Fair Housing Initiatives Program Education and Outreach Initiative

The Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) is a federal initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Its primary goal is to promote awareness of fair housing rights and combat housing discrimination by supporting nonprofit and governmental entities that engage in fair housing enforcement, outreach, and education. FHIP consists of multiple initiatives, including the Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI), the Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI), and the Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI). This grant opportunity—FR-6900-N-21-A—focuses specifically on the EOI and aims to enhance public awareness and understanding of the Fair Housing Act, including compliance guidance for housing providers and protections for the public. The EOI under FR-6900-N-21-A provides funding to entities that implement education and outreach programs focused on fair housing. Eligible applicants include Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (QFHOs), Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (FHOs), non-profit organizations, state and local governments, and public agencies working on the prevention or elimination of discriminatory housing practices. The program emphasizes increasing knowledge of housing rights among underserved communities and marginalized populations, including persons with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals with limited English proficiency. Under this initiative, eligible activities include the development and dissemination of fair housing educational materials, hosting of public service events or campaigns, and conducting fair housing training sessions for housing industry stakeholders. Grants may also support regional conferences, webinars, and the creation of educational media, including print, radio, television, and digital formats. Funds cannot be used for lobbying activities or to support litigation or enforcement actions; rather, they are strictly for non-enforcement educational programming as defined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The application process requires applicants to submit all components through Grants.gov by the posted deadline. Applications must include a complete SF-424 form, a detailed project narrative, a logic model, and budget justifications. Evaluation criteria include organizational experience and capacity, clarity of project design and implementation strategy, and the potential for measurable impact. Applications are reviewed competitively, and final selections are made by HUD. The closing date for this funding opportunity is September 6, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET. The anticipated award announcement date is on or after November 5, 2024. This opportunity is not offered on a rolling basis but is recurring annually, with future notices expected around the same time each year. The NOFO does not identify any pre-application requirements or deadlines such as letters of intent. Interested applicants are encouraged to email AllAboutFHIP@hud.gov for further inquiries and can also contact Monica Falstad at Monica.J.Falstad@hud.gov or (202) 402-3847 for program-specific questions. This grant is part of HUD’s broader efforts to uphold the principles of the Fair Housing Act and to support initiatives that protect individuals and communities from discriminatory housing practices. Award ceilings for this initiative vary by program type; for general EOI applicants, the ceiling is $125,000, and for those applying under the Tester Coordinator Training Component, the ceiling is $300,000. A total of $10,500,000 is available for all awards under this funding announcement. No matching is required for participation in this program.

Ensure budget narratives are clearly aligned with expected outcomes. Define target audiences.