Description: The Rural Housing and Economic Development (RHED) Program supports capacity building at the state and local level for rural housing and economic development and innovative housing and economic development activities in rural areas. The RHED Program is authorized by the Departments of Veteran’s Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 105-276). The Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development in HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development administers the program.  Possible activities include: preparation of plans, architectural drawings, acquisition of land and buildings, demolition, provision of infrastructure, purchase of materials and construction costs, use of local labor markets, job training and counseling for beneficiaries and financial services such as revolving loan funds and Individual Development Accounts or IDAs. Other possible activities include: homeownership and financial counseling, application of innovative construction methods; provision of financial assistance to homeowners, businesses, and developers; and the establishment of CDFIs, lines of credit, revolving loan funds, microenterprises, and small business incubators.

Funding Title: Rural Housing and Economic Development

Agency Name: Department of Housing and Urban Development

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

Express Language for Legal Aid: No

Target Population: This program is established to assist nonprofit organizations in rural communities across America. HUD defines rural in three ways:

• A place having fewer than 2,500 inhabitants;
• A county or parish with an urban population of 20,000 inhabitants or less;
• Any place with a population not in excess of 20,000 inhabitants and not located in a Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:    No

How to Apply:  Online submission http://archives.hud.gov/funding/2007/fundsavail.cfm

Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are local rural non-profits, community development corporations (CDCs), federally recognized Indian tribes, state housing finance agencies (HFAs), and state community and/or economic development agencies.

Priority Consideration:   There are five rating factors that will be used to evaluate and rate your application. They are:

• Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organizational Experience
• Need and Extent of the Problem
• Soundness of Approach
• Leveraging Resources
• Achieving Program Results and Evaluation

Policy and Regulations on Use of Funds:     See http://archives.hud.gov/funding/2007/gensec.pdf

Current/Past Funding Recipients:      2009

Samples of Successful Application:      2008

Link to Full Announcement:    http://archives.hud.gov/funding/2007/gensec.pdf

Contact Information:

Thann Young Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

451 7th Street SW, Room 7137, Washington DC, District of Columbia 20410

Email: thann.young@hud.gov

Phone: 1-877-787-2526

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/economicdevelopment/programs/rhed

Categories: Consumer, Housing, Housing and Urban Development, Native American Tribes or Tribal Organizations, Non-profit Organizations, Rural, Subgrant Possibilities