Advancing Building Technology Grant Program

The Advancing Building Technology Grant Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under its Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R). It seeks to support applied research aimed at accelerating the adoption of innovative building technologies that enhance affordable housing production and supply in the United States. The program was created in response to national concerns around housing supply and affordability, aligning with presidential initiatives to address cost-of-living pressures and reduce regulatory barriers in the housing sector. This funding opportunity invites eligible research entities to propose studies in one or more defined research categories. These include rapid post-disaster housing reconstruction using innovative methods, reforms to the HUD Code impacting manufactured housing, adoption and scale of offsite and modular construction, novel financing approaches for modular or manufactured housing, and applications of artificial intelligence to reduce regulatory burdens in the housing development process. The central goal is to generate actionable findings that can guide policy reform, inform regulatory updates, and support faster and more cost-effective housing delivery mechanisms. HUD anticipates making approximately 15 awards, with each award ranging between $500,000 and $1,500,000 for a 36-month project period. Around $10 million is available for this program, with the possibility of additional funds becoming accessible depending on statutory allowances. Awardees will enter into cooperative agreements, indicating substantial involvement from HUD staff in reviewing project management plans, research design, progress reporting, and final deliverables. Allowable costs exclude profit-making and capital renovations but may include modest accessibility improvements to leased space used during the project. Eligible applicants include a broad range of institutions such as state, county, city, and township governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits; for-profit entities (including small businesses); and tribal organizations. Faith-based institutions are also eligible. Individual applicants, however, are not allowed. Matching funds are not required under this program. Applicants must have active SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations, and submissions must be made electronically unless a waiver is obtained at least 15 days before the deadline. The application process includes submission of standard forms (SF-424, HUD-2880, HUD-424B, HUD-50070), a detailed budget and budget narrative, project abstract, responses to rating factors, and resumes of key personnel. Evaluation criteria include the relevance and potential impact of the proposed research, methodological rigor, qualifications of the research team, project management capability, and budget reasonableness. Applications must not exceed 20 pages for narratives and 20 pages for appendices. Applications are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on July 24, 2025. Awards are expected to be announced by September 30, 2025, with performance periods beginning on or around October 7, 2025. Contact for program and application requirements is Michael Stewart at ResearchPartnerships@hud.gov or 202-402-2258. Additional help for paper application waivers can be obtained by contacting Carol Gilliam at the same email or 202-402-4354.

Ensure narrative directly addresses rating factors; do not include narrative content in appendices.