Empowerment Zones Program

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families funds social services delivery in designated economic communities and enterprise zones through the Empowerment Zones Program (CFDA 93.585), with the most recent grant award issued on June 14, 2017.

This program is not currently active for new applicants. Grant activity is concentrated in two periods: 28 awards in 1994, 5 awards in 1995, and a single award in 2017. No grant opportunities have been posted recently, and no new awards have been disbursed in the past nine years. The program historically funded the delivery of social services to residents in federally designated economic communities and enterprise zones, with awards distributed across both urban and rural areas.

All 34 awards in the portfolio are Formula Grants, distributed by the single funding agency—the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families—with $30,523,954 in combined federal dollars obligated over the program's active period. Award magnitudes varied widely. In 1995, the largest single award was $25,267,353 to support social services in Georgia enterprise zones (urban), with Illinois receiving $3,810,502 in the same year for enterprise zone social services. By contrast, recent activity consisted of minimal allocations: a $83,611 award in 2017 to California for social services in economic communities (urban). The 1994 cohort included numerous awards under $100,000, with several jurisdictions receiving allocations of less than $500.

Given the nine-year funding hiatus since 2017 and absence of recent grant opportunities or solicitation activity, this program presents limited near-term pursuit opportunity. Organizations with historical designation in empowerment zones or enterprise zones may monitor for future opportunity announcements, but the program's current status is dormant.