Rural Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance

Self-Help Technical Assistance Grants provide financial assistance to qualified nonprofit organizations and public bodies that will assist very low and low-income individuals and their families build homes in rural areas by the self help method. Any

Must be a State or political subdivision, public nonprofit corporation or a private nonprofit corporation. Assistance is authorized for eligible applicants in the United States, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Marianas.

Very low and low-income rural families, usually in groups of 4 to 10 families.

Applicants must furnish evidence of the need for such services, have legal capacity to incur the obligation and operate the proposed project.

Eligible organizations may use technical assistance funds to hire the personnel to carry out a technical assistance program for self-help housing in rural areas; to pay necessary and reasonable office and administrative expenses; to purchase or rent equipment such as power tools for use by families participating in self-help housing construction; and to pay fees for training self-help group members in construction techniques or for other professional services needed. Funds will not be used to hire personnel to perform any construction work, to buy real estate or building materials, or pay any debts, expenses or costs other than previously outlined for participating families in self-help projects.

Grants are typically for a 2-year period, however, extension may be authorized if appropriate. Applications for assistance far exceed available funding. Interest organization work with regional technical assistance contractors to assess feasibility and available funding.

Form SF-424 is submitted to Rural Development (RD) , including information attached to Part IV, fully documenting the applicant's experience, need for the grant and the proposed amount needed. Attachments relating to the size of the proposed project, estimated cost, budget and need are also required.

The criteria for selecting proposals are the evidence of a clearly defined need in an area for mutual self-help housing and the families in the area cannot afford or obtain a modest house by customary methods, and the applicant possesses the expertise to provide the technical assistance (TA) required.

Awards $300,000 and over are approved by the National Office.

From 60 to 120 days from the time of application.

Applicants may reapply at any time, if needed to help low- income families build homes in rural areas by the mutual self-help method is clearly evidenced.

Agency regulations providing customers with the rights for an informal review, mediation or alternative dispute resolution (ADR), or appeal to the National Appeals Division (NAD) are contained in 7 CFR Part 3550. NAD regulations are found at 7 CFR Part 11. Requests for an informal review, mediation and ADR must be received within 30 days from the date of the adverse decision. Requests for an appeal to NAD must be received within 30 days of receipt of the adverse decision. Please visit: https://www.nad.usda.gov/.