NOFA Dallas Financial Empowerment Centers – Drivers of Poverty/Drivers of Opportunity Program Community Development Block Grant Funds (CDBG)

The City of Dallas Office of Housing and Community Empowerment is soliciting applications from nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) entities and community organizations) to serve as subrecipients under the Drivers of Poverty/Drivers of Opportunity Program, a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Dallas Financial Empowerment Centers. The procurement seeks qualified nonprofits to provide professional financial counseling services, operate Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) hub sites, deliver FEC services at city-owned co-location facilities, and develop financial literacy programming for very low-to-moderate income residents of Dallas County. Deliverables include hiring and training a minimum of 2-3 full-time financial counselors per site and employing a full-time Program Manager; achieving financial counselor certification within eight weeks of contract execution; serving at least 166 new clients annually with a minimum of 480 counseling sessions per counselor; and generating 100-150 documented financial outcomes per counselor. The program targets service to at least 1,000 unduplicated residents annually across all FEC partner providers, with services integrated into existing social service delivery models through partnerships and collaborations. Applicants must demonstrate a minimum of 12 months of relevant financial coaching or counseling experience (with preference for 24 months), fiscal stability, federal grant management experience, and compliance capability; preference is given to organizations aligned with evidence-based best practice models such as the Working Families Success Model and CFE municipal financial empowerment strategy. The evaluation criteria encompass four primary categories on a 100-point scale: Organizational Capacity and Historic Narrative (30 points), Approach and Programming Work Plan (30 points), Evaluation Plan (20 points), and Cost and Budget (20 points), with reviewers assessing complete documentation submission, CDBG grant administration experience, professional staffing credentials, Certified Financial Educator training compliance, measurable metrics, and budget reasonableness. Applications must be submitted by March 13, 2026, with the contract term running from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026; applicants unable to meet the eight-week service operationalization deadline may still be considered based on overall score and service distribution needs.

This opportunity is restricted to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and community-based organizations; no applications will be accepted from organizations suspended, debarred, or otherwise prohibited from federal participation. The City of Dallas has established specific qualifying census tracts (effective January 1, 2024) that identify areas with poverty rates of at least 25 percent or in which 50 percent of households have incomes below 60 percent of the Area Median Income, which define eligible service areas for program implementation. All subrecipients must comply with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) regulations and requirements, including federal compliance standards, and must utilize FECBOT for data collection, reporting, and outcome verification. The total CDBG allocation for FY2025-26 is $12,944,689, with a portion designated for the Dallas Financial Empowerment Center program through City Council Resolution No. 25-1185; specific budget amounts for individual awards are not disclosed in the NOFA, though applicants must submit budgets with administrative costs not exceeding 10 percent of the total award amount. All selected subrecipients must maintain professional insurance coverage, including Workers' Compensation, Commercial General Liability, and Commercial Crime Insurance, with the City of Dallas named as an additional insured. Funding is contingent upon City Manager recommendation in the budget, City Council approval, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approval of the City's Annual Action Plan and execution of grant agreements.