What’s a HUD Grant? 

Every year, The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers billions of dollars in grants and funding directly to local and state governments, non-profit and faith-based organizations, veterans service organizations, public housing agencies, American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and others.

So, who gets a HUD Grant?

HUD awards discretionary funding through over 20 Grant programs that support HUD initiatives, including Affordable Housing Development and Preservation, Community and Economic Development, Environment and Energy, Fair Housing, Homelessness, Homeownership, Rental Assistance, and Supportive Housing and Services. 

How Do I Apply for a HUD Grant?

Anyone applying for a grant needs to be signed up with the Grants.gov website first. To qualify for a grant, you must submit an application or proposal. Typically grants fund a specific program that must be described. Interested organizations can go to the HUD website, Grants Information page to learn more, or go directly to the Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) page. 

Why a HUD Grant for My Housing Authority? 

There are HUD grants available for everything from education and outreach, to senior housing, to technical assistance. For example, one way a housing authority could use HUD grant funding is for improving communications between their organization and the residents and applicants they serve. Learn more about communicating better with apps at Homes4Good  

or signup for the webinar!

Is My Organization Eligible for a HUD Grant?

Determining whether you are eligible to apply for and receive a federal grant is important. When considering eligibility, the first step is to know what type of organization you represent. If you already know whether you will apply on behalf of your organization or as an individual, then you are ready to check your eligibility.

All applicants must be government or quasi-government agencies, or non-profit organizations. You must attend mandatory CoC NOFA Training sessions. And, the project for which you are applying for funding must correlate with one of two categories. 

There are many types of organizations generally eligible to apply for funding opportunities on Grants.gov. Each type of organization listed in the categories below: 

Government Organizations

• State governments
• County governments
• City or township governments
• Special district governments
• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
• Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized)

Education Organizations

• Independent school districts
• Public and state controlled institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education

Public Housing Organizations

• Public housing authorities
• Indian housing authorities

Nonprofit Organizations

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), other than institutions of higher education
• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

For-Profit Organizations

• Organizations other than small businesses

Small Businesses

• Small business grants may be awarded to companies meeting the size standards established by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for most industries in the economy.  

There are many types of organizations generally eligible to apply for funding opportunities on Grants.gov. Each type of organization listed in the categories below is a specific search criterion in Search Grants. Individual applicants are welcome too!

Depending on the intended usage of the grant you are applying for, you may need to file a U.S. tax return which requires a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), also referred to as an employer Identification Number (EIN). If a non-resident alien is awarded funding to perform activities outside the United States, then this likely does not constitute U.S. source income and a TIN/EIN is not necessary. Examples of such funding include scholarships, fellowship grants, targeted grants, and achievement awards.

Before applying, foreign applicants should thoroughly review the IRS website and search for their most recent guidance for Aliens and International Taxpayers.

For more information on HUD specific grants keep an eye out for Part 2 of our HUD Grants blog series on Notice of Funding Opportunities for 2023! In the meantime, you can use https://www.hud.gov/grants as a resource.