Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2021 ACF OCS EE 1965
The Community Economic Development (CED) Projects grant opportunity is a discretionary funding program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS). Through this competition, OCS planned to award about $13.6 million total to support projects led by Community Development Corporations (CDCs) that are designed to create jobs and expand business activity for people with low income. The program is positioned as part of a broader economic and community revitalization strategy, aimed at reducing long-term reliance on federal assistance, addressing chronic unemployment, and countering ongoing deterioration in both urban and rural communities.
At the core of this opportunity is the expectation that proposed projects are not only creative, but also well-planned and financially viable. Funding is intended to help CDCs launch or grow business enterprises and related economic development activities that result in real, countable employment outcomes for individuals with low income. In addition to creating positions, grantees are expected to actively recruit low-income individuals into the jobs generated by the project and provide the supports needed for them to successfully retain employment. The emphasis is not simply on job placement, but on job success and stability, with a clear requirement that the businesses and jobs created remain viable for at least one year after the grant period ends.
CED projects may involve construction or non-construction activities. However, the program draws an important distinction between permanent or ongoing jobs and temporary jobs. Specifically, short-term construction jobs that occur while preparing for a business startup or expansion do not count toward the job creation totals required under the CED program, because those roles are inherently temporary. This detail matters for project design: applicants need to demonstrate how the investment leads to sustained business operations and ongoing employment, rather than relying on temporary build-out labor to meet performance expectations.
OCS signaled several priority directions it wanted applicants to consider. It encouraged CDCs to focus on rural areas and other underserved locations, particularly in states where there were no current CED projects. It also encouraged projects that align with the healthcare industry, reflecting interest in sectors with strong demand and potential for sustainable employment. In rural contexts, OCS highlighted communities facing high poverty, high unemployment, and substance use disorder as areas of concern, along with rural communities experiencing persistent poverty as identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. In practice, this means applications that can clearly connect a business development strategy to these place-based challenges and labor market needs may be especially responsive to the program's intent.
From a funding mechanics standpoint, this opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-EE-1965; CFDA 93.570) anticipated making about 17 awards, with an award ceiling of $800,000 per grant. Applications were due July 12, 2021, with electronic submissions required by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. Overall, the opportunity was designed for CDC-led economic development initiatives that can show credible planning, realistic financial projections, measurable job creation for low-income individuals, and a strategy for keeping both the enterprise and the employment outcomes going well beyond the grant period.Apply for HHS 2021 ACF OCS EE 1965
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - OCS in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Economic Development Projects" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.570.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 25, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 12, 2021 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 17 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Community Economic Development (CED) Projects Grant (HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-EE-1965) FAQs
What is the Community Economic Development (CED) Projects grant?
The Community Economic Development (CED) Projects grant is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS). It is designed to support projects led by Community Development Corporations (CDCs) that create jobs and expand business activity for people with low income.
What is the main purpose of the CED program?
The program’s purpose is to help CDCs launch or grow business enterprises and related economic development activities that produce real, countable employment outcomes for individuals with low income. It also fits into a broader strategy focused on economic and community revitalization, including reducing long-term reliance on federal assistance, addressing chronic unemployment, and countering deterioration in urban and rural communities.
Who is expected to lead CED projects?
Projects are expected to be led by Community Development Corporations (CDCs), based on the stated intent of the funding opportunity to support CDC-led initiatives.
How much total funding was OCS planning to award through this competition?
OCS planned to award approximately $13.6 million total through this competition.
About how many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated making about 17 awards.
What is the maximum award amount per grant?
The award ceiling was $800,000 per grant.
What kinds of activities can a CED project include?
CED projects may include construction or non-construction activities, as long as the overall project supports launching or expanding a business enterprise and results in sustained job creation for people with low income.
Do temporary construction jobs count toward required job creation totals?
No. The program distinguishes between permanent/ongoing jobs and temporary jobs. Short-term construction jobs that occur while preparing for a business startup or expansion do not count toward the job creation totals required under the CED program because they are inherently temporary.
What types of jobs are expected to count under the program?
The program emphasizes sustained business operations and ongoing employment. The focus is on permanent or ongoing jobs tied to the enterprise created or expanded through the project, rather than temporary roles such as short-term construction work.
Is the program focused only on job placement?
No. The emphasis is on job success and stability. Grantees are expected not only to recruit individuals with low income into the jobs created by the project, but also to provide the supports needed for them to successfully retain employment.
What expectations are there for recruiting people with low income into project-created jobs?
Grantees are expected to actively recruit individuals with low income into the jobs generated by the project, rather than treating recruitment as optional or incidental.
What does the opportunity say about business and job viability after the grant ends?
There is a clear requirement that the businesses and jobs created remain viable for at least one year after the grant period ends. This means applicants are expected to plan beyond the grant timeline and demonstrate that operations and employment outcomes can continue.
How important is planning and financial viability in this opportunity?
Planning and financial viability are central expectations. Proposed projects are expected to be creative but also well-planned and financially viable, with credible planning and realistic financial projections.
What kinds of outcomes does OCS want projects to demonstrate?
Projects should result in measurable, countable job creation for individuals with low income, along with a strategy for retaining those workers and sustaining the enterprise and jobs beyond the grant period.
Were any priority directions highlighted by OCS?
Yes. OCS encouraged applicants to consider focusing on rural areas and other underserved locations, especially in states where there were no current CED projects. OCS also encouraged projects that align with the healthcare industry.
Why are rural areas emphasized in the stated priorities?
In rural contexts, OCS highlighted concern for communities facing high poverty, high unemployment, and substance use disorder, as well as rural communities experiencing persistent poverty as identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service.
How does alignment with the healthcare industry fit into this opportunity?
OCS specifically encouraged projects that align with the healthcare industry, reflecting an interest in sectors with strong demand and potential for sustainable employment. The opportunity suggests such alignment may be responsive to program intent.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this CED competition?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-EE-1965.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 93.570.
When were applications due?
Applications were due July 12, 2021.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Electronic submissions were required.
What was the submission deadline time zone and cutoff time?
Applications needed to be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.
What does the opportunity suggest applicants should avoid when designing job creation claims?
Applicants should avoid relying on temporary, short-term construction jobs to meet job creation expectations, since those do not count toward the program’s job creation totals. Instead, applicants are expected to show how the project leads to sustained operations and ongoing employment.
What kinds of communities were called out as particularly relevant for place-based need?
The opportunity highlighted rural communities with high poverty, high unemployment, and substance use disorder, as well as rural communities experiencing persistent poverty identified by USDA’s Economic Research Service. It also encouraged focus on underserved locations more broadly, including states without current CED projects.
What is the overall theme of what makes a strong CED application based on the description?
Based on the description, a strong application is expected to show credible planning, realistic financial projections, measurable job creation for people with low income, active recruitment and retention supports, and a clear strategy to keep the enterprise and jobs viable for at least one year after the grant period ends.
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