Join the Housing Assistance Council’s Empowering Organizations for Successful Homeowner Rehabilitation learning cohort, specifically designed for organizations embarking on or expanding their homeowner rehabilitation activities. This series, sponsored by HUD’s Rural Capacity Building Program, focuses on strengthening the abilities of nonprofit groups to provide essential rehabilitation services to low-income rural homeowners.
Participants will engage in targeted training sessions that cover every aspect of the homeowner rehabilitation process—from crafting effective marketing strategies to applying the final touches on a project. This curriculum is tailored to equip your team with the necessary technical skills for homeowner rehabilitation, while also deepening their understanding of tailored strategies to meet the unique needs of rural, low-income homeowners. Emphasizing the removal of health and safety risks, enhancing energy efficiency, and preserving existing homes, this program ensures your organization is well-prepared to make a significant impact in your community.
Applications must be submitted by May 15, 2024, using the form provided. Spaces are limited, and selections will be made based on each applicant’s potential impact and alignment with program goals.
Applicants must:
Applicants meeting the initial criteria will need to submit further documentation to confirm eligibility.
To support participation, eligible individuals can receive a travel scholarship for in-person workshop events. Each eligible participant can receive up to $2,000 per training session to assist with travel and training expenses. Organizations outside the contiguous U.S. may receive an increased allowance of $2,500 per session.
Consistent participation is essential. Failure to attend all required sessions will lead to forfeiture of the scholarship for future trainings. This policy ensures that participants fully benefit from the program.
We invite you to apply to this transformative journey with the “Empowering Organizations for Successful Homeowner Rehabilitation” program. By participating you can help create inclusive communities and make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and families in need of safe, healthy, and quality housing. Together, let’s enhance homes and communities for a brighter future.
The Community Builder plays a crucial role in advancing HAC’s mission, engaging in a range of responsibilities and special projects that focus on place, people, and community-based strategies. With a primary emphasis on developing and sustaining the capacity to improve housing and communities in rural areas, the Community Builder provides direct technical assistance, coaching, and training to nonprofit organizations, local and regional government agencies, and others. This role is key in facilitating affordable housing and community and economic development opportunities through state and federal programs.
HAC is seeking to hire six (6) Community Builders, each bringing expertise in one or more of the following areas: Financial Management and Accountability, Real Estate Finance, Construction Management, Housing on Native American Lands, Community and Public Facilities, Homeless Prevention and Assistance, and Homeowner Rehabilitation.
This position is open to candidates located anywhere in the contiguous United States, within a two-hour drive of a major airport, enabling efficient travel as needed.
The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) is dedicated to supporting those who have answered the highest call of service to our nation. Our Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans (AHRV) Initiative aids local nonprofit housing organizations in improving housing conditions for veterans in their communities with support from The Home Depot Foundation. The brick-and-mortar projects that AHRV funds provide critical home repair, rehab, and construction for low-income, elderly, homeless, and/or disabled veterans. All this support is tailored to meet the specific needs of veterans in each community. At HAC’s 2023 National Rural Housing Conference, the Veterans Stakeholder Meeting convened practitioners from around the country to share ideas and best practices. The centerpiece of the meeting was a series of presentations from a panel that included: Housing organizations from across the country benefited from hearing detailed presentations on housing efforts and gained insights on how organizations can work to better support veterans. Here are four key takeaways from the meeting:
The National Rural Housing Conference brought together practitioners from across the country. By sharing ideas as broad as the importance of partnership and as specific as the nitty-gritty of how a question is asked, these leaders learned lessons they can put into practice in their communities. As each community tailors these best practices to meet the specific needs of their veterans, HAC and The Home Depot Foundation will be there, supporting the local initiatives that bring us one step closer to a nation in which all veterans can have a healthy, accessible, and affordable place to call home.
HAC’s Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans (AHRV) Initiative supports local nonprofit housing development organizations that meet or help meet the affordable housing needs of veterans with low incomes in rural places. Grants typically range up to $30,000 per organization and must support bricks-and-mortar projects that assist low-income, elderly and/or disabled veterans with critical home repair, accessibility modifications, support homeless veterans, help veterans become homeowners, and/or secure affordable rental housing.
HAC’s AHRV Initiative is funded through the generous support of The Home Depot Foundation. Applications are due by 4:00PM (EST) on or before Monday, January 22, 2024. For more information, contact HAC staff, ahrv@ruralhome.org. No phone calls please. Program staff will be available to answer questions during the Grant Funding Opportunity HAC 2024 AHRV RFP Overview webinar on January 10, 2024, at 2PM (ET).
Download the Application Package: Application (WORD) | Application Guidelines | Webinar Presentation
In rural areas, approximately one in three adults lives with a disability. Rural America also has a higher proportion of older residents than the nation as a whole. There is a pressing need to address the unique housing challenges facing these vulnerable populations. To empower rural communities with the necessary skills and expertise to do just that, we are excited to share that HAC has chosen 30 individuals from 27 organizations to participate in our exclusive Accessible and Universal Design workshop series.
Thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, this workshop series aims to equip participants with the latest tools and best practices tailored to address the unique challenges faced by rural communities. Shonterria Charleston, HAC’s Director of Training and Technical Assistance, emphasized, “rural residents living with disabilities encounter various obstacles. In recognition of Disability Pride Month, HAC is pleased to offer the Accessible and Universal Design Learning Series. This series is designed to highlight essential resources, expand capacity, and enrich expertise that empowers rural communities to implement inclusive housing programs that address the needs of all residents.”
A summary of the selected participants and the list of awarded organizations can be found below.
The Housing Assistance Council’s (HAC) Accessible and Universal Design workshop series is an opportunity to learn how housing activities can address the accessibility, mobility, and design needs of every client. This series will provide 30 housing professionals with the foundation, skills, and real-world examples needed to design and reimagine housing programs that support the changing needs of clients at every stage of life.
Through the learning series, HAC will guide participants on integrating accessible and universal design principles into their housing design and construction activities. By focusing on factors such as accessibility, mobility, and design flexibility, attendees will gain valuable insights on how to meet the diverse needs of community members.
Does your organization want to have housing programs that meet the needs of all people, regardless of age, ability, or life circumstance? Do you want to build and renovate affordable housing to make it accessible to a majority of people and allow people to age in place?
The Housing Assistance Council’s (HAC) Accessible and Universal Design workshop series is an opportunity to learn how your organization’s housing activities can address the accessibility, mobility, and design needs of every client. This series will provide 30 housing professionals with the foundation, skills, and real-world examples needed to design and reimagine housing programs to support the changing needs of clients at every stage of life.
Through the learning series, we will guide you on integrating accessible and universal design principles into your housing design and construction activities. By focusing on factors such as accessibility, mobility, and design flexibility, you will gain valuable insights on how to meet the diverse needs of your community members at all life stages.
Who should participate in HAC’s Accessible and Universal Design workshop series?
As part of our commitment to empowering housing professionals with hands-on knowledge and skills, this workshop series is limited to 30 dedicated individuals who will:
What’s more, as a participant, you’ll also be eligible to receive reimbursement for travel and training expenses (up to $1500 per training) to attend the two required in-person training events.
Please note that it is essential for each deliverable to be fully completed before proceeding to the next one in the sequence; participant substitutions not permitted.
To be eligible for participation in “Accessible and Universal Design,” you must be a located in or providing most services in a non-urbanized area or rural community, represent a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or local municipality and be eligible to participate in HUD’s Rural Capacity Building Program, and commit to attending the two in-person training events on October 22 – 24, 2023 in Washington DC and at a location to be determined in early February 2024,
The deadline for application submission is July 14, 2023, and the pilot will be limited to 30 successful applicants. The organization should allocate adequate time, resources, and personnel for the duration of the workshop series, showcasing a commitment to implementing accessible and universal design features in their housing programs.
Join us on this journey to creating inclusive communities through accessible and universal design principles and make a significant impact on the lives of individuals and families in need of affordable, accessible housing.
Contact: Dan Stern, dan@ruralhome.org
(202) 516-6882
Washington, DC, May 15, 2023 – The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) has been awarded a total of $6,325,000 funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to invest in the capacity of rural communities and help rural families achieve homeownership. HAC was awarded $4,000,000 from the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) and $2,325,000 in Rural Capacity Building (RCB) funding. The funds represent a portion of HUD’s $22 million investment into rural communities through the SHOP and RCB programs.
The funding was announced in conjunction with an event in Russellville, AR at which HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman toured several homes that are being built using funds from HAC’s SHOP program with local partner Universal Housing Development Corporation.
HUD’s official press release announcing the award included the following statement from Secretary Marcia L. Fudge “Today, we are investing in homeownership and expanding access to affordable housing to rural communities. The SHOP program provides a unique pathway for first-time homeowners and underserved groups to buy a home. At HUD, we care about rural America and these capacity building grants are further evidence of our commitment.”
SHOP funding will allow rural homebuyers to invest their sweat equity and hard work towards the construction of their own homes in rural communities. HAC will use its RCB funding to assist a group of eligible rural organizations to undertake affordable housing and community development activities in disadvantaged and other target communities around the country.
“HAC’s decades long partnership with HUD has provided affordable homes for people and increased capacity for organizations in rural communities across the United States,” said David Lipsetz, President & CEO of the Housing Assistance Council. “These awards will improve the lives of countless rural people and highlight HUD’s commitment to rural America!”
The Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) awards grant funds to eligible national and regional nonprofit organizations and consortia. Funds must be used for eligible expenses to develop decent, safe, and sanitary non-luxury housing for low-income persons and families who otherwise would not become homeowners. Examples are for purchasing home sites and developing or improving the infrastructure needed to set the stage for sweat equity and volunteer-based homeownership programs for low-income persons and families. Homebuyers must be willing to contribute significant amounts of their own sweat equity toward the construction or rehabilitation of their homes.
The Rural Capacity Building (RCB) program enhances the capacity and ability of rural housing development organizations, Community Development Corporations (CDCs), Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs), local governments, and Indian tribes to carry out affordable housing and community development activities in rural areas for the benefit of low- and moderate-income families and persons. The Rural Capacity Building program achieves this by funding national organizations with expertise in rural housing and rural community development who work directly to build the capacity of eligible beneficiaries.
The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) is a national nonprofit that supports affordable housing efforts throughout rural America. Since 1971, HAC has provided below-market financing for affordable housing and community development, technical assistance and training, research and information, and policy formulation to enable solutions for rural communities.
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The Housing Assistance Council is soliciting nonprofit organizations, units of local government, and tribal entities interested in participating in its OneRural Capacity Building Program scheduled to begin in early 2024.
Participants selected to participate in HAC’s OneRural Capacity Building Program will receive individualized technical assistance, access to training and informational resources, and reimbursable scholarships to participate in HAC sponsored training.
Eligible entities must:
Preference will be given to Federally designated disaster communities and entities that serve communities determined to be:
Interested entities must:
These deadlines are firm and cannot be extended.
Please note that selection in this round of the OneRural Capacity Building Program is based on eligibility and demonstrated need. Participation cannot be guaranteed.
HAC’s Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans initiative supports local nonprofit housing development organizations that meet or help meet the affordable housing needs of veterans in rural places. Grants typically range up to $30,000 per organization and must support bricks-and-mortar projects that assist low-income, elderly and/or disabled veterans with home repair and rehab needs, support homeless veterans, help veterans become homeowners, and/or secure affordable rental housing.
HAC will be hosting a open forum to discuss this RFP. HAC recommends attending this session prior to submitting a formal application.
This initiative is funded through the generous support of The Home Depot Foundation.
Applications are due by 4:00PM (EST) on or before Monday, January 23, 2023.
Download the Application Package: Application (WORD) | Application Guidelines
For more information, contact HAC staff, ahrv@ruralhome.org. No phone calls please.
Rory Doyle
Housing Assistance Council