FY24 Eviction Protection Grant Program
Purpose
The Eviction Protection Grant Program (EPGP) through this NOFO will fund nonprofit organizations and government entities to provide no cost legal assistance to low-income tenants at risk of or subject to eviction. Additionally, projects will expand the evidence base around eviction protection and diversion programming, by reporting information about tenants served, legal assistance services provided, outcomes achieved and milestones reached, and collaborative activities.
Changes from previous NOFO
HUD launched EPGP in 2021, funding two cycles of grantees under the original NOFO, FR-6500-N-79. Significant changes from the 2021 NOFO are as follows:
a. Developed outcome-oriented program goals and funding priorities, and corresponding rating factor revisions, to fund projects most aligned with HUD’s strategic goals.
b. Funding priority for collaborative projects that break down silos between legal and other housing stability services.
c. Further integrated and prioritized racial equity, Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, and centering impacted communities, in accordance with Executive Orders 13985 and 14091, Federal fair housing and civil rights laws, and program policies.
d. Increased emphasis on applicant’s capacity and commitment to program implementation, proposed project outcomes, and program management, balanced with holistic evaluation of experience and resources.
e. Clarified guidance on eligible beneficiaries, to ease burden on applicants in determining eligibility; better account for the spectrum of experiences setting a tenant on imminent course to facing eviction; and allow for earlier interventions.
f. Clarified applicant eligibility and relevant experience requirement to address questions received from previous applicants.
g. Clarified the eligible legal assistance services and activities, providing applicants with more guidance on allowable eviction protection interventions.
h. Additional revisions to application requirements and review criteria:
o Revised “rural areas” definition, adopting OMB’s delineation of nonmetropolitan counties, Section I.A.4.b.
o Added program-specific required supplemental materials – partner letter of support, project timeline, and applicable subrecipient resumes – to content and form of application submission, Section IV.B.
o Revised rating factors and narrative response prompts in review criteria, maintaining broad factor headings and scoring distribution, Section V.A.1.
o Added past performance considerations that HUD will account for in application review and selection, Section V.B.1.
o Added discretion to limit total amount of funds available to applicants who received EPGP funds in FY21 or FY22, per Congressional guidance to provide some awards to new applicants, Section V.B.3.
i. Additional revisions to program requirements:
o Clarified participation requirements for grantees, Section III.F. 3.
o Provided additional guidance on allowable costs, direct costs, and indirect costs in funding restrictions, Section IV.F.
o Updated Administrative, National and Departmental Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD Applicants and Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards in accordance with the HUD requirements, Section VI.B. Additionally, this section clarifies requirements related to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. Furthermore, this section is updated to provide program details related to its termination policy.
o Clarified program-specific reporting requirements and added updates in accordance with HUD requirements to document and keep on file racial and other demographic data related to beneficiaries, Section VI.C.
Available Funds
Funding of approximately $40,000,000 is available through this NOFO. Subject to appropriations, HUD reserves the right to award fiscal year 2025 funds based on this NOFO competition.
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.
Congress appropriated $20,000,000 in FY 2023 and $20,000,000 in FY 2024, under the Appropriations Acts cited in Section I.B.
Subject to the restrictions in Section II.C, HUD also reserves the right to re-open this NOFO with a new due date for the purpose of awarding FY 2025 and prior-year funds, as applicable.
Program Office:
Policy Development and Research
Funding Opportunity Title:
Eviction Protection Grant Program
Funding Opportunity Number:
FR-6800-N-79
Assistance Listing Number:
14.537
Due Date for Applications:
08/20/2024