• Updates
• General Information
• RHED Comparison of Scoring Criteria
• Information from HAC Audio-Web Conference on Applying for HUD RHED (PDF)
• Link to April 12 Audio-Web Conference Record (audio link)

Important! HUD now requires that all applications be submitted electronically at www.grants.gov. Online registration takes several weeks to complete, so start now!

General Information

Purpose

The purpose of the Rural Housing & Economic Development (RHED) Program is to provide support for innovating housing and economic development activities in rural areas.

Available Funds

$16,830,000 in FY 2007.

The maximum amount awarded to a successful applicant will be $300,000 in FY 2007.

There is no match required under the RHED program. However, applicants that submit evidence of leveraging dollars under Rating Factor 4 will receive points according to the scale provided in the NOFA.

Submission Information

Applications for the RHED program must be received and validated by Grants.gov no later than 11:59:59 pm eastern time on May 23, 2007. Applicants are advised to submit their applications at least 48 to 72 hours in advance of the deadline as validation can take up to 72 hours.

Applicant Information

Only one application will be accepted from any organization.

Eligible applicants are:

• Local rural non-profits organizations,
• Community development corporations,
• Federally recognized Indian tribes,
• State housing finance agencies, and
• State community and/or economic development agencies.

• A non-urban place having fewer than 2,500 inhabitants (within or outside of a metropolitan area),
• A county or parish with an urban population of 20,000 inhabitants or less,
• Territory, including its persons and housing units, in the rural portion of "extended cities" as identified by the US Census Bureau,
• Open country that is not a part of or associated with an urban area, and/or
• Any place with a population not in excess of 20,000 inhabitants and not located in a Metropolitan Statistical Area.

• Cost of using new of innovative construction, energy efficiency, or other techniques that will result in the design or construction of innovative housing and economic development projects,
• Preparation of plans or of architectural or engineering drawings,
• Acquisition of land and buildings,
• Demolition of land and building to permit construction activities,
• Purchase of construction materials,
• Homeownership counseling,
• Conducting conferences or meeting with other federal, state, tribal, or regional housing organizations,
• Establishing Community Development Financial Institutions, lines of credit, revolving loan funds, microenterprises, and small business incubators, and
• Provision of direct financial assistance to homeowners/businesses/developers, etc.

1. Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organization Experience

• Team members, composition, and experience
• Organization structure and management capacity
• Experience with performance based funding requirements
• Past Rural Housing and Economic Development (RHED) experience, if applicable

  2. Need and Extent of the Problem

• Poverty rate, as compared to the national average
• Unemployment for the targeted area, as compared to the national average
• Other indicators or social of economic decline that best capture the applicant's local situation
• Demographics of distress - special factors

  3. Soundness of Approach

• Management plan
• Policy priorities

  4. Leveraging Resources

5. Achieving Results and Program Evaluation

HUD will award two bonus points to all applicants that include documentation stating that the proposed activities will be located in and serve federally designated renewal communities.

Criteria Resulting in Automatic Rejection

Applications will be rejected if they:

• Are submitted by ineligible applicants,
• Do not serve an eligible rural area,
• Do not meet the objectives of the RHED program, or
• Propose a project for which the majority of the activities are ineligible.

Previous Funding Rounds

Accessing the NOFA

http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/nofa07/grprhed.cfm

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RHED Comparison of Scoring Criteria

(1) The past performance of previously awarded RHED grantees will be taken into consideration when evaluating Rating Factor 1.

(2)   “HUD has provided an electronic Logic Model that will enable applicants to select from lists the appropriate needs statement(s), activities/outputs and outcomes…  The listing of the activities is referred to as the Master Logic Model List and each list is unique to the program funding opportunity.”

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Data last updated: May 11, 2007