares of people of color, yet is often more vulnerable to climate change due to locations, aging infrastructure, and historic disinvestment; b) studies on assessing the risk posed by disasters to HUD’s assisted housing stock and insured mortgage portfolio, historically underserved populations, and socially vulnerable populations; on the extent of disparities in administration, receipt, amounts, and priority of assistance based on race, national origin, disability, and other protected characteristics, and on what policy changes could reduce these disparities; on increasing the effectiveness of disaster assistance for homeowners, renters, low-income, and minority communities; c) studies on building capacity to enhance the resilience of communities and homes to mitigate the risk and effects of disasters, pestilence, energy shocks, and public health emergencies; and d) studies on environmental justice, including whether protected classes experience disproportionate hazards, health risks, and substandard housing and what policy changes could reduce these disparities.

In addition, HUD's Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes has identified the following research priorities related to the control of lead hazards and other hazards in homes under the Healthy Homes Initiative:

5. Lead Hazards – Research into lead health hazards other than lead-based paint hazards (i.e., lead in deteriorated paint, dust, and soil) and strategies to mitigate or eliminate them (note: this includes evaluation of the impact of policies), except as provided in the last sentence of this paragraph. HUD is interested in supporting novel research on the identification and control of lead exposures from residential drinking water; the evaluation and control of residential lead exposures from legacy industrial emissions and wastes (e.g., near Superfund and state-equivalently-designated sites); factors inhibiting, and effective low-cost methods of increasing, blood lead screening and testing rates among young children in public and other HUD-assisted housing in high-risk states or communities; and modeling of geographic, socioeconomic, and other distributions of factors correlated with high risk of increased blood lead levels in children and subsequent validation of models. Funding for research on other lead safety topics other than those identified above, namely, on the identification and control of residential lead-based paint hazards is only available annually through HUD’s Lead Technical Studies Grant Program (Assistance Listing No. 14.902).

6. Other hazards – HUD’s healthy homes program includes assessing and controlling key residential health and safety hazards. These conditions include pest infestation, mold and excess moisture, indoor air contaminants such as radon and secondhand tobacco smoke, and injury hazards. An important area of research need for several of these issues is evaluation of the incorporation of practices, shown to be effective in research settings, into programmatic and residential building management practices. HUD is also interested in the potential benefits of management practices and requirements such as smoke-free housing policies and integrated pest management (or combinations of these practices) for the health of residents (e.g., residents with asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), etc.). Evaluation of programs or demonstrations in which healthcare payers (e.g., managed care organizations) or providers support home assessment and mitigation of housing-related health and safety hazards is also an area of interest to HUD.

Funding for research on residential health and safety issues is also available annually through HUD’s Healthy Homes Technical Studies Grant Program (Assistance Listing No. 14.906).

HUD’s Research Partnerships program has produced innovative research that makes significant contributions to HUD’s learning agenda. For example, “Childhood Housing and Adult Earnings” used advanced methods to understand how housing assistance programs improve long-term economic outcomes for disadvantaged children. “What Happens to Housing Assistance Leavers?” used data from the Moving to Opportunity demonstration to address the major evidence gap about reasons tenants exit assisted housing and what happens to them. “HOPE VI:

Data Compilation and Analysis” significantly enhanced data availability for this important community revitalization program. “Advancing the Use of Cold-Formed Steel in the Housing Industry” measured the earthquake resistance of full-scale steel-frame buildings using shake tables. “Brokering the Geography of Opportunity” is examining how landlords affect access of assisted renters to high-quality housing and neighborhoods. These projects and many others are documented at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/oup/research_partnerships.html#impact-overview.

The authority that Congress provided HUD to enter into noncompetitive cooperative agreements for research is an important tool for fulfilling the Learning Agenda’s vision for leveraging evidence-building assets through research collaboration and other means. Potential research partners are encouraged to develop research proposals that fill evidence gaps, inform important and emerging policy and program objectives of HUD that are not otherwise being addressed, support HUD’s strategic objectives and program effectiveness consistent with the 2022–2026 Strategic Plan, and leverage HUD’s data and research assets. In preparing such proposals, researchers also are encouraged to consider and support PD&R’s core principles and practices for research—rigor, relevance (including relevance for underserved communities), transparency, independence, ethics, and technical innovation—as described in the “HUD Program Evaluation Policy Statement” (FR Doc. 2021-44738).

B. HUD Research Assets

HUD has made, and continues to make, significant investments in “Research Assets,” as described below, including program demonstrations and the production of datasets and data linkages. HUD is interested in studies that make use of HUD’s Research Assets, as such studies demonstrate a broader usefulness of the Assets and increase the return on these investments for the taxpayer. In considering potential research partnerships, HUD urges organizations to consider ways to take advantage of HUD’s Research Assets to address data and evidence gaps.

1. HUD demonstrations. HUD values demonstrations as a method for evaluating new policy and program initiatives and significantly advancing evidence-based policy, especially https://www.huduser.gov/portal/oup/research_partnerships.html#impact-overview https://www.huduser.gov/portal/oup/research_partnerships.html#impact-overview https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/08/13/2021-17339/hud-program-evaluation-policy-policy-statement https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/08/13/2021-17339/hud-program-evaluation-policy-policy-statement when rigorous random-assignment methods are feasible. HUD is interested in research opportunities that take advantage of completed and ongoing demonstrations. For example, researchers continue to answer relevant policy questions using data generated by the Moving to Opportunity demonstration. Examples of demonstrations that are underway or recently completed include the Family Options Study, the Rental Assistance Demonstration, the First-Time Homebuyer Education and Counseling Demonstration, the Moving To Work Demonstration, the Rent Reform Demonstration, and the Community Choice Demonstration. Electronic versions of published HUD research can be found at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/research/home.html.

2. HUD data, analysis, and reporting infrastructure. HUD makes significant investments to improve and support the nation’s housing data, so submitting institutions are encouraged to consider opportunities to use HUD-sponsored survey data and administrative data. The American Housing Survey (AHS) is one of HUD’s largest research investments. The AHS provides a wealth of data on the size and composition of the nation’s housing inventory that researchers could use more effectively to address questions about housing market dynamics.

3. HUD administrative data linkages.

1. PD&R has partnered with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to longitudinally link HUD’s administrative records for rental assistance participants with the National Health Interview Survey, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and associated NCHS linked files for Medicare, Medicaid, and mortality data. These data resources are available through the NCHS research data centers.

2. HUD and the Census Bureau have entered into an interagency agreement to link data from demonstrations and administrative systems with survey data and other administrative records. PD&R encourages research partnerships that effectively use data assets through public use data or restricted access arrangements with Census or NCHS research data centers. Further information is available at:

https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdrdatas landing.html.

Data License Applications and Data-Only Requests. To access restricted-use HUD data without a funding request, researchers may obtain a HUD data license provided their research aligns with HUD priorities. A copy of the data license application is available from the HUD USER research portal. Applications may be submitted to HUD by e-mail to DataLicense@hud.gov. Data license applications will be forwarded to the appropriate PD&R office for review and approval. HUD does not require researchers to obtain a data license to use the HUD-NCHS linked datasets, but a HUD research partnership can support waivers of NCHS fees for the research data center if a research proposal is accepted by NCHS.

Other Goals and Objectives

HUD is interested in increasing participation of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) of higher education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in all program areas.

Therefore, HUD seeks proposals from MSIs and HBCUs as well as from eligible entities that are not themselves MSIs and HBCUs but have developed a partnership with one or more MSIs and/or HBCUs.

3. Changes from Previous Notice https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs.html https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-linkage/hud.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-linkage/hud.htm https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdrdatas_landing.html https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/pdf/data_license.pdf mailto:DataLicense@hud.gov

This FY 2023 Notice makes changes from FY 2022 Notice in the following sections:

Section. I.A. Program Description – This section includes new definitions: Cooperative Agreement, Equity, Minority-Serving Institutions, Racial Equity, Resilience, and Underserved Communities. The following definition has been removed: DUNS.

Section III.D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements – Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) is removed. However, AFFH remains an application requirement under section IV.G. of the Notice.

Section III.E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility – This section is updated to include applicable eligibility requirements. The Notice supplemental document related to eligibility requirements is also updated and posted on HUD’s Funding Opportunity webpage.

Section III.F. Program-Specific Requirements – This section is updated to emphasize one requirements, to support the priorities in HUD’s FY2022-FY2026 Strategic Plan: Advancing Racial Equity.

Section IV.B. Content and Form of Application Submission – This section is updated to require form HUD 424-B (Applicant Assurances and Certifications). Also, the notes related to the SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities is updated to note types of organizations excluded from the submission requirement.

Section IV.G. Other Submission Requirements – This section is updated to include additional submission requirements related to Code of Conduct, and required forms HUD 424-B and HUD 2280. This section also includes instructions to complete Federal Assistance Assurances.

Section V.A. Review Criteria – This section is updated to encourage proposals from or in partnership with HBCUs and MSIs.

Section V.B. Review and Selection Process – This section is updated to include a new requirement to ensure applicants have Experience Promoting Racial Equity.

Section VI.B. Administrative, National and Departmental Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD Applicants and Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards – This section is updated to include compliance with: Secretary Fudge April 12, 2022 memorandum; equity requirements;

and waste, fraud, and abuse requirements. Additionally, this section clarifies requirements related to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. The related Notice supplemental document is updated and posted on HUD’s Funding Opportunity webpage. Furthermore, this section is updated to require program details related to its termination policy.

Section VI.C.2. Racial, Ethnicity and Other Data Reporting – This section is updated to make clear the applicant’s requirement to document and keep on file racial and other demographic data related to beneficiaries.

Federal Relay Service – This Notice is updated to replace references to Federal Relay Service with use of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relay services for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have speech disabilities.

4. Definitions

a. Standard Definitions https://www.hud.gov/grants https://www.hud.gov/grants https://www.hud.gov/grants

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) means taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination to 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 opportunities, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas 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 program participant’s activities and programs relating to housing and urban development.

Assistance Listing Number refers to the unique number assigned to each Federal assistance program publicly available in the Assistance Listing, which is managed and administered by the General Services Administration. The Assistance Listing number was formerly known as the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number.

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is a person authorized to legally bind your organization and submit proposals via Grants.gov. The AOR is authorized by the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) in the System for Award Management (see E-Biz POC definition).

An AOR may include an Expanded AOR and/or a Standard AOR.

Expanded Authorized Organization Representative is a user in Grants.gov who is authorized by the E-Biz POC to perform the functions of a Standard AOR, initiate and submit proposals on behalf of your organization, and is allowed to modify organization-level settings and certifications in Grants.gov.

Standard Authorized Organization Representative is a user in Grants.gov who is authorized by the E-Biz POC to initiate and submit proposals in Grants.gov. A Grants.gov user with the Standard AOR role can only submit proposals when they are a Participant for that workspace.

Consolidated Plan is the document submitted to HUD that serves as the comprehensive housing affordability strategy, community development plan, and submission for funding under any of the Community Planning and Development formula grant programs (e.g., CDBG, ESG, HOME, and HOPWA). This Plan is prepared in accordance with the process described in 24 CFR part 91.

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 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 above and in 2 CFR 200.1.

Cooperative Agreement has the same meaning defined at 2 CFR 200.1.

Deficiency, with respect to determining proposal funding, is information missing or omitted within a submitted proposal. Examples of deficiencies include missing documents, missing or https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-91 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-91 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.331 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 incomplete information on a form, or some other type of unsatisfied information requirement.

Depending on specific criteria, a deficiency may be either Curable or Non-Curable.

A Curable Deficiency is missing or incomplete proposal information that may be corrected by the proposal submission. To be curable, the deficiency must:

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

• Not influence how a proposal is scored; and

• Be remedied within the time frame specified in the notice of deficiency.

A Non-Curable Deficiency is missing or incomplete proposal information that cannot be corrected after the proposal submission. A non-curable deficiency is a deficiency that is a threshold requirement, or a deficiency that, if corrected, would change a proposal score. If a proposal includes a non-curable deficiency, the proposal may receive an ineligible determination, or the non-curable deficiency may otherwise adversely affect the final funding determination.

E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) is 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 Authorized Organization Representative definition). There can only be one E-Biz POC per unique entity identifier (see definition of Unique Entity Identifier below).

Eligibility Requirements are mandatory requirements for a proposal to be eligible for funding.

Environmental Justice means investing in environmental improvements, remedying past environmental inequities, and otherwise developing, implementing, and enforcing laws and policies in a manner that advances environmental equity and provides meaningful involvement for people and communities that have been environmentally underserved or overburdened, such as Black and Brown communities, indigenous groups, and individuals with disabilities. This definition does not alter the requirements under HUD’s regulations at 24 CFR 58.5(j) and 24 CFR 50.4(l) implementing Executive Order 12898. E.O. 12898 requires a consideration of how federally assisted projects may have disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority and/or low-income populations. For additional information on environmental review compliance, refer to:

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/environment_energy/regulations.

Equity has the meaning given to that term in Section 2(a) of Executive Order 13985 and means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

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

(1) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-58/subpart-A/section-58.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-50/subpart-A/section-50.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-50/subpart-A/section-50.4 https://www.archives.gov/files/federal-register/executive-orders/pdf/12898.pdf https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/environment_energy/regulations https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government

(a) 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

(b) 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, and this Notice, 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 in 2 CFR 200.1.

Federal Financial Assistance has the same meaning defined at 2 CFR 200.1.

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 proposals to prospective agencies unless otherwise specified in this Notice.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are 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. A list of accredited HBCUs can be found at the U.S. Department of Education’s website.

Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) are

(1) a part B institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1061);

(2) a Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1101(a)(5));

(3) a Tribal College or University (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1059c);

(4) an Alaska Native-serving institution or a Native Hawaiian-serving institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1059d(b));

(5) a Predominantly Black Institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1059e);

(6) an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1059g); or

(7) a Native American-serving nontribal institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1059f).

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2020-title20/pdf/USCODE-2020-title20-chap28-subchapIII-partB-sec1061.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2020-title20/pdf/USCODE-2020-title20-chap28-subchapV-partA-sec1101a.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2015-title20/pdf/USCODE-2015-title20-chap28-subchapIII-partA-sec1059c.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2015-title20/pdf/USCODE-2015-title20-chap28-subchapIII-partA-sec1059d.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2020-title20/pdf/USCODE-2020-title20-chap28-subchapIII-partA-sec1059e.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2020-title20/pdf/USCODE-2020-title20-chap28-subchapIII-partA-sec1059g.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2020-title20/pdf/USCODE-2020-title20-chap28-subchapIII-partA-sec1059g.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2020-title20/pdf/USCODE-2020-title20-chap28-subchapIII-partA-sec1059f.pdf

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.

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

Racial Equity is the elimination of racial disparities, and is achieved when race can no longer predict opportunities, distribution of resources, or outcomes – particularly for Black and Brown persons, which includes Black, Latino, indigenous, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other persons of color.

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.

Resilience is a community’s ability to minimize damage and recover quickly from extreme events and changing conditions.

Small Business is defined as a privately-owned corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship that has fewer employees and less annual revenue than 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. See 13 CFR 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 the 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 from a federal awarding agency.

System for Award Management (SAM) is 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 proposals via Grants.gov. You can access the website at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/. There is no cost to use SAM.

Threshold Requirements are eligibility requirements that must be met for a proposal to be reviewed, rated, and ranked. Threshold requirements are not curable, except for documentation of applicant eligibility, which are listed in Section III.D., Threshold Eligibility Requirements.

Similarly, there are eligibility requirements under Section III.E., Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility.

Underserved Communities has the meaning given to that term in Section 2(b) of Executive Order 13985 and refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the definition of “equity” above.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-121?toc=1 https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) means the identifier assigned by SAM to uniquely identify business entities. As of April 4, 2022, the Federal government has transitioned from the use of the DUNS Number to the use of UEI, as the primary means of entity identification for Federal awards government-wide.

b. Program Definitions.

Application vs. Proposal may be used interchangeably to be consistent with the language in Grants.gov. Your proposal, with the required forms, will be the document you submit for consideration.

Principal Investigator is lead author of the proposal, of the research design, and of the final report.

B. Authority This program is authorized by Sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. §1701z-1 and §1701z-2). Funding for this program is provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328, approved December 29, 2022) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Public Law 117-103, approved March 15, 2022).

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funds Funding of approximately $3,000,000 is available through this Notice.

Subject to appropriations, HUD reserves the right to award fiscal year 2024 funds based on this Notice.

Additional funds may become available for award under this Notice consistent with section VI.A.2.c., Adjustments to Funding. Use of these funds is subject to statutory constraints. All awards are subject to the funding restrictions contained in this Notice.

The $3,000,000 for awards in support of activities under this Notice is divided as follows:

1. Up to $2,000,000 available for Lead and Healthy Homes Research Partnerships as described in Section I.A.2.A, Research Priorities 5 and 6.

2. Approximately $1,000,000 is available for Research Partnerships for other topics as described in Section I.A.2.A, Research Priorities 1-4.

If HUD’s review of proposals for either Research Partnerships category does not result in the selection of eligible proposals that would use the entire allotment, HUD will reallot the unused funds for other purposes authorized under the respective appropriations.

B. Number of Awards The number of awards will be based on the number of eligible proposals HUD receives, reviews, approves, and funds.

HUD reserves the right to reject all proposals, make no awards under this announcement, or make fewer or more awards than anticipated.

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information There are no minimum or maximum award amounts. A notification will be sent to applicants that request funding in amounts exceeding the remaining available funds; the notification will note that, either the proposal could be funded contingent upon funding in a future funding year with such future funding being at HUD’s discretion, or that the applicant will have to revise the proposal to apply for a reduced amount for up to the remaining available funds if the applicant wishes the review process to continue.

D. Period of Performance The period of performance will be determined by the applicant’s proposal and is subject to statutory restrictions on appropriated funds allotted to this Program and HUD’s discretion following negotiation with the applicant.

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 applicants under this Notice include: philanthropic entities, other Federal agencies, State or local governments and their agencies, Indian Tribes, tribally-designated housing entities, colleges or universities located in the United States. Financial proposals may not include a line for profit because successful applicants may not earn profit under their financial arrangements with HUD.

For the purposes of this Notice, HUD defines a philanthropic entity as one among the subset of 501(c)(3) organizations whose articles of incorporation or other organizational documents include the direct funding of research activities and other charitable purposes. These include private foundations, educational institutions that may have a separate foundation, public charities, and operating foundations. A philanthropic entity must identify and provide, as part of its proposal, the specific part of its articles of incorporation or other organizational documentation establishing it as a philanthropic entity.

B. Ineligible Applicants Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for, or receive awards made under this announcement.

C. Cost Sharing or Matching This Program requires cost sharing or matching as described below.

Cost sharing is required for research projects to be eligible for funding through HUD’s non-competitive cooperative agreement authority. Research projects submitted by all eligible applicants must include at least 50 percent match toward the total cost of the project. Federal funds are generally not allowed to be used for match unless otherwise permitted by that specific federal program’s authorizing statute.

Certification of Match or Cost-Sharing: If an institution offers the salaries of one or more researchers as part or all of the required match, the match will be valid only to the extent that the institution can quantify the extent to which it will release the researcher(s) from other duties without compensation from the grant. The Authorized Individual must provide certification in the proposal package.

Example 1: Professor A has a normal teaching load of 4 preparations per semester and a service load of 2 committees. She proposes to reduce the load to 2 preparations and 1 committee for the duration of the grant. The university proposes that her total salary would be unchanged, but a cost equal to the cost of one preparation and one committee would be charged against the grant.

The valid match from her university would then be the cost of one preparation per semester.

Example 2: Researcher C has ongoing responsibilities in connection with 3 projects (unrelated to the proposed project) that pay for 75 percent of his time; the remainder of his time is spent on a fourth unrelated project that the organization has been supporting from its own overhead. The organization proposes that his total salary would be unchanged, but he will stop spending his time on the fourth project and instead charge 10 percent of his time to the Research Partnership grant. The valid match from the organization’s institutional overhead would then be 15 percent of his salary.

Evidence of Cost Sharing. You must provide documentation of all match indicated in your budget by letters of firm commitment, such as a letter on the organization’s letterhead, Memoranda of Understanding or other signed agreements from those entities identified as partners in the proposal. All commitment documents MUST clearly identify the dollar amount, the source(s) of the funds, and the proposed uses that comply with the requirements of this Notice and be signed by the authorized official. All matching funds must be used within the period of performance.

The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, set forth in 2 CFR part 200, shall apply to this Federal award. Cost sharing or matching means the portion of project costs not paid by Federal funds (unless otherwise authorized by Federal statute). Applicants should refer to 2 CFR 200.306 for specific requirements.

D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements Applicants who fail to meet any of the following threshold eligibility requirements are deemed ineligible. Proposals from ineligible applicants are not evaluated and will not receive HUD funding.

1. Resolution of Civil Rights Matters

Outstanding civil rights matters must be resolved before the proposal submission deadline.

Applicants with unresolved civil rights matters at the proposal submission deadline are deemed ineligible. Proposals from ineligible applicants are not reviewed or evaluated and will not receive HUD funding.

a. An applicant is ineligible for funding if the applicant has any of the charges, cause determinations, lawsuits, or letters of findings referenced in subparagraphs (1) –

(5) that are not resolved to HUD’s satisfaction before or on the proposal submission deadline date for this Notice.

1. Charges from HUD…