HUD Makes Nearly $110 Million in Grants Available to Help Low-income Families Receive Job Training, Gain Employment
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced that nearly $110 million is available through three grant programs to help families who receive HUD rental assistance get the necessary education or job training to gain employment. One of the grant programs also helps senior citizens connect with supportive services to allow them to remain in their home.
"All of these programs have a good track record of collaborating with community service providers to leverage the education and job training that help low-income families move to economic independence," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "I am pleased HUD can make these resources available again to help families hard hit in these economic times."
HUD Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Public and Indian Housing Family Self- Sufficiency Program (PH FSS) and the Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency Program (HCV FSS) can be accessed at Grants.gov.
Public housing authorities are eligible for approximately $15 million in PH FSS grants and approximately $60 million in HCV FSS grants. Both programs help housing authorities to hire or retain caseworkers to link adult public housing residents or Housing Choice Voucher recipients to local organizations that provide job training, childcare, counseling, transportation and job placement.
A third funding notice for HUD's Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency-Service Coordinator Program (ROSS-SC) can also be accessed on Grants.gov. Public housing authorities, non profit agencies and public housing resident associations are eligible for the nearly $35 million in funding. These organizations use the funding to hire or retain "service coordinators" to work directly with residents to assess their needs to connect them with education, job training and placement programs and/or computer and financial literacy services available in their community to promote self-sufficiency. For the elderly or disabled, the service coordinator arranges supportive services that allow them to maintain their independent lifestyle.
The application deadlines for these grant program are as follow:
- HCV FSS - June 8, 2011;
- PH FSS - June 29, 2011 and
- ROSS - July 13, 2011.