Partnership Grants, Assistance & Programs

• Open Grants and Technical Assistance Opportunities
• On-Going Federal Programs

The Partnership agencies periodically offer funding opportunities. When these grants are offered, they will be announced here and on www.grants.gov. In addition, each agency maintains websites to track their own grant announcements. The grants announced on these sites will also be on www.grants.gov.

• HUD offers funding opportunities to help communities realize their own visions for building more livable, walkable, and environmentally sustainable regions.
• DOT offers funding opportunities to support more livable walkable communities.
• EPA offers grants to support activities that improve the quality of development and protect human health and the environment.

In addition, EPA maintains a listing of additional funding sources to build sustainable communities. A guide to federal and other national sources is available, as well as a guide to regional, state, and local funding opportunities.

---

Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Program

The purpose of the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator challenge is to spur job creation and economic growth in distressed rural communities. This $15 million multi-agency competition is being funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).

The Rural Jobs Accelerator Challenge is expected to give out approximately 20 awards, depending on the number of eligible applications. To be eligible for an award, projects must benefit rural communities, but the applicant is not required to be located in a rural area. Nonprofits, higher education institutions, tribes and state and local governments can collaborate to apply for funding. Although businesses are not eligible to apply directly, applicants can also partner with the private sector on implementation.

Click here for more information about this funding opportunity, information and tools for prospective applicants, invitation to a webinar which will be held on March 20, 2012 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm EDT, and links to Grants.gov and partnering agencies.

---

Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants

HUD is making available $5 million through Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants to enable communities to create a comprehensive transformation plan to transform public and/or assisted housing within a distressed. The funding is intended to help communities transform distressed public and assisted housing into sustainable, mixed-income housing that connects to key services, such as education and transportation, and supports positive outcomes for the neighborhood’s families.  Eligible applicants are public housing authorities, local governments, tribal entities, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit developers that apply jointly with a public entity.  Applicants must demonstrate their plan to revitalize the neighborhood through public-private partnerships that seek to develop high-quality public schools and early learning programs, improve public transportation, and improve access to jobs and well-functioning services.  Applicants have until May 1, 2012 to apply for the FY2012 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants.  HUD anticipates awarding approximately 17-20 grants with a maximum award of $300,000 each.  For more information on how to apply and a list of current grantees, please see www.partner.hud.gov.   

---

On-Going Federal Programs

The Partnership agencies manage a variety of on-going programs (PDF 16p 1.39MB) that provide funding and technical assistance to support communities creating vibrant, healthy neighborhoods that provide more housing options, economic opportunities, and efficient transportation while reinforcing existing investments. These funding and technical assistance programs, such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program can provide another means of federal resources for states, regions, and local governments.