Find Nonprofit and Small Business Grants

Grants to USA public or private nonprofit organizations for the training of housing counselors in order to provide consumers with the information they need to make informed housing choices. Training programs must be provided nationwide. Also, training programs offered by or in conjunction with Training Partners must focus on state and local housing issues.

The purpose of this assistance is to continue investing in the creation and maintenance of a professional and effective housing counseling industry that is able to meaningfully assist consumers by providing them with the information they need to make informed housing choices and maximizes the impact of Federal funding appropriated for HUD’s Housing Counseling Program.

Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub. L. No. 111-203 (2010), individual housing counselors participating in HUD’s Housing Counseling Program shall demonstrate, by written examination and certification, that they are competent in providing counseling in each of the core topics.

Section 106(e) of the HUD Act of 1968 (12 USC 1701x(e)) (Section 106) provides for six (6) Core Topics in which housing counselors must be competent. These are: Financial management; Property maintenance; Responsibilities of homeownership and tenancy; Fair housing law and requirements; Housing affordability; and Avoidance of, and responses to, rental and mortgage delinquency and avoidance of eviction and mortgage default. 

HUD also acknowledges the need for more housing counselors trained in Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) default counseling. HUD recognizes the important role housing counselors can provide in helping to mitigate HECM defaults and foreclosures and decrease losses to the MMI Fund. This assistance will expand the number of agencies and counselors who can provide default counseling for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) borrowers.

Current HUD priorities also center on Disaster Preparation and Recovery. Housing Counseling agencies (HCA's) are in a unique position to help their communities prepare for and recover from a disaster. They can help their clients prepare for disasters by integrating preparedness into their counseling and education activities. Post-disaster, they can use their knowledge of local resources and programs to help clients navigate the complexities of disaster recovery resources and programs. This NOFA supports courses that provide training in the areas of disaster preparation and recovery. 

For required activities, see the following link: https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/SPM/documents/FY19_HOUSING_COUNSELING_TRAINING.pdf#page=12

For eligible activities and training topics, see the following link: https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/SPM/documents/FY19_HOUSING_COUNSELING_TRAINING.pdf#page=13

For a list of additional requirements, see the following link: https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/SPM/documents/FY19_HOUSING_COUNSELING_TRAINING.pdf#page=18