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HHS – Assets for Independence Demonstration Program (2014)

By NLADA on July 20, 2014 • ( 0 )

Description: The Office of Community Services (OCS) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announces that competing applications will be accepted for grants to administer projects for the national Assets for Independence (AFI) of Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). The projects will provide IDAs and related services to individuals and families with low incomes.

A primary feature of each AFI project is that participants save earned income in an IDA to purchase a home, capitalize or expand a business for self-employment, or attend postsecondary education or training. Projects also ensure that participants have access to financial education training and coaching, including family budgeting, debt and credit counseling, using mainstream financial products, and accessing refundable tax credits.

As a condition of their federal AFI grant, grantees must provide non-federal funds to support their AFI project in an amount at least equal to the Federal AFI grant amount.

Funding Title: Assets for Independence Demonstration Program

Agency Name: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Office of Community Services

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

Express Language for Legal Aid: No

Target Population: States and local communities

Expected Number of Awards: 50

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: Grantees are required to meet a non-federal share of the project cost, in accordance with The Assets for Independence Act (Title IV of the Community Opportunities, Accountability, and Training and Educational Services Act of 1998, as amended, Pub. L. 105-285, 42 U.S.C. 604 note)

How to Apply: Each applicant applying electronically via http: //www. grants.gov is required to upload only two electronic files, excluding Standard Forms and OMB-approved forms.

Current Closing Date for Applications:

FY 2014: 05/07/2014 and 07/14/2014
FY 2015: 10/27/2014 and 04/20/2015
FY 2016: 10/19/2015 and 04/18/2016

Estimated Total Program Funding: $12,500,000

Award Ceiling: $1,000,000

Award Floor: $10,000

Eligible Applicants:

Small businesses
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Special district governments
Independent school districts
County governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
State governments
Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
For profit organizations other than small businesses
City or township governments
Non-profit entities without 501(c)(3) status may only apply as a collaboration/consortia applicant with an entity that does have 501(c)(3) status. Additionally, governmental entities are eligible only as collaboration/consortia applicants with a non-profit organization having 501(c)(3) status. Applications submitted by collaboration/consortia applicants, for example, by a state, a local or tribal government agency, and a non-profit organization must clearly identify the organizations that are the collaboration/consortia applicant.