March 2006

In This Issue

• President Bush's Proposed FY 2007 Budget
• HUD FY 2006 SuperNOFA
• Federal Funding Opportunities
• Private Foundation Funding

President Bush's Proposed FY 2007 Budget

Housing & Urban Development Department

The Bush Administration has given up on its previous efforts to make major changes in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), including moving the program to the Commerce Department. But the FY 2007 budget proposal continues administration attempts to consolidate economic development funding streams together at much lower levels, and revise the distribution formula for CDBG. The budget would target the reduced funding to communities most at-risk, and award bonus grants to communities which have shown progress developing innovative economic and community development strategies.

The FY 2006 appropriation for CDBG formula grants is $3.7 billion; the Bush proposal for FY 2007 is $2.975 billion, a $736 million reduction. In addition, the budget proposal would fold Rural Housing and Economic Development and other programs into CDBG.

There may be more extensive changes made to CDBG during the Congressional budget process – it appears Congress will be developing its own ideas on reforming CDBG, rather than use administration proposals. The House Commerce Committee recently approved a report (H Rpt. 109-365) that includes recommendations for improving the CDBG program. Expect Congress to use an upcoming report by the Government Accountability Office as a guide to possible ways of revising the CDBG program.

Homeless assistance programs: The Bush budget includes a $209 million proposed increase for homeless assistance for FY 2007, bringing overall aid to an all-time high of $1.536 billion. However, the increase will not go to the existing Continuum of Care discretionary grant program. Instead, additional funds are provided for HUD’s share of the multi-agency Prisoner Re-Entry program, at $25 million, and $200 million in additional funds for the Good Samaritan initiative, which helps integrate housing, mental health and other services for the chronically homeless who suffer from mental illness.

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): The Administration proposes a $14 million increase over the FY 2006 appropriation of $286 million, to $300 million for FY 2007.

Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP): There is a small decrease of $1 million from the FY 2006 appropriation proposed.

Housing Counseling: The Administration proposes a small increase of $2.5 million from the $42.5 million appropriated in FY 2006 to $45 million for FY 2007.

Department of Justice

Office on Violence Against Women
STOP Grants would decline by $14.4 million, from $187.3 million appropriated in FY 2006 to $172.9 million for FY 2007. However, the Legal Assistance for Victims grant appropriation would increase by $6.5 million, from $39.2 million appropriated in FY 2006 to $45.7 million in FY 2007. There would be no change to the Rural Domestic Violence program appropriation at $38.9 million.

Office for Victims of Crime
The Administration is once again attempting to rescind the balance in the Crime Victims Fund. A review of their proposal indicates that they are requesting to remove $1.255 (virtually the same amount as last year) from the Fund so that the unobligated amount in the Fund to be carried over to FY 2008 would be zero. Once again, efforts to save the Fund balance are being ably led by the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators.

The amount that the Administration proposes for the FY 2007 VOCA cap on total Crime Victims Fund obligations is $625 million, $25 million more than requested for FY 2006, but the same amount as Congress authorized.

Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative: There would be a substantial increase of almost $10 million in the amount of DOJ’s share of this multi-agency program, from $5 million appropriated in FY 2006 to $14.8 million for FY 2007. The Department of Labor’s funding for their Prisoner Re-entry Program would remain level for FY 2007 at $19.6 million.

Department of Health and Human Services

Once again, the Administration has taken on the Community Services Block Grant, proposing the elimination of all $643 million for this formula grant program in FY 2007. Unlike last year, the proposed Bush budget also would eliminate all discretionary grants (e.g., economic development, rural facilities, food and nutrition) except for the Individual Development Account demonstration project, which would again receive $24 million.

While these eliminations are unlikely, the past couple of years the House has, at least at first, gone along with significant reductions in the CSBG program.

Ryan White CARE Act: The Administration proposes an increase of $95 million for FY 2007 to $2.158 billion, from just over $2 billion in FY 2006. The proposed budget includes a new Domestic HIV/AIDS initiative, which appears to actually be new (not just redirected) money. About $95 million would be distributed, including $70 million to reduce state waiting lists for services and medications, and $25 million to expand outreach efforts, through use of nonprofit intermediaries.

On February 28, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) introduced a bill to reauthorize and amend the Ryan White CARE Act (S. 2339). Go to the Communities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief (CAEAR) Coalition’s Reauthorization Action Center for more information about the reauthorization process.

This year, Congress’ legislative calendar will be tightly packed with all of the issues legislators must tackle in the coming months. This year boasts the fewest legislative days for Congress in twenty years, and this compressed schedule, due to the election in November, is sure to make finishing appropriations bills for FY 2007 before the end of FY 2006 on October 1, a task lawmakers find difficult even with more ample time, next to impossible.

HUD Releases FY 2006 SuperNOFA

The HUD SuperNOFA (Notice of Funds Available) was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, March 8. Updated information about the SuperNOFA and application materials are available on HUD’s website. The following is information about four competitive funding streams that many civil legal aid programs have taken advantage of in the past.

• Fair Housing Initiatives Programs (FHIP)
  Deadline: Wednesday, May 17, 2006
  Webcast Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2006, 11:00 AM - 2:45 PM
  Federal Register, vol. 71, pg. 11785

  Approximately $18 million was awarded in competitive grants in FY 2005; level funding at $18.1 million is available for FY 2006. FHIP grantees provide assistance to individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination. General information about FHIP can be found on HUD’s website.

  This year, two FHIP initiatives provide competitive grants to eligible organizations:

  1. Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI): $13.9 million is available to assist private, tax-exempt fair housing enforcement organizations in the investigation and enforcement of alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act and substantially equivalent state and local fair housing laws.
  2. Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI): $4.2 million is available to inform and educate the public about the rights and obligations under federal, state and local fair housing laws.

  Click here for descriptions of the grants awarded to 104 groups under FHIP in FY 2005.
  

• Housing Counseling Programs
  Deadline: Tuesday, May 23, 2006
  Webcast Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2006, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  Federal Register, vol. 71, pg. 11801

  In FY 2006, approximately $39 million is available for eligible applicants. $41.7 million was awarded in competitive grants for FY 2005; $2.5 million of this money was awarded specifically to combat predatory lending, and $1.4 million was awarded specifically for counseling in conjunction with the Section 8 Homeownership Voucher Program. The grants were awarded to 18 national and regional organizations and approximately 360 state and local housing counseling agencies.

  HUD funds housing counseling agencies throughout the country to give advice on buying a home, renting, mortgage delinquency and defaults, foreclosures, predatory lending, credit issues and reverse mortgages. Organizations that apply for grants must first be approved by HUD and are subject to biennial performance reviews to maintain their HUD-approved status. Click here for information on how to become a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency.

  Click here to find detailed descriptions of the Housing Counseling grants awarded for FY 2005.
  

• Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs
  Deadline: Thursday, May 25, 2006
  Webcast Date: Tuesday, March 28, 2006, 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM
  Federal Register, vol. 71, pg. 12055
  

  The Continuum of Care NOFA is the only program in the SuperNOFA that has retained the paper application process in 2006, with the expectation that the program will switch to an electronic application in 2007. Approximately $1.2 billion total is available for funding in FY 2006.

  Civil legal aid programs generally have received funding under the Supportive Housing Program (SHP) of this grant. In addition to funding housing that has a supportive environment, SHP funds projects that include supportive services for homeless people not living in supportive housing, that helps them to move to permanent housing. More information about SHP can be found on HUD’s website.
  

• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
  Deadline: Tuesday, June 13, 2006
  Webcast Date: Thursday, March 23, 2006, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
  Federal Register, vol. 71, pg. 11974
  

  Approximately $10 million for FY2006 is available under this NOFA for competitive grants (almost 90% of HOPWA funds are distributed through a formula grant process to states and cities). Funds for the renewal of expiring HOPWA competitive grants that have successfully undertaken permanent supportive housing projects will be distributed under a separate, simplified process, described in a separate notice from this NOFA. The funds remaining after those renewal awards are made will be made available to the applicants that are successful under this NOFA.

  Find more information about HOPWA here.

Federal Funding Opportunities

• Immigration Related Employment Discrimination Public Education Grants
  Deadline: April 7, 2006
  http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-1736.htm
  

  The DOJ’s Office of Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) announces the availability of funds for grants to conduct public education programs about the rights afforded potential victims of employment discrimination and the responsibilities of employers under the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). It is anticipated that a small number of grants totaling up to $1 million will be competitively awarded to applicants who can demonstrate a capacity to design and successfully implement public education campaigns to address immigration related unfair employment discrimination.

  Grants may range in size from $35,000 to $100,000. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to educate workers, employers and/or the general public about the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. OSC welcomes proposals from diverse public service groups, organizations or associations providing information services to employers and/or potential victims of discrimination, and faith-based organizations and nonprofit groups providing services and assistance to potential victims of discrimination.

  In 2005, OSC awarded approximately $660,000 in grants under this program to 13 nonprofit groups, ranging from $40,000 to $85,000. For more information about the 2005 grantees, contact Kate Lang at k.lang@nlada.org.

  For more information about the 2006 application process, contact Katherine Baldwin, Deputy Special Counsel, Office of Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices, (202) 616-5594.

• Law Enforcement Task Forces and Services for Human Trafficking Victims
  Deadline: April 25, 2006
  http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/fund/pdftxt/FY06_Trafficking_Victims.pdf
  

  The DOJ’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has announced the Law Enforcement Task Forces and Services for Human Trafficking Victims competitive grant solicitation. The overall goals of this joint OVC / Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) program are to continue to enhance law enforcement's ability to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking, to provide law enforcement with the resources and training to identify and rescue victims of trafficking, and to ensure that comprehensive services are available for trafficking victims.

  BJA has provided funding to 32 local and state law enforcement anti-trafficking task forces across the country. With FY 2006 funding, up to 10 additional task forces will receive funding through cooperative agreements. OVC funding will be dedicated to ensuring that victim service provider grantees can meet the immediate and long-term needs of trafficking victims wherever they are rescued by law enforcement or through other means. No OVC award will exceed $450,000 over three years. Please note that a 25 percent in-kind match is required for both law enforcement and victim service provider applicants.

Private Foundation Funding

• HP Technology for Community Grant Initiative
  Deadline: March 22, 2006
  http://www.techsoup.org/stock/hp/
  

  Hewlett-Packard (HP) has partnered with TechSoup to provide technology tools to nonprofit organizations. The HP Technology for Community Grant Initiative is designed to provide technology tools to nonprofit organizations to enhance their effectiveness and to support the innovative use of mobile technology.

  In 2006, HP will award up to 100 organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico an HP wireless technology package valued at approximately $17,000, including:
  
  

  • 5 HP Notebook PCs
  • 1 HP Tablet PC
  • 1 HP iPAQ Pocket PC
  • a wireless-ready HP all-in-one printer/scanner/fax/copier
  • a wireless-ready HP digital projector and wireless remote control
  • a wireless access point
  • an HP digital camera bundle
  • a $1,000 stipend
  • training to set up a new wireless network
  
  Each organization will receive the same grant award. Specific product models will be determined and finalized at the time the grant is awarded.

  HP will select qualified organizations that meet its giving criteria under the Technology for Community program. Please check the eligibility requirements to see if your organization is eligible to apply for an HP Technology for Community grant.

  Additional information about the program is available at HP's website.

• Impact Fund Announces Upcoming Deadline for Social Justice Litigation Grants Program
  Deadline: May 24, 2006 (Fall Pre-Application)
  http://www.impactfund.org/
  

  The Impact Fund, a public foundation dedicated to providing representation, technical assistance and funding for complex public interest litigation, provides funding for out-of-pocket expenses in cases with a potential broad impact and a demonstrated financial need.

  Grants are awarded to nonprofit legal firms, private attorneys, and/or small law firms which seek to advance social justice in the areas of civil and human rights, environmental justice, and/or poverty law. The program seeks to provide funding for public-interest litigation that will potentially benefit a large number of people, lead to significant legal reform, or raise public consciousness. The fund is particularly interested in receiving applications that address systemic deprivations of constitutional or statutory rights in the following areas: post-9/11 cases involving denial of rights under the guise of "homeland security"; criminal justice and immigration; and education access and equity.

  Grants provided by the fund typically range from $10,000 to $15,000; the maximum grant amount awarded for any one-year period is $25,000. All grant applicants must be either private attorneys or firms duly licensed to practice in the appropriate jurisdiction, or nonprofit entities that act as plaintiff or retain counsel in litigation. All new and/or returning applicants are required to submit a pre-application proposal prior to the submission of a full proposal.

  Visit the Impact Fund website for complete grants program information and application procedures.

• Altria Staying the Course with Current Grantees
  http://www.altria.com/responsibility/4_9_1_1_2_1_domviolprograms.asp

  In 2006, Altria Group will be conducting a domestic violence request for proposal (RFP) by invitation only. Only organizations that have received an Altria domestic violence grant in the last three years will be eligible to apply. Invitation letters will be mailed in March 2006.

  Altria’s domestic violence prevention grant making is conducted through the Altria Doors of Hope Program in collaboration with the National Network to End Domestic Violence Fund (http://www.nnedv.org/). The primary focus of the program is to support organizations that provide a continuum of core services to victims and survivors of domestic violence including legal counseling and advocacy.