PDR - HBCU Research Center of Excellence

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Policy Development and Research
HUDRD - HBCU Research Center of Excellence
FR-6800-N-29F
07/09/2024

Table of Contents
OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................3
I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION.........................................................................3
A. Program Description ...............................................................................................................3
B. Authority ...............................................................................................................................12
II. AWARD INFORMATION ...................................................................................................13
A. Available Funds ....................................................................................................................13
B. Number of Awards ................................................................................................................13
C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information .............................................................................13
D. Period of Performance...........................................................................................................13
E. Type of Funding Instrument ..................................................................................................13
III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION .........................................................................................14
A. Eligible Applicants ................................................................................................................14
B. Ineligible Applicants .............................................................................................................14
C. Cost Sharing or Matching......................................................................................................14
D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements ......................................................................................15
E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility ..............................................16
F. Program-Specific Requirements ............................................................................................16
G. Criteria for Beneficiaries. ......................................................................................................18
IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION ...................................................18
A. Obtain an Application Package .............................................................................................18
B. Content and Form of Application Submission ......................................................................19
C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) ......................23
D. Application Submission Dates and Times ............................................................................24
E. Intergovernmental Review ....................................................................................................27
F. Funding Restrictions ..............................................................................................................27
V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION .......................................................................28
A. Review Criteria .....................................................................................................................28
B. Review and Selection Process ...............................................................................................32
VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION ..............................................................33
A. Award Notices .......................................................................................................................33
B. Administrative, National and Departmental Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD
Applicants and Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards ......................................................34
C. Reporting ...............................................................................................................................37
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D. Debriefing .............................................................................................................................39
VII. AGENCY CONTACT(S) ...................................................................................................39
VIII. OTHER INFORMATION ................................................................................................40
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................41

Program Office:
Policy Development and Research
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Funding Opportunity Title:
HUDRD - HBCU Research Center of Excellence
Funding Opportunity Number:
FR-6800-N-29F
Assistance Listing Number:
14.506
Due Date for Applications:
07/09/2024

OVERVIEW
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issues this Notice of Funding
Opportunity (NOFO) to invite applications from eligible applicants for the program and purpose
described within this NOFO. You, as a prospective applicant, should carefully read all
instructions in all sections to avoid sending an incomplete or ineligible application. HUD funding
is highly competitive. Failure to respond accurately to any submission requirement could result
in an incomplete, ineligible, or noncompetitive proposal.
In accordance with Title 24 part 4, subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), during
the selection process (which includes HUD’s NOFO development and publication, and
concludes with the announcement of the selection of recipients of assistance), HUD is prohibited
from disclosing covered selection information. Examples of impermissible disclosures include:
1) information regarding any applicant’s relative standing; 2) the amount of assistance requested
by any applicant; and 3) any information contained in the application. Prior to the application
deadline, HUD may not disclose the identity of any applicant or the number of applicants who
have applied for assistance.
For further information regarding this NOFO, direct questions regarding the specific
requirements of this NOFO to the agency contact identified in section VII.
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 NOFO. 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 NOFO identifies the applicable OMB control number, unless
the collection of information is excluded from these requirements under 5 CFR Part 1320.
OMB Control Number(s):
2501-0044

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
A. Program Description
1. Purpose
The purpose of this NOFO is to fund research at one or more research Centers of Excellence
(Centers or COEs, COE when singular) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs). The Centers will conduct research projects on topics of strategic interest to HUD and
produce research that provides evidence-based solutions to housing, community development,
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economic development, or built environment challenges in underserved communities. Applicants
must clearly specify proposed research projects and how they fill key knowledge and evidence
gaps, describe their capacity to successfully conduct the proposed research and disseminate their
findings to policymakers and other key stakeholders, and detail plans for developing and
sustaining a Center of Excellence.
Through this NOFO, HUD is seeking HBCUs with demonstrated capacity to conduct rigorous
and policy-relevant research, develop actionable policy recommendations, and share findings
with policymakers, community organizations and other key stakeholders able to implement
policy and programmatic solutions to challenges in underserved communities. We encourage
applicants to propose building on their demonstrated experience to do something new and
innovative. We encourage the submission of proposals that draw on novel research approaches,
including big data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence; community-engaged
and participatory research; and novel partnerships such as academic consortia and collaboration
with other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), other Institutions of Higher Education,
community-based organizations, or other federal, state and local government agencies. Partners
can include subrecipients. Competitive applications will include action and sustainability plans,
creative partnerships and collaboration models, multidisciplinary and holistic methodologies, and
new or enhanced theory of change models designed to achieve transformative outcomes.
HUD anticipates awarding up to four awards ranging from $1 million to $4 million. Using the
funds made available through this NOFO, recipients will undertake multiple research projects.
Research Projects: The research projects proposed by the applicant must be on topics of
strategic interest to HUD that address challenges related to housing, community development,
economic development, or the built environment in underserved communities. These topics may
be from HUD’s 2022-26 Learning Agenda, which identifies HUD’s priority learning and
research questions, consistent with the Departmental objectives and goals described in HUD’s
2022-26 Strategic Plan.
Other topics of strategic interest to HUD include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

equity issues in local housing markets, broadly defined to include production and
preservation, rental and homeownership, tenant protections, fair housing, zoning and land
use, property appraisals, and property taxation;
promoting housing stability and preventing people from experiencing homelessness;
improvements and innovations in building codes, planning methods and construction
technologies to address housing and community development needs and improve
environmental sustainability and climate resilience;
“green” or energy-efficient practices in housing and carbon reduction strategies;
disaster preparedness and disaster recovery;
leveraging technology to address housing, community development, and economic
development needs, improve the built environment, or create wealth-building
opportunities in historically underserved communities;
innovative solutions that allow residents of HUD-assisted rental housing and other lowincome renters to access economic opportunities, quality education, affordable
transportation, health care, essential services, green space, and cultural amenities;

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•

housing and community planning that addresses the needs of and engages underserved
communities.

HUD is particularly interested in research to both better understand and eliminate disparities in
laws and policies, and in public and private institutions, that may deny equal housing and
community-building opportunities to individuals and families in underserved communities, and
support policy solutions to address these disparities and that can be applied to a wide variety of
communities. Research should relate to a long-term goal (e.g., improving minority
homeownership). Given the range of possible research topics, the research funded by this NOFO
has the potential to address almost all of the goals and objectives in HUD’s Strategic Plan.
The proposed research should apply new and context-specific approaches and methods to
studying challenges faced by underserved communities in urban or rural areas. Applicants should
also describe how the proposed research would fill key knowledge and evidence gaps and how
they plan to share findings with policymakers, community organizations and other key
stakeholders able to implement policy and programmatic solutions to challenges in underserved
communities. Applicants may wish to review previously approved published research to avoid
duplication and illustrate what completed HUD research studies look like.
Center of Excellence: The research Centers of Excellence (COEs) shall conduct rigorous and
actionable research focused on housing, community development, economic development, and
the built environment in underserved communities. COEs should take a multidisciplinary
approach to the research and use innovative methods. Ultimately, the purpose of a COE will be
to support evidence-based, data-driven, and community-informed policymaking and program
improvements at the local, state, and national levels.
The COE will serve as a platform for the formulation, analysis, and dissemination of innovative,
evidence-based solutions to address problems confronting underserved communities. The COE
will perform academic research, hold expert convenings, and conduct related activities designed
to advance understanding of economic and social factors that affect communities, including
housing, economic and workforce development, health and health care, education, civic
engagement, public safety, and other dimensions of community health. Through academic
programs, research projects, and thought leadership, the COE will help leaders across all levels
of government, as well as the business and civic sectors, address critical issues that impact the
social and economic well-being of the families and individuals who reside in underserved
communities.
Applicants are encouraged to consider and apply lessons from the experiences of and research
produced at COEs at HBCUs and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) funded through past HUD
grants, as well as other university-based housing research centers.
The awardee will be required to develop and submit a detailed plan for the development and
long-term sustainability (beyond 5 years) of a Center of Excellence to continue the work started
under this NOFO and serve as a leader in researching issues related to housing, community
development, economic development, and the built environment in underserved communities.
Eligible Activities
Awardees can use funds to conduct research projects on topics described in this NOFO and in
their application that will contribute to the development of a sustainable research Center of
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Excellence. Funds can be used for a variety of research activities, including articulating research
questions, establishing and implementing appropriate data analysis, communicating and sharing
research findings, and producing informational tools and resources that improve practice.
Center of Excellence does not refer to physical entities; HUD will not fund buildings or the
rental and/or maintenance of office space. Funds may not be used for construction or other
construction related activities, or for the purchase or lease of real property, or for the purchase of
equipment.
Deliverables
At a minimum, HUD expects each award recipient to produce the following deliverables during
the 36-month performance period.
1. Management and Work Plan (MWP) that outlines the overall strategy for completing the
research within the budget and timeframe allotted. It will describe activities to be
undertaken, assign staff, and provide a schedule of key tasks.
2. Research Design describing the methodology that will be used to complete the proposed
research, including collection, management, and analysis of data.
3. Quality Control Plan that addresses all potential points of a lapse in quality control.
4. Detailed plan for the establishment, sustainability, and ongoing financial stability of the
Center of Excellence.
5. Quarterly Progress Reports that document activities completed in the most recent
reporting period, planned activities for the upcoming reporting period, and budget
expenditures by line item (including hours worked for specific staff). Progress reports
must be submitted quarterly and shall be aligned with the submission of the draw down
requests, by which grantees receive reimbursement.
6. Research Policy Papers related to multiple research projects funded by the award.
7. Final Report that summarizes the entire work, achievements, and findings conducted
under the NOFO award. The report format and style requirements are provided at PD&R
Style Guide for Reports.
The Government Technical Representative (GTR) and/or other HUD staff as identified by the
GTR will have substantial involvement in this grant and work closely with the awardee on
defining these deliverables. HUD staff shall have an opportunity to review and comment on
these deliverables to ensure they meet the project objectives. The specific times for submission,
review, and resubmission are contained in the Cooperative Agreement.
2. HUD and Program-Specific Goals and Objectives
This NOFO 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 NOFO are identified below.
You are expected to align your application to the applicable strategic goals and objectives below.
Use the information in this section to describe in your application the specific goals, objectives,
and measures that your project is expected to help accomplish. If your project is selected for
funding, you are also expected to establish a plan to track progress related to those goals,
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objectives, and measures. HUD will monitor compliance with the goals, objectives, and
measures in your project.
Applicable Goals and Objectives from HUD’s Strategic Plan
Strategic Goal 1: Support Underserved Communities
Fortify support for underserved communities and support equitable community development for
all people.
1A: Advance Housing Justice
Fortify support for vulnerable populations, underserved communities, and Fair Housing
enforcement.
1B: Reduce Homelessness
Strengthen Federal, State, Tribal, and community implementation of the Housing First approach
to reducing the prevalence of homelessness, with the ultimate goal of ending homelessness.
1C: Invest in the Success of Communities
Promote equitable community development that generates wealth-building for underserved
communities, particularly for communities of color.
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.
2A: Increase the Supply of Housing
Enhance HUD's programs that increase the production and supply of housing across the country.
2B: Improve Rental Assistance
Improve rental assistance to address the need for affordable housing.
Strategic Goal 3: Promote Homeownership
Promote homeownership opportunities, equitable access to credit for purchase and
improvements, and wealth-building in underserved communities.
3A: Advance Sustainable Homeownership
Advance the deployment of tools and capital that put sustainable homeownership within reach.
3A: Major Initiative: Expand Homeownership Opportunities
Promote financing for innovative ownership models to increase the availability of affordable
housing.
3B: Create a More Accessible and Inclusive Housing Finance System
Advance new policy, programs, and modernization initiatives that support a more equitable
housing finance system. Promote the preservation and creation of affordable housing stock.
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.
4A: Guide Investment in Climate Resilience
Invest in climate resilience, energy efficiency, and renewable energy across HUD programs.

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4B: Strengthen Environmental Justice
Reduce exposure to health risks, environmental hazards, and substandard housing, especially for
low-income households and communities of color.
4C: Integrate Health and Housing
Advance policies that recognize housing's role as essential to health.
3. Changes from Previous NOFO
Purpose. The description of the purpose of the program is revised to identify current HUD
research priorities.
Rating factors. The rating factors are revised to ensure the research projects are fully described
and the research experience relates to the proposed research projects.
Racial Equity and Civil Rights narratives. Applicants are required to provide narratives, no
longer than 2 pages each, addressing Advancing Racial Equity, Experience Promoting Racial
Equity, and Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing.
4. Definitions
a. Standard Definitions
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 applications 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 applications on behalf of your organization, and is allowed to modify organizationlevel 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 applications in Grants.gov. A Grants.gov user with

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the Standard AOR role can only submit applications 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 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 the making of an application for funding, is information missing or
omitted within a submitted application. Examples of deficiencies include missing documents,
missing or 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 application information that may be
corrected by the applicant with timely action. To be curable, the deficiency must:
•
•
•

Not be a threshold requirement, except for documentation of applicant eligibility;
Not influence how an applicant is ranked or scored versus other applicants; and
Be remedied within the time frame specified in the notice of deficiency.

A Non-Curable Deficiency is missing or incomplete application information that cannot be
corrected by an applicant after the submission deadline. A non-curable deficiency is a
deficiency that is a threshold requirement, or a deficiency that, if corrected, would change an
applicant’s score or rank versus other applicants. If an application includes a non-curable
deficiency, the application may receive an ineligible determination, or the non-curable
deficiency may otherwise adversely affect the application’s score and final funding
determination.
E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) is an individual associated with the applicant
organization who is responsible for the administration and management of award activities for
the applicant 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 an application to be eligible for
funding.
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Environmental Justice means investing in environmental improvements, remedying past
environmental inequities, and otherwise developing, implementing, and enforcing environmental
laws and policies in a manner that advances 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)
(a) The Federal financial assistance that a recipient receives directly from a Federal
awarding agency or 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 NOFO, or the costreimbursement 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 applications to prospective agencies unless otherwise
specified in this NOFO.

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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));
(2) a Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. § 1101a(5));
(3) a Tribal College or University (as defined in 20 U.S.C. § 1059c(b)(3));
(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(b)(6));
(6) an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution (as defined in 20
U.S.C. § 1059g(b)(2)); or
(7) a Native American-serving nontribal institution (as defined in 20 U.S.C. § 1059f(b)(2)).
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 application 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.
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 natural
disasters, extreme weather events, and other changing climate 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

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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 applications 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 an application 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.
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) means the identifier assigned by SAM to uniquely identify
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.
Program theory: A program theory or logic model explains how the activities of an intervention
are understood to contribute to a chain of results that produces intended or actual impacts.
Theory of change: Theory of change is a comprehensive description and illustration of how and
why a desired change is expected to happen in a particular context. It is focused on mapping out
or “filling in” what has been described as the “missing middle” between what a program or
change initiative does (its activities or interventions) and how these lead to desired goals being
achieved.

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) and funding is provided by the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328, approved December 29, 2022).

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II. AWARD INFORMATION
A. Available Funds
Funding of approximately $5,000,000 is available through this NOFO.
Additional funds may become available for award under this NOFO consistent with VI.A.2.e.,
Adjustments to Funding. Use of these funds is subject to statutory constraints. All awards are
subject to the funding restrictions contained in this NOFO.

B. Number of Awards
HUD expects to make approximately 4 awards from the funds available under this NOFO.
HUD intends to make up to four awards totaling $5,000,000 (maximum $4,000,000 and no less
than $1,000,000 for each award) to conduct research projects under this program NOFO.

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information
Estimated Total Funding:
$5,000,000
Minimum Award Amount:
$1,000,000
Per Project Period
Maximum Award Amount:
$4,000,000
Per Project Period

D. Period of Performance
Estimated Project Start Date:
09/30/2024
Estimated Project End Date:
09/29/2027
Length of Project Periods:
36-month project period and budget period
Length of Periods Explanation of Other:
Not applicable

E. Type of Funding Instrument
Funding Instrument Type:
CA (Cooperative Agreement)

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III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
A. Eligible Applicants
06 (Public and State controlled institutions of higher education)
20 (Private institutions of higher education)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
Additional Information on Eligibility
Applicant must be an HBCU to be eligible.
Current HBCU COE awardees are eligible to apply.
Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for,
or receive, awards made under this announcement.
Faith-based organizations
(1) Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other
organization, as set forth at 24 CFR part 5.109, and subject to the protections and requirements
of 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq., HUD will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against
an organization based on the organization’s religious character, affiliation, or exercise.
(2) A faith-based organization that participates in this program will retain its independence and
may continue to carry out its mission consistent with religious freedom and conscience
protections in Federal law, including the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses of the
Constitution, 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq., 42 U.S.C. § 238n, 42 U.S.C. § 18113, 42 U.S.C. §§
2000e-1(a) and 2000e-2€, 42 U.S.C. § 12113(d), and the Weldon Amendment, among others.
Religious accommodations may also be sought under many of these religious freedom and
conscience protection laws, particularly under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
(3) A faith-based organization may not use direct financial assistance from HUD to support or
engage in any explicitly religious activities except where consistent with the Establishment
Clause and any other applicable requirements. Such an organization also may not, in providing
services funded by HUD, discriminate against a beneficiary or prospective program beneficiary
on the basis of religion, religious belief, a refusal to hold a religious belief, or a refusal to attend
or participate in a religious practice.

B. Ineligible Applicants
Any institution that is not an accredited HBCU as defined in the Definitions section is ineligible
to be an applicant.

C. Cost Sharing or Matching
This Program does not require cost sharing or matching, but provides points based on leverage,
as described below.
As described in Rating Factor 4, in Section V.A., an applicant that plans to leverage funds or
resources (including in-kind contributions) from other organizations may receive up to 5 points.
Page 14 of 41

D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements
Applicants who fail to meet any of the following threshold eligibility requirements are deemed
ineligible. Applications from ineligible applicants are not rated or ranked and will not receive
HUD funding.
1. Resolution of Civil Rights Matters
Outstanding civil rights matters must be resolved before the application submission deadline.
Applicants with unresolved civil rights matters at the application deadline are deemed ineligible.
Applications from ineligible applicants are not rated or ranked 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 application deadline date for this NOFO.
(1) Charges from HUD concerning a systemic violation of the Fair Housing Act or
receipt of a cause determination from a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing
agency concerning a systemic violation of a substantially equivalent state or local fair
housing law proscribing discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including
sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, disability or familial status;
(2) Status as a defendant in a Fair Housing Act lawsuit filed by the United States alleging
a pattern or practice of discrimination or denial of rights to a group of persons raising an
issue of general public importance under 42 U.S.C. § 3614(a);
(3) Status as a defendant in any other lawsuit filed or joined by the Department of Justice,
or in which the Department of Justice has intervened, or filed an amicus brief or
statement of interest, alleging a pattern or practice or systemic violation of Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109 of
the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, the Americans with Disabilities
Act, Violence Against Women Act, or a claim under the False Claims Act related to fair
housing, non-discrimination, or civil rights generally including an alleged failure to
affirmatively further fair housing;
(4) Receipt of a letter of findings identifying systemic non-compliance with Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109
of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; Violence Against Women
Act; or the Americans with Disabilities Act; or
(5) Receipt of a cause determination from a substantially equivalent state or local fair
housing agency concerning a systemic violation of provisions of a state or local law
prohibiting discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or
lawful source of income.
b. HUD will determine if actions to resolve the charge, cause determination, lawsuit, or letter
of findings taken before the application deadline date will resolve the matter. Examples of
actions that may be sufficient to resolve the matter include, but are not limited to:
(1) Current compliance with a voluntary compliance agreement signed by all the parties;
(2) Current compliance with a HUD-approved conciliation agreement signed by all the
parties;
Page 15 of 41

(3) Current compliance with a conciliation agreement signed by all the parties and
approved by the state governmental or local administrative agency with jurisdiction over
the matter;
(4) Current compliance with a consent order or consent decree;
(5) Current compliance with a final judicial ruling or administrative ruling or decision; or
(6) Dismissal of charges.
2. Timely Submission of Applications
Applications submitted after the deadline stated within this NOFO that do not meet the
requirements of the grace period policy are marked late. Late applications are ineligible and are
not considered for funding. See Section IV. D. Application Submission Dates and Times.

E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting
Eligibility
Eligibility Requirements for Applicants of HUD’s Financial Assistance Programs
The following requirements affect applicant eligibility. Detailed information on each
requirement is found in the “Eligibility Requirements for Applicants of HUD’s Competitive
Programs” document on HUD’s Funding Opportunities page. Applicants who fail to meet any of
these eligibility requirements are deemed ineligible to receive HUD funding.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Universal Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Requirements
Outstanding Delinquent Federal Debts
Debarments or Suspensions, or both
Mandatory Disclosure Requirement
Pre-selection Review of Performance
Sufficiency of Financial Management System
False Statements
Prohibition Against Lobbying Activities

In addition, each applicant under this NOFO must have the necessary processes and systems in
place to comply with the Award Term in Appendix A of 2 CFR part 170 if the applicant receives
an award, unless an exception applies as provided in 2 CFR170.110.

F. Program-Specific Requirements
Advancing Racial Equity
In accordance with Executive Order 13985, Executive Order 14091, Executive Order on Further
Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal
Government, and Federal fair housing and civil rights laws, your application must address the
following:
▪
▪
▪

You analyzed the racial composition of the persons or households who are expected to
benefit, directly or indirectly, from your proposed award activities;
You identified any potential barriers to persons or communities of color equitably
benefiting from your proposed award activities;
You detailed the steps you will take to prevent, reduce, or eliminate these barriers; and
Page 16 of 41

▪

You have measures in place to track your progress and evaluate the effectiveness of your
efforts to advance racial equity in your award activities.

Note that any actions taken in furtherance of this section must be consistent with Federal
nondiscrimination requirements.
This narrative is required and must address the four bullets outlined in the paragraph above.
Applicants will submit this narrative according to the instructions in Section IV.B. This narrative
will be evaluated for sufficiency and will not change the applicant’s score or rank as compared to
other applicants. If the narrative is deemed insufficient, it will be a “Curable Deficiency” that
will be communicated to the applicant for correction with a notice of deficiency.
The narrative shall be a maximum of two pages.
Experience Promoting Racial Equity
In accordance with Executive Order 13985, Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and
Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, Executive Order
14091, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the
Federal Government, and Federal fair housing and civil rights laws, your application must
demonstrate that the applicant has the experience and/or the resources to effectively address the
needs of underserved communities, particularly Black and Brown communities. This may
include experience successfully working directly with such groups, experience designing or
operating programs that equitably benefit such groups, or experience successfully advancing
racial equity in other ways. This may also include experience soliciting, obtaining, and applying
input from such groups when designing, planning, or implementing programs and activities.
This narrative is required and must address the issues outlined in the paragraph above.
Applicants will submit this narrative according to the instructions in Section IV.B. This
narrative will be evaluated for sufficiency and will not change the applicant’s score or rank as
compared to other applicants. If the narrative is deemed insufficient, it will be a “Curable
Deficiency” that will be communicated to the applicant for correction with a notice of
deficiency.
The narrative shall be a maximum of two pages.
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
With some exceptions for Federally recognized Indian tribes and their instrumentalities, the
application must discuss how the applicant will carry out the proposed activities in a manner that
affirmatively furthers fair housing in compliance with the Fair Housing Act and its implementing
regulations and how applicants will meet the requirements of the definition of affirmatively
furthering fair housing at 24 CFR 5.151. If the applicant will carry out proposed activities with
an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH), the proposed activities should be consistent with the
AFH’s fair housing goals and with fair housing strategies specified in the jurisdiction’s
Consolidated Plan or Public Housing Agency Plan.
Applicants must address this requirement by submitting a written narrative which describes how
their proposed NOFO activities are aligned with the requirement to affirmatively further fair
housing (AFFH). Specifically, applicants should describe how their proposed NOFO activities
will meaningfully: (1) address significant disparities based on protected class in unmet housing
needs (2) address disparities based on protected class in access to opportunity (3) address
Page 17 of 41

segregation and promoting integration (4) transform racially or ethnically concentrated areas of
poverty into well-resourced areas of opportunity without displacing existing residents, and/or (5)
foster and maintain compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws]. If the narrative is
deemed insufficient, it will be a “Curable Deficiency” that will be communicated to the applicant
for correction with a notice of deficiency.
The narrative shall be a maximum of two pages.

G. Criteria for Beneficiaries.
Not applicable

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
A. Obtain an Application Package
Instructions for Applicants
All application materials, including the Application Instructions and Application Package, are
available through Grants.gov. You must access and review all available application materials.
You must submit your application electronically via Grants.gov under the Funding Opportunity
Number cited within this NOFO. Your application must list the applicable Funding Opportunity
Number.
You can request a waiver from the requirement for electronic submission, if you demonstrate
good cause. An example of good cause may include: a lack of available Internet access in the
geographic area in which your business offices are located. However, lack of SAM registration
or valid UEI is not good cause. If you cannot submit your application electronically, you must
ask in writing for a waiver of the electronic application submission requirements. HUD will not
grant a waiver if you fail to submit to HUD by email or postmark by mail a request for a waiver
at least 15 calendar days before the application deadline. If HUD grants a waiver, a paper
application must be received before the deadline for this NOFO. To request a waiver, you must
contact:
Name:
Kinnard Wright
Email:
Kinnard.D.Wright@hud.gov
HUD Organization:
PDR
Street:
451 7th Street, SW
City:
Washington
State:
DC DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Zip:
20410

Page 18 of 41

B. Content and Form of Application Submission
You must verify that boxes 11, 12, and 13 on the SF-424 match the NOFO for which you are
applying. If they do not match, you have downloaded the wrong Application Instruction and
Application Package.
Submission of an application that is otherwise sufficient, but is under the wrong Assistance
Listing and Funding Opportunity Number is a Non-Curable Deficiency, and will be rejected,
unless otherwise stated under the Threshold requirements section.
1. Content
Forms/Assurances/Certifications

Submission
Notes/Description
Requirement

Application for Federal Assistance
(SF-424)

This form is
required.

Review section IV.B.2. of this NOFO for
detailed submission requirements

Applicant and Recipient
Assurances and Certifications
(HUD 424-B)

This form is
required.

Review section IV.B.2. of this NOFO for
detailed submission requirements

Applicant/Recipient
Disclosure/Update Report (HUD
2880)

This form is
required.

Review section IV.B.2. of this NOFO for
detailed submission requirements

Certification of Lobbying
Activities

This form is
required.

Federal Assistance
Representations and Certifications

This form is
required via
sam.gov

To assure compliance with statutory
requirements for HUD programs, you
must complete the “Federal Assistance
Representations and Certifications”
section of your sam.gov registration.
HUD and OMB use information reported
within sam.gov for general management
of Federal assistance awards programs.
For more information on how to update
your sam.gov registration, visit
SAM.gov or the Federal Service Desk,
FSD.gov. You can search for help at
FSD any time or request help from an
FSD agent Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8
p.m. ET.

Page 19 of 41

Forms/Assurances/Certifications

Submission
Notes/Description
Requirement

Grant Application Detailed Budget This form is
Worksheet (HUD-424-CBW)
required

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
(SF-LLL)

Review
section IV.G.
of this NOFO
for detailed
submission
requirements.

This form is contained within the
Instruction package.
Federally recognized Indian tribes and
tribally designated housing entities
(TDHEs) established by federally
recognized Indian tribes as a result of the
exercise of the tribe’s sovereign power
are excluded from coverage of the Byrd
Amendment, but state-recognized Indian
tribes and TDHEs established only under
state law shall comply with this
requirement.

2. Other Submission Requirements
Narratives and Non-Form Attachments
Additionally, your complete application must include the following narratives and non-form
attachments.
a. Application Abstract (two-page maximum). The abstract must include the project title;
the names and affiliations of the lead researchers and project director; identification of
partner organizations; a summary of the research objectives, study design, and expected
results; and the total funds requested. Information contained in the abstract will not be
considered in the evaluation and scoring of your application and will not count towards
the 25-page maximum. Any information you wish to be considered in scoring of the
application must be provided in the narrative response under the appropriate rating factor.
b. Narrative Response to Rating Factors (25-page maximum). A narrative statement (25page maximum) addressing the rating factors for award, which are identified in section
V.A.1. In the narrative statement, applicant must identify each Rating Factor (1 through
4) being addressed. The full application must be formatted as per section IV.B.2. Any
content in the narrative beyond the 25-page limit will not be read. The points the
applicant receives for each rating factor will be based on the content in the narrative
statement submitted in response to that factor, supplemented by any additional materials
that are referenced in the narrative response to the rating factor. Supporting materials
that are not referenced or discussed in the narrative response to the individual rating
factor will not be considered. The additional materials (e.g., appendices) that can be
submitted as part of the application are identified in (c) below. The footer on the pages of
these materials should identify the rating factor that they are supporting.
c. Additional Materials. Include as appendices the following materials that are needed to
support your responses to the rating factors. These will not be counted towards the Rating
Factors narrative 25-page maximum. The additional materials must not exceed 30
Page 20 of 41

pages. Any pages beyond this limit will not be read. Do not include additional narrative
information that is an extension of or expands upon any of your rating factor responses.
Such narrative will not be considered.
Additional materials to be submitted include:
1. The resumes of the lead researchers and other key personnel. Each resume shall not
exceed three pages and is limited to information that is relevant in assessing the
qualifications and experience of key personnel to conduct and/or manage the proposed
technical study.
2. Organizational chart
3. Letters of commitment
4. List of references cited in your responses to the rating factors
5. The Advancing Racial Equity Narrative (two-page maximum)
6. The Experience Promoting Racial Equity Narrative (two-page maximum)
7. The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Narrative (two-page maximum)
d. Budget. Include a total budget using form HUD 424CBW, included in the Instructions
download at Grants.gov with supporting cost justification of up to four pages, which will
cover all budget categories of the federal grant request. This information will not be counted
towards the Rating Factors narrative 25-page limit. Use the budget format discussed in
Section IV.B.1 above. In completing the budget forms and justification, you must address the
following elements:
1. Direct Labor costs, including all full- and part-time staff required for the planning and
implementation phases of the project. These costs should be based on full time
equivalent (FTE) or hours per year (hours/year) (i.e., one FTE equals 2,080 hours/year);
2. Allowance for two trips to HUD Headquarters in Washington, D.C., during the period
of performance of your grant, planning each trip for 1-2 people, as needed. In planning
your trips, you should assume one or two overnight stays depending on your location;
3. A separate budget form and justification for each sub-recipient receiving more than 10
percent of the total federal budget request; and
4. Supporting documentation for salaries and prices of materials and equipment, upon
request.
a. Standard Application, Assurances, Certifications and Disclosures
(1) Standard Form 424 (SF-424) Application for Federal Assistance
The SF-424 is the government-wide form required to apply for Federal assistance programs,
discretionary awards, and other forms of financial assistance programs. You must complete and
submit the form with the other required forms and information as directed in this NOFO.
By signing the forms in the SF-424 either through electronic submission or in paper copy
submission (for those granted a waiver), you and the signing authorized organization
representative affirm that you both have reviewed the certifications and assurances associated
with the application for Federal assistance and (1) are aware the submission of the SF-424 is an
assertion that the relevant certifications and assurances are established and (2) acknowledge that
the truthfulness of the certifications and assurances are material representations upon which
HUD will rely when making an award to the applicant. If it is later determined the signing
Page 21 of 41

authorized organization representative to the application made a false certification or assurance,
caused the submission of a false certification or assurance, or did not have the authority to make
a legally binding commitment for the applicant, the applicant and the individual who signed the
application may be subject to administrative, civil, or criminal action. Additionally, HUD may
terminate the award to the applicant organization or pursue other available remedies. Each
applicant is responsible for including the correct certifications and assurances with its application
submission, including those applicable to all applicants, those applicable only to Federally
recognized Indian tribes, or Alaskan native villages and those applicable to applicants other than
Federally recognized Indian tribes, or Alaskan native villages.
(2) Assurances (HUD 424-B)
By submitting your application, you provide assurances that, if selected to receive an award, you
will comply with U.S. statutory and other requirements, including, but not limited to civil rights
requirements. All recipients and subrecipients of the award are required to submit assurances of
compliance with Federal civil rights requirements. See, e.g., Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973, Violence Against Women Act, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; see also 24
CFR §§ 1.5; 3.115; 8.50; and 146.25. HUD accepts these assurances in the form of the HUD
424-B, which also require compliance with HUD Reform Act requirements and all general
Federal nondiscrimination requirements in the administration of the Federal assistance award.
(3) Applicant Disclosure Report Form 2880 (HUD 2880)
The form HUD 2880 is required if you are applying for assistance within the jurisdiction of HUD
to any project subject to Section 102(d) of the HUD Reform Act . Assistance is provided
directly by HUD to any person or entity, but not to subrecipients. It includes assistance for the
acquisition, rehabilitation, operation, conversion, modernization, renovation, or demolition of
any property containing five or more dwelling units that is to be used primarily for residential
purposes. It includes assistance to independent group residences, board and care facilities, group
homes and transitional housing but does not include primarily nonresidential facilities such as
intermediate care facilities, nursing homes and hospitals. It also includes any change requested
by a recipient in the amount of assistance previously provided, except changes resulting from
annual adjustments in Section 8 rents under Section 8(c)(2)(A) of the United States Housing Act
of 1937 (42 U.S.C. § 1437f). See 24 CFR part 4 for additional information.
(4) Code of Conduct
Both you, as the award recipient, and all subrecipients must have a code of conduct (or written
standards of conduct). The code of conduct must comply with the requirements included in the
“Conducting Business in Accordance with Ethical Standards” section of the Administrative,
National and Department Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD Financial Assistance
Awards-- 2024, as well as any program-specific requirements. These requirements include
ethical standards related to conflicts of interest for procurements in 2 CFR 200.318(c) and 2 CFR
200.317, as well as HUD-specific conflict of interest standards. HUD maintains a list of
organizations that have previously submitted written standards of conduct on its Code of
Conduct for HUD Grant Programs webpage. But it is your responsibility to ensure that the
standards are compliant with the noted requirements and that HUD has the latest version of the
written standards. Updated written standards should be submitted with the application. Any
Page 22 of 41

updates to your written standards, after the application period, should be submitted as directed by
the HUD program contact for this NOFO.
(5) False Statements
Applicant understands that providing false or misleading information during any part of the
application, award, or performance phase of an award may result in criminal, civil or
administrative sanctions, including but not limited to: fines, restitution, and/or imprisonment
under 18 USC 1001, 18 USC 1012, or 18 USC 287; treble damages and civil penalties under the
False Claims Act, 31 USC 3729 et seq.; double damages and civil penalties under the Program
Fraud Civil Remedies Act, 31 USC 3801 et seq.; civil recovery of award funds; suspension
and/or debarment from all federal procurement and non-procurement transactions, FAR Part 9.4
or 2 CFR Part 180; and other remedies including termination of active HUD award.
(6) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
Applicants are subject to the provisions of Section 319 of Public Law 101-121, 31 U.S.C. 1352,
(the Byrd Amendment), and 24 CFR part 87, which prohibit recipients of federal awards from
using appropriated funds for lobbying the executive or legislative branches of the Federal
government in connection with a Federal award. All applicants must submit with their
application the signed certification regarding lobbying included in the Application download
from Grants.gov. In addition, applicants must disclose, using Standard Form LLL (SF-LLL),
“Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” any funds, other than federally appropriated funds, that will
be or have been used to influence federal employees, members of Congress, or congressional
staff regarding specific awards. Federally recognized Indian tribes and tribally designated
housing entities (TDHEs) established by Federally recognized Indian tribes as a result of the
exercise of the tribe’s sovereign power are excluded from coverage of the Byrd Amendment, but
state-recognized Indian tribes and TDHEs established only under state law shall comply with this
requirement.
3. Format and Form
Narratives and other attachments to your application must follow the following format
guidelines. Do not submit password protected or encrypted files.
Applicants must submit documents formatted with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman
font, letter-sized paper (8 1/2 x 11 inches), and 1-inch margins on all sides.
The narrative response to Rating Factors 1-4 must not exceed 25 pages.

C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique
Entity Identifier (UEI)
1. SAM Registration Requirement
You must register at www.sam.gov before submitting an application. You must maintain
current information in SAM on immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as
on all predecessors that a Federal award within the last three years, if applicable. Information in
SAM must be current for all times during which you have an active Federal award or an
application or plan under consideration by HUD.
2. UEI Requirement
Page 23 of 41

All entities doing business with the Federal government must use the UEI created in SAM.gov.
You must provide a valid UEI, registered and active at /www.sam.gov/ in the application. For
more information, see: https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/Federal-acquisitionservice/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systemsinformation-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update.
3. Requirement to Register with Grants.gov
Anyone planning to submit applications on behalf of an organization must register at Grants.gov
and be approved by the E-Biz POC in SAM to submit applications for the organization.
Registration for SAM and Grants.gov is a multi-step process and can take four (4) weeks or
longer to complete if data issues arise. Applicants without a valid registration cannot apply
through Grants.gov. Complete registration instructions and guidance are provided on Grants.gov.

D. Application Submission Dates and Times
1. Application Due Date Explanation
The application deadline is 11:59:59 PM Eastern time on
07/09/2024
Submit your application to Grants.gov unless a waiver has been issued allowing you to submit a
paper application. Instructions for submitting your paper application will be contained in the
waiver of electronic submission.
“Received by Grants.gov” means the applicant received a confirmation of receipt and an
application tracking number from Grants.gov. Grants.gov then assigns an application tracking
number and date-and timestamp each application upon successful receipt by the Grants.gov
system. A submission attempt not resulting in confirmation of receipt and an application tracking
number is not considered received by Grants.gov.
Applications received by Grants.gov must be validated by Grants.gov to be received by HUD.
“Validated by Grants.gov” means the application has been accepted and was not rejected with
errors. You can track the status of your application by logging into Grants.gov, selecting
“Applicants” from the top navigation, and selecting “Track my application” from the dropdown
list. If the application status is “rejected with errors,” you must correct the error(s) and resubmit
the application before the 24-hour grace period ends. Applications in “rejected with errors” status
after the 24-hour grace period expires will not be received by HUD. Visit Grants.gov for a
complete description of processing steps after applying.
HUD strongly recommends you submit your applications at least 48 hours before the deadline
and during regular business hours to allow enough time to correct errors or overcome other
problems.
2. Grants.gov Customer Support
Grants.gov provides customer support information on its website at
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html. If you have difficulty accessing the application
and instructions or have technical problems, contact Grants.gov customer support center by
calling (800) 518-GRANTS (this is a toll-free number) or by sending an email to
support@grants.gov.The customer support center is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week,
except Federal holidays. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as individuals who
Page 24 of 41

have speech or other communication disabilities may use a relay service to reach Grants.gov
Customer Support. To learn more about how to make an accessible telephone call, visit the
webpage for Federal Communications Commission.
3. Grants.gov Application Submission
You can verify the contents of your submitted application to confirm Grants.gov received
everything you intended to submit. To verify the contents of your submitted application:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Log in to Grants.gov.
Click the Check Application Status link, which appears under the Grant Applications
heading in the Applicant Center page. This will take you to the Check Application Status
page.
Enter search criteria and a date range to narrow your search results.
Click the Search button. To review your search results in Microsoft Excel, click the
Export Data button.
Review the Status column. To view more detailed submission information, click the
Details link in the Actions column.
To download the submitted application, click the Download link in the Actions column.

Take note of the Grants.gov tracking number, as it is needed by the Grants.gov customer support
center should you seek their assistance.
HUD may extend the application deadline for any program if Grants.gov is offline or not
available to applicants for at least 24 hours immediately prior to the deadline date, or the system
is down for 24 hours or longer and impacts the ability of applicants to cure a submission
deficiency within the grace period.
HUD may also extend the application deadline upon request if there is a presidentially declared
disaster in the applicant’s area.
If these events occur, HUD will post a notice on its website establishing the new, extended
deadline for the affected applicants. HUD will also publish the extension on Grants.gov.
In determining whether to grant a request for an extension based on a presidentially declared
disaster, HUD will consider the totality of the circumstances including the date of an applicant’s
extension request (how closely it followed the basis for the extension), whether other applicants
in the geographic area are similarly affected by the disaster, and how quickly power or services
are restored to enable the applicant to submit its application.
NOTE: Busy servers, slow processing, large file sizes, improper registration
or password issues are not valid circumstances to extend the deadline dates or the grace period.
4. Amend or Revise an Application
Before the submission deadline, you may amend a validated application through Grants.gov by
submitting a revised and complete application including the new or changed material. The
revised application must be received and validated by Grants.gov by the applicable deadline.
If HUD receives an original and a revised application for a single proposal, HUD will evaluate
only the last submission received by Grants.gov before the deadline.
Page 25 of 41

5. Grace Period for Grants.gov Submissions
If your application is received by Grants.gov before the deadline, but is rejected with errors, you
have a grace period of 24 hours after the application deadline to submit a corrected, received, and
validated application through Grants.gov. The date and time stamp on the Grants.gov system
determines the application receipt time. Any application submitted during the grace period but
not received and validated by Grants.gov will not be considered for funding. There is no grace
period for paper applications.
6. Late Applications
An application received after the NOFO deadline date that does not meet the Grace Period
requirements will be marked late and will not be reviewed by HUD for funding
consideration. Improper or expired registration and password issues are not sufficient causes to
allow HUD to accept applications after the deadline date.
7. Corrections to Deficient Applications
HUD will not consider information from applicants after the application deadline except for
curable deficiencies.
HUD will uniformly notify applicants of each curable deficiency. See curable deficiency
definition in section I.A of this NOFO. Examples of curable (correctable) deficiencies include
inconsistencies in the funding request and failure to submit required certifications. These
examples are non-exhaustive.
When HUD identifies a curable deficiency, HUD will notify the authorized organization
representative identified on the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance via email. This email
is the official notification of a curable deficiency.
You must email corrections of Curable Deficiencies to applicationsupport@hud.gov within the
time limits specified in the notification. The time allowed to correct deficiencies will be no less
than 48 hours and no more than 14 calendar days from the date of the email notification. The
start of the cure period will be the date stamp on the email sent from HUD. If the deficiency cure
deadline date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, Federal holiday, or on a day when HUD’s
Headquarters are closed, then the applicant’s correction must be received on the next business
day HUD Headquarters offices in Washington, DC are open.
The subject line of the email sent to applicationsupport@hud.gov must state: Technical Cure and
include the Grants.gov application tracking number or the GrantSolutions application number
(e.g., Subject: Technical Cure - GRANT123456 or Technical Cure - XXXXXXXXXXX). If this
information is not included, HUD cannot match the response with the application under review
and the application may be rejected due to the deficiency.
Corrections to a paper application must be sent in accordance with and to the address indicated in
the notification of deficiency. HUD will treat a paper application submitted in accordance with a
waiver of electronic application containing the wrong UEI as having a curable deficiency.
Failure to correct the deficiency and meet the requirement to have a UEI and active registration
in SAM will render the application ineligible for funding.
8. Authoritative Versions of HUD NOFOs
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The version of this NOFO posted on Grants.gov includes the official documents HUD uses to
solicit applications.
9. Exemptions
Parties that believe the requirements of the NOFO would impose a substantial burden on the
exercise of their religion should seek an exemption under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
(RFRA).

E. Intergovernmental Review
This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.

F. Funding Restrictions
HUD will determine whether the salary rates are reasonable, customary for the skill set provided
and the task to be conducted and in accordance with federal legal requirements.
Center of Excellence does not refer to physical entities; HUD will not fund buildings or the
rental and/or maintenance of office space. Funds may not be used for construction or other
construction related activities, or for the purchase or lease of real property, or for the purchase of
equipment.
Dissertation Research. Funds may not be used for a doctoral dissertation research grant program.
Indirect Cost Rate
Normal indirect cost rules under 2 CFR part 200, subpart E apply. If you intend to charge your
indirect costs to the award, your application must clearly state the rate and distribution base you
intend to use. If you have a Federally negotiated indirect cost rate, your application must also
include a letter or other documentation from the cognizant agency showing the approved rate.
Successful applicants whose rate changes after the application deadline must submit the new rate
and documentation to assure the award agreement incorporates the applicable rate.
Applicants other than state and local governments. If you have a Federally negotiated indirect
cost rate, your application must clearly state the approved rate and distribution base and must
include a letter or other documentation from the cognizant agency showing the approved rate. If
your organization does not have a current negotiated rate (including provisional rate) and elects
to use the de minimis rate, your application must clearly state you intend to use the de minimis
rate of 10% of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC), as defined at 2 CFR 200.1. Costs must be
consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs but may not be double charged or
inconsistently charged as both, as described in 2 CFR 200.403. Once elected, the de minimis rate
must be applied consistently for all Federal awards until the organization chooses to negotiate a
rate, which the organization may apply to do at any time. Documentation of the decision to use
the de minimis rate must be retained on file for audit.
State and local governments. If your department or agency unit has a Federally negotiated
indirect cost rate, your application must include that rate, the applicable distribution base, and a
letter or other documentation from the cognizant agency showing the negotiated rate. If your
department or agency unit receives more than $35 million in direct Federal funding per year, you
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may not claim indirect costs until you receive a negotiated rate from your cognizant agency for
indirect costs as provided in Appendix VII to 2 CFR part 200.
If your department or agency unit receives no more than $35 million in direct Federal funding
per year and your department or agency unit has developed and maintains an indirect cost rate
proposal and supporting documentation for audit in accordance with 2 CFR part 200, Appendix
VII, you may use the rate and distribution base specified in that indirect cost rate proposal.
Alternatively, if your department or agency unit receives no more than $35 million in direct
Federal funding per year and does not have a current negotiated rate (including provisional) rate,
you may elect to use the de minimis rate of 10% of MTDC. As described in 2 CFR 200.403(d),
costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs but may not be double
charged or inconsistently charged as both. Once elected, the de minimis rate must be applied
consistently for all Federal awards until your department or agency chooses to negotiate for a
rate, which you may apply to do at any time. Documentation of the decision to use the de
minimis rate must be retained on file for audit.
G. Other Program-specific Requirements
None

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
A. Review Criteria
1. Rating Factors
HUD will review applications in accordance with the requirements of this NOFO. HUD will
consider whether your application is clear, concise, and well organized. The maximum score that
can be attained is 100 points, and the minimum score for funding consideration is 75 points.
However, if no eligible applicants score at least 75 points, HUD may award funds to applicant(s)
scoring below 75 points. Each of the four factors is weighted as indicated by the number of
points that are assigned to it. Individual minimum scores for each factor are set forth in the chart
below. HUD will select applicants as set forth in V.B. HUD reminds applicants that responses
are subject to verification. Each rating factor is reviewed independently.
You must ensure that each Rating Factor is adequately addressed in the narrative (25 page
maximum) and supporting materials (30 page maximum). To the extent feasible, include all the
needed information within your response to each rating factor. If your response to a particular
rating factor cites information provided in your response to another rating factor or in the
supporting materials, clearly indicate where the information is located so the reviewer can easily
locate it. Your response to the rating factors should be submitted on consecutively numbered
pages.
Rating Category
Rating Factor 1: Research Design
Methodology

Maximum
Points

Minimum
Points

30

25

15

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Strengthening Evidence Base and Filling
Knowledge Gaps

10

Innovation

5

Rating Factor 2: Impact

20

Theory of change

10

Dissemination plan

5

Impact measurement

5

Rating Factor 3: Capacity of the Applicant and Past
Experience
Knowledge and Experience
Past Performance
Rating Factor 4: Sustainability, Resources, and
Partnerships
Sustainability of a Center of Excellence

Total

25

15

20

15
10
25

15

15

Leveraged Funds and Resources

5

Partnerships and Collaboration

5
100

75

Rating Factor 1: Research Design (max. points 30)
In Rating Factor 1, you must describe your proposed research projects.
a. Methodology (15 points): You must clearly identify the proposed research projects. Provide a
clear description of how your research design will evaluate issues or challenges in underserved
communities that impact housing, community and economic development, and/or the built
environment. You will be assessed based on the extent to which your proposed research design
provides a methodologically sound and realistic approach for the proposed research.
1. List the proposed research questions and hypotheses.
2. Describe indicators of community distress or health or other outcomes that will be
analyzed or measured through this research.
3. Identify how the proposed research questions relate to the research objective(s).
4. Discuss the data sources required, the reliability and availability of those data sources,
strategies for obtaining required data, and methods for analyzing the data to address the
research questions and hypotheses. If the applicant proposes the collection of original
data (such as surveys or interviews), the response must discuss sampling strategy and
should detail how the applicant will conduct outreach broadly (as applicable) and targeted
to reach any eligible persons who would be unlikely or least likely to participate absent
such efforts.

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b. Strengthening Evidence Base and Filling Knowledge Gaps (10 points): Describe how your
proposed research will strengthen the evidence base for meeting the needs of underserved
communities, including identifying current gaps in existing research and knowledge, and how
your proposed research will fill those gaps. Applicants are encouraged to reference specific
knowledge gaps described in HUD’s 2022-26 Learning Agenda and other topics of strategic
interest to HUD described in Purpose, Section I.A.1 above. The full 10 points will be given for
proposals that systematically and persuasively address open research questions noted in the
Learning Agenda.
c. Innovation (5 points): Describe how you will use innovative, evidence-based approaches to
evaluate problems confronting historically underserved communities.
Rating Factor 2: Impact (max. points 20)
In Rating Factor 2, you should explain how your proposed research will advance HUD’s
mission.
a. Theory of Change (10 points): Describe your program theory models or theory of change
models (see Definitions, Section I.A.4). In describing your theory of change, you should explain
how your proposed research projects and approach to research will advance HUD’s mission “to
create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.”
Applicants may also reference specific goals and objectives from HUD’s Strategic Plan
described in HUD and Program-Specific Goals and Objectives, Section I.A.2 above.
b. Dissemination plan (5 points): Describe the key audience(s) for your research and how you
plan to reach them, including specific methods and platforms you will use to disseminate your
research and research findings and any engagement activities you will conduct with key
audiences.
c. Impact measurement (5 points): Describe how you plan to measure the impact of your
research activities on underserved communities, including any specific data you will collect or
metrics you will use to measure impact.
Rating Factor 3: Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Experience (max. points 25)
In Rating Factor 3, you must identify who will conduct the research and the experience your
team brings to this work. This factor addresses the extent to which your institution has the
capacity to successfully implement the proposed research projects in a timely manner.
a. Knowledge and Experience (15 points)
1. Identify and describe the knowledge and experience of key project team members such as
the proposed COE Director, participating faculty, and key staff.
2. Describe the academic programs relevant to the institution’s approach to implementing
the research projects and the research experience of key faculty involved (relevant to the
proposed research projects, related research, or the COE approach).
3. Describe the team members’ or institution’s experience and/or resources supporting
members of underserved communities.
b. Past Performance (10 points)
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1. Identify up to five grants or research contracts performed by key personnel who will be
assigned to the research projects funded by this award that demonstrate capacity in fields
related to the institution’s vision for the COE and proposed research projects. Provide the
dollar amount awarded and descriptions of the achievement of specific tasks, measurable
objectives, and specific outcomes.
2. List all HUD grants or research contracts received in the last 10 years, including the dollar
amount awarded and a description of the achievement of specific tasks, measurable
objectives, and specific outcomes.
Rating Factor 4: Sustainability, Resources, and Partnerships (max. points 25)
In Rating Factor 4, you must describe your plan to support research efforts over the long term
through the creation or continuation of a research Center of Excellence. Maximum points will
only be awarded to applicants with a high quality and realistic sustainability plan. Support and
resources may include funding or in-kind contributions, such as services or equipment allocated
for the purpose of the proposed research. Generally, Federal sources are not allowed to be used
as cost share or match unless otherwise permitted by a program’s authorizing statute.
a. Sustainability of a Center of Excellence (15 points)
1. Describe your long-term plan to support and sustain your Center of Excellence.
2. Describe how your Center of Excellence will build upon the research funded through this
NOFO.
3. Describe the resources the applicant’s institution will provide to support the Center of
Excellence, such as financial support, staff resources, office space, IT resources. Provide
references for up to 3 external funders who can testify to the applicant institution’s past
effective support of research activity of a similar size as proposed in this application.
b. Leveraged Funds and Resources (5 points): If the applicant plans to leverage funds or
resources (including in-kind contributions) from other organizations, please describe those funds
and resources here. For each source, please list, at a minimum:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Name of the organization.
Amount of cash contributed or dollar value of the in-kind contribution.
Specific description of how each contribution will be used.
Date the contribution will be available and the duration of the contribution.
Any other terms or conditions affecting the contribution.
Status of the commitment (firm, likely or anticipated)

For firm commitments, please include written commitment letters, memoranda of understanding,
grant agreements or other supporting documentation in your supporting materials.
c. Partnerships and Collaborations (5 points): Applicants are encouraged to develop
innovative partnerships to achieve the project goals. These can include academic consortia and
collaboration with other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), community-based organizations,
state and local governments, or other federal agencies. Describe any other partnerships and
collaborations that will support the COE or proposed research described in this application,
including the following information for each:
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1. Name of the organization.
2. Nature of the partnership or collaboration
3. Specific description of how each partnership or collaboration contributes to the approach
and objectives of the research efforts.
4. Description of the partnership or collaboration; assigned roles and responsibilities and the
length of the commitment.
5. Any other terms or conditions affecting the partnership or collaboration.
For firm commitments, please include written commitment letters, memoranda of understanding,
grant agreements or other supporting documentation in your supporting materials.
2. Other Factors
Policy Initiative Preference Points
This NOFO does not offer any preference points
You may voluntarily choose to address preference point policy initiatives in your application.
Addressing these policy initiatives is not a requirement to apply for or receive an award. If you
voluntarily choose to address a policy initiative in your application, you will be required to
adhere to the information submitted with your application should you receive an award. The
proposed information will be included as a binding requirement of any Federal award you
receive as a term and condition of that award.
This NOFO does not offer preference points for Climate Change
This NOFO does not offer Environmental Justice preference points.
This NOFO does not offer HBCU preference points.
This NOFO does not offer preference points related to minority-serving institutions.
This NOFO does not offer Promise Zone preference points.
This NOFO does not offer Underserved Rural Communities preference points.
This program does not offer Rural Partners Network Community Networks preference points.

B. Review and Selection Process
1. Past Performance
In evaluating applications for funding, HUD will consider an applicant’s past performance in
managing funds. Items HUD will consider include, but are not limited to:
OMB-designated repositories of governmentwide data, as noted in 2 CFR 200.206(a)
The ability to account for funds in compliance with applicable reporting and recordkeeping
requirements
Timely use of funds received from HUD
Timely submission and quality of reports submitted to HUD
Meeting program requirements
Meeting performance targets as established in the HUD agreement
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The applicant's organizational capacity, including staffing structures and capabilities
Timely completion of activities and receipt and expenditure of promised matching or leveraged
funds
Applicants are selected based on highest score.
HUD may reduce scores based on the past performance review, if specified under V.A. Rating
Factors. Whenever possible, HUD will obtain and review past performance information. If this
review results in an adverse finding related to integrity of performance, HUD reserves the right
to take any of the remedies provided in the Pre-Selection Review of Performance section of the
Eligibility Requirements for Applicants of HUD Financial Assistance Programs.
2. Assessing Applicant Risk
In evaluating risks posed by applicants, HUD may use a risk-based approach and may consider
any items such as the following:
(1) Financial stability;
(2) Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed
in this part;
(3) History of performance. The applicant's record in managing Federal awards, if it is a prior
recipient of Federal awards, including timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting
requirements, failing to make significant progress in a timely manner, failing to meet planned
activities in a timely manner, conformance to the terms and conditions of previous Federal
awards, and if applicable, the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be
expended prior to future awards;
(4) Reports and findings from audits performed under Subpart F—Audit Requirements of 2
CFR part 200 or the reports and findings of any other available audits; and
(5) The applicant's ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other
requirements imposed on non-Federal entities.

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
A. Award Notices
Following the evaluation process, HUD will notify successful applicants of their selection for
funding. HUD will also notify other applicants, whose applications were received by the
deadline but were not chosen for award. Notifications will be sent by email to the person listed as
the AOR in item 21 of the SF-424.
1. Final Award
After HUD has made selections, HUD will finalize specific terms of the award and budget in
consultation with the selected applicant. If HUD and the selected applicant do not finalize the
terms and conditions of the award in a timely manner, or the selected applicant fails to provide
requested information, an award will not be made to that applicant. In this case, HUD may select
another eligible applicant. HUD may also impose specific conditions on an award as provided
under 2 CFR 200.208.
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2. Adjustments to Funding
To ensure fair distribution of funds and enable the purposes or requirements of a specific
program to be met, HUD reserves the right to fund less than the amount requested in an
application.
a. HUD may fund no portion of an application that:
(1) Is ineligible for funding under applicable statutory or regulatory requirements;
(2) Fails, in whole or in part, to meet the requirements of this notice;
(3) Duplicates activities funded by other Federal awards; or
(4) Duplicates activities funded in a prior year.
b. HUD may adjust the funding for an application to ensure funding diversity, geographic
diversity, and alignment with HUD administrative priorities.
c. If an applicant turns down an award offer, or if HUD and an applicant do not finalize the terms
and conditions of the award in a timely manner, HUD may withdraw the award offer and make
an offer of funding to another eligible application.
d. If funds remain after all selections have been made, remaining funds may be made available
within the current FY for other competitions within the program area, may be held for future
competitions (if allowable in accordance with the applicable appropriation or authorizing
statute), or may be used as otherwise provided by authorizing statute or appropriation.
e. If, after announcement of awards made under the current NOFO, additional funds become
available either through the current appropriations, a supplemental appropriation, other
appropriations or recapture of funds, HUD may, in accordance with the appropriation, use the
additional funds to provide additional funding to an applicant awarded less than the requested
amount of funds to make the full (or nearer to full) award, and/or to fund additional applicants
that were eligible to receive an award but for which there were no funds available.
3. Funding Errors
If HUD commits an error that, when corrected, would cause selection of an applicant during the
funding round of a Program NOFO, HUD may select that applicant for funding, subject to the
availability of funds. If funding is not available to award in the current fiscal year, HUD may
make an award to this applicant during the next fiscal year if funding is available.

B. Administrative, National and Departmental Policy
Requirements and Terms for HUD Applicants and
Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards
Unless otherwise specified, the following requirements apply and are detailed on HUD’s
Funding Opportunity page in the document titled, “Administrative, National & Departmental
Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD Financial Assistance – 2024.” You must review each
requirement to ensure compliance is considered when preparing your application materials (e.g.,
staff, budget, and timeline). Failure to comply with these requirements may impact your ability
to receive or retain a financial assistance award from HUD.
Page 34 of 41

1. Compliance with The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601-3619) and implementing regulations
at 24 CFR part 100 et seq
2. Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d-2000d4)(Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs) and implementing regulations at 24 CFR
part 1
3. Compliance with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101-6107) and
implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 146
4. Compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) and
implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 8
5. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq
6. Compliance with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) requirements, including 24
CFR 5.150 et seq
7. Compliance with Economic Opportunities for Low-and Very Low-income Persons (12 U.S.C.
1701u) requirements, including those listed at 24 CFR part 75
8. Compliance with Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency
(LEP) requirements, including those listed within Federal Register Notice, FR-4878-N-02 (also
see HUD’s webpage)
9. Compliance with Accessible Technology requirements, including those listed on in HUD’s
Policy on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Accessible Technology
10. Compliance with Equal Access Requirements (e.g., 24 CFR 5.105(a)(2) and 5.106)
11. Compliance with Ensuring the Participation of Small Disadvantaged Business, and WomenOwned Business requirements at 2 CFR 200.321
12. Compliance with Energy Efficient and Sustainable by Design
13. Compliance with Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act
(42 USC 4601 et seq.) (URA) requirements, 49 CFR part 24, and applicable program regulations
14. Compliance with Participation in HUD-Sponsored Program Evaluation
15. Compliance with OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit
Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR part 200)
16. Compliance with Drug-Free Workplace requirements (2 CFR part 2429)
17. Compliance with the requirements related to safeguarding resident/client files (e.g., 2 CFR
200.303(e))
18. Compliance with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (2 CFR
part 170) (FFATA), as amended
19. Compliance with Eminent Domain
20. Compliance with Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities requirements, including 24 CFR
parts 8 and 100; 28 CFR part 35
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21. Compliance with applicable Violence Against Women Act requirements in the Housing
Chapter of VAWA, 34 U.S.C. 12491-12496, 24 CFR part 5, subpart L, and program-specific
regulations, if applicable
22. Compliance with Conducting Business in Accordance with Ethical Standards/Code of
Conduct, including 2 CFR 200.317, 2 CFR 200.318(c) and other applicable conflicts of interest
requirements
23. Compliance with the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act procurement requirements
24. Compliance with System for Award Management and Universal Identifier Requirements at 2
CFR part 25
25. Compliance with section 106(g) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA),
as amended (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)) and implementing regulations at 2 CFR part 175 (Award Term
for Trafficking in Persons)
26. Compliance with Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance
Matters (see Appendix XII to 2 CFR part 200)
27. Compliance with Suspension and Debarment regulations (2 CFR part 2424 and 2 CFR part
180)
28. Compliance with environmental justice requirements that apply in accordance with Executive
Orders 12898 and 14008, and OMB Memorandum M-21-28, which implements the Justice40
Initiative, section 223 of Executive Order 14008.
29. Compliance with HUD Secretary Fudge’s April 12, 2022 memorandum, “Eliminating
Barriers That May Unnecessarily Prevent Individuals with Criminal Histories from Participation
in HUD Programs”
30. Compliance with equity requirements, including racial equity and underserved communities
and LGBTQ+ requirements that apply in accordance with Executive Orders 13985, 13988, and
14091
31. Compliance with 41 U.S.C. § 4712, which includes informing your employees in writing of
their rights and remedies, in the predominant native language of the workforce. Under 41 U.S.C.
§ 4712, employees of a contractor, subcontractor, grantee, subgrantee, and personal services
contractor may not be discharged, demoted, or otherwise discriminated against as a reprisal for
disclosing information that the employee reasonably believes is evidence of gross
mismanagement of a Federal contract or grant, a gross waste of Federal funds, an abuse of
authority relating to a Federal contract or grant, a substantial and specific danger to public health
or safety, or a violation of law, rule, or regulation related to a Federal contract (including the
competition for or negotiation of a contract) or grant.
32. Compliance with 2 CFR 200.216, Prohibition on Certain Telecommunication and Video
Surveillance Services or Equipment and Executive Orders 14091 and 14110, which includes
prohibition on the use of HUD funds to purchase or fund any form of facial or biometric
recognition technology for the purpose of surveillance or any other use that may adversely
impact equitable access to housing

Page 36 of 41

For item 31 above, please see Federal Contractor or Grantee Protections, Office of Inspector
General, Department of Housing and Urban Development (hudoig.gov).
Environmental Review
In accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(1), (b)(3), and (c)(13) activities funded under this NOFO
are exempt or categorically excluded from environmental review under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321) and not subject to environmental review
under related laws and authorities.
Remedies for Noncompliance
HUD may apply the remedies at 2 CFR 200.339 or impose additional conditions to remedy
noncompliance with any Federal State, or local statutes, regulations, or terms and conditions of
the financial assistance award. If noncompliance cannot be remedied, HUD may terminate a
Federal award, in whole or in part, for any of the reasons specified in 2 CFR 200.340,
Termination.
The Grant Officer may (on reasonable notice to the Grantee and/or Subgrantee), temporarily
suspend the award and withhold further payments pending corrective action by the Grantee
and/or Subgrantee. The award may be terminated in whole or in part before the end of the
performance period For Cause when the Grantee and/or Subgrantee has failed to comply with
the Terms and Conditions, standards, or provisions of this award. The award may be terminated
For Convenience when both parties agree that the continuation of the award would not produce
beneficial results. Action will be taken in accordance with 2 CFR §200.339 (Remedies for NonCompliance) – §200.343 (Effects of Suspension and Termination).
1. Effects of Suspension and Termination: Costs resulting from obligations incurred by the
Grantee or Subgrantee during a suspension or after termination of an award are not allowable
unless HUD expressly authorizes them in the notice of suspension or termination, or
subsequently other Grantee or Subgrantee costs during suspension or after termination, which are
necessary and not reasonably avoidable, are allowable if:
a. The costs result from obligations which were properly incurred by the Grantee or
Subgrantee before the effective date of suspension or termination, are not in anticipation
of suspension and termination, and, in the case of a termination, are non-cancellable; and
b. The costs would be allowable if the award were not suspended or expired normally at the
end of the funding period in which the termination takes effect.
2. Relationship to Debarment and Suspension: The enforcement remedies identified in this
section, including suspension and termination, do not preclude Grantee or Subgrantee from being
subject to “Debarment and Suspension” under Executive Orders 12549 and 12689, 2 CFR Part
180 (OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (NonProcurement)), and 2 CFR §200.339 (Remedies for Non-Compliance).
Lead-Based Paint Requirements
Not Applicable

C. Reporting
HUD requires recipients to submit performance and financial reports under OMB guidance and
program instructions.
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1. Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters
You should be aware that if the total Federal share of your Federal award includes more than
$500,000 over the period of performance, the award will be subject to post award reporting
requirements reflected in Appendix XII to 2 CFR part 200, Award Terms and Conditions for
Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.
2. Race, Ethnicity and Other Data Reporting
HUD requires recipients that provide HUD-funded program benefits to individuals or families to
report data on the race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and family
characteristics of persons and households who are applicants for, participants in, or beneficiaries
or potential beneficiaries of HUD programs in order to carry out the Department’s
responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act, Executive Order 11063, Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964, and Section 562 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987. These
authorities prohibit discrimination in housing and in programs receiving financial assistance
from the Department and direct the Secretary to administer the Department's programs and
activities in a manner affirmatively to further these policies and to collect certain data to assess
the extent of compliance with these policies. Each recipient shall keep such records and submit
to the Department timely, complete, and accurate compliance reports at such times, and in such
form and containing such information, as the Department may determine to be necessary to
enable it to ascertain whether the recipient has complied or is complying with 24 CFR parts 1
and 121. In general, recipients should have available for the Department data showing the
demographics of beneficiaries of Federally-assisted programs.
Awardees must submit the Race and Ethnic Data Reporting Form, HUD-27061, OMB Approval
No. 2535-0113, to report this information to HUD after the award.
3. Compliance with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
(Pub. L. 109-282) as amended (FFATA)
FFATA requires information on Federal awards be made available to the public via a single,
searchable website, which is www.USASpending.gov. Accordingly, each award HUD makes
under this NOFO will be subject to the requirements provided by the Award Term in Appendix
A to 2 CFR part 170, “REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
INFORMATION,” unless the Federal funding for the award (including funding that may be
added through amendments) is not expected to equal or exceed $30,000. Requirements under this
Award Term include filing subaward information in the Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act (FFATA) Sub-award Reporting System (FSRS.gov) by the end of the month
following the month in which the recipient awards any sub-award equal to or greater than
$30,000.
4. Program-Specific Reporting Requirements
HUD expects each award recipient to produce the following deliverables during the 36-month
performance period.
1. Management and Work Plan (MWP) that outlines the overall strategy for completing the
research within the budget and timeframe allotted. It will describe activities to be
undertaken, assign staff, and provide a schedule of key tasks.
2. Research Design describing the methodology that will be used to complete the proposed
research, including collection, management, and analysis of data.
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3. Quality Control Plan that addresses all potential points of a lapse in quality control.
4. Detailed plan for the establishment, sustainability, and ongoing financial stability of the
Center of Excellence.
5. Quarterly Progress Reports that document activities completed in the most recent
reporting period, planned activities for the upcoming reporting period, and budget
expenditures by line item (including hours worked for specific staff). Progress reports
must be submitted quarterly and shall be aligned with the submission of the draw down
requests, by which grantees receive reimbursement.
6. Research Policy Papers related to multiple research projects funded by the award.
7. Final Report that summarizes the entire work, achievements, and findings conducted
under the NOFO award (details follow). The report format and style requirements are
provided at PD&R Style Guide for Reports.
Additionally, awardees must submit annually a report documenting achievement of outcomes
under the purpose of the program and the work plan in the award agreement.
A draft of the Final Report shall also be submitted, which summarizes the work conducted over
the course of the project and presents the study objectives, data sources, analysis methods, and
results. The Draft Final Report is the key deliverable of the study and must serve as a standalone
document that meets the overall objective of this project. The Final Report must adequately
address any HUD comments received for the Draft Final Report. This report is expected to be
submitted immediately before the conclusion of the grant. Both the Draft Final Report and Final
Report should be edited and prepared for publication in accordance with HUD's Guidelines for
Preparing a Report for Publication, available at: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/About/styleguide-for-reports.pdf

D. Debriefing
For a period of at least 120 calendar days, beginning 30 calendar days after the public
announcement of awards under this NOFO, if requested, HUD will provide a debriefing related
to their application. The AOR or the AOR’s successor must submit a written request for
debriefing via mail or email to the POC in Section VII Agency Contact(s) of this NOFO.
Information provided during a debriefing may include the applicant’s final score for each rating
factor, final evaluator comments for each rating factor, and the final assessment indicating the
basis upon which funding was approved or denied.

VII. AGENCY CONTACT(S)
HUD staff will be available to provide clarification on the content of this NOFO.
Questions regarding specific program requirements for this NOFO should be directed to the POC
listed below.
Name:
Kinnard Wright
Phone:
202-402-7495
Email:
Kinnard.D.Wright@hud.gov
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Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as individuals who have speech or
communication disabilities may use a relay service to reach the agency contact. To learn more
about how to make an accessible telephone call, visit the webpage for the Federal
Communications Commission.
Note that HUD staff cannot assist applicants in preparing their applications.

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION
1. Compliance of this NOFO with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
This NOFO does not direct, provide for assistance or loan and mortgage insurance for, or
otherwise govern or regulate, real property acquisition, disposition, leasing (other than tenantbased rental assistance), rehabilitation, demolition, or new construction, or establish revise or
provide for standards for construction or construction materials, manufactured housing, or
occupancy. Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(1), this NOFO is categorically excluded from
environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321).
2. Web Resources.
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA)
Climate Action Plan
Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)
Code of Conduct Requirements and E-Library
Environmental Review
Equal Participation of Faith-Based Organizations
Fair Housing Rights and Obligations
Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) Subaward Reporting
System
Grants.gov
Healthy Homes Strategic Plan
Healthy Housing Reference Manual
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
HUD’s Disability Overview
HUD’s Strategic Plan
HUD Grants
HUD Reform Act
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HUD Reform Act: HUD Implementing Regulations
Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
NOFO Webcasts
Procurement of Recovered Materials
Promise Zones
Rural.gov
Rural Partners Network Community Networks
State Point of Contact List
System for Award Management (SAM)
Real Estate Acquisition and Relocation
Unique Entity Identifier
USA Spending
3. Program Relevant Web Resources
None.

APPENDIX

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