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Grants / Department of Health and Human Services / Administration for Children and Families - OCS

HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-EE-1965: Community Economic Development Projects

Closed Closed May 8, 2023 Opportunity HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-EE-1965

This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Administration for Children and Families - OCS notices from 2021.

Administration for Children and Families - OCS offered grants of up to $800,000 (at least $100,000) to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 15 awards worth $12.3 million in total. Applications closed on May 8, 2023.

From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed February 24, 2023. Checked November 7, 2026.

Other notices with this title

Administration for Children and Families - OCS has posted this title under other numbers: earlier or later rounds, or the same competition for another area. Each has its own dates and may change its rules.

NoticePostedDeadlineStatus
HHS-2026-ACF-OCS-EE-0026August 10, 2026Closed September 8, 2026Closed
HHS-2025-ACF-OCS-EE-0118September 3, 2025Closed September 8, 2025Closed
HHS-2024-ACF-OCS-EE-1965May 2, 2024Closed July 17, 2024Closed

Key dates

PostedMay 25, 2021
DeadlineMay 8, 2023
Archived by Grants.govSeptember 30, 2023

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

To be eligible for the CED program, an applicant must meet three conditions: 1. Applicant must be a private, non-profit CDC with 501(c)(3) status; 2. Applicant must have articles of incorporation or bylaws demonstrating that the CDC has, as a principal purpose, the planning, developing, or managing of low-income housing or community economic development activities; and 3. The Board of Directors must have representation from each of the following: community residents, business leaders, and civic leaders. Note: The CDC designation does not need to be specified on any official documents as long as the three requirements stated above are met. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this funding opportunity. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity. Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at and, subject to the protections and requirements of 45 CFR Part 87 and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., ACF will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization's religious character, affiliation, or exercise.

Is this a realistic fit?

What the grant funds

This announcement is modified. In Section V.1. Criteria, Bonus Points - Underserved Areas: States or Trust Territories without Active CED Grants, the State of Oregon is removed because there is an active Community Economic Development (CED) grant within that state. The State of Nebraska, the Territories for the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands are added because these locations are without an active CED grant. Removed all references, regarding OCS seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) to update the CED Performance Progress Reporting (PPR) information collection. Section VI.3. Reporting, reflects updated PPR information collection under the OMB control number 0970-0386, to expire on 02/28/2026. The Synopsis language changed to align with the requirements in the announcement. Businesses and jobs created must remain viable for at least one year after the grant period. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) will solicit applications to award approximately $12.3 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary grant funds to Community Development Corporations (CDC) for well-planned, financially viable, and innovative projects to enhance job creation and business development for individuals with low income. CED grants will be made as part of a broader strategy to address objectives such as decreasing dependency on federal programs, chronic unemployment, and community deterioration in urban and rural areas. CED projects are expected to actively recruit individuals with low income to fill the positions created by CED-funded development activities, to assist those individuals in successfully maintaining employment, and to ensure that the businesses and jobs created remain viable for at least one year after the grant period. CED projects can be non-construction or construction projects, however, short-term construction jobs associated with preparing for business startup or expansion are not counted when determining the number of jobs created under the CED program as those jobs are temporary in nature. OCS encourages applicants to target rural and underserved areas in states with current projects.

Category: Income Security and Social Services.

Who has won Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Awards grants before

From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Awards (93.570) awarded $141 million across 159 grant awards, an average of $889,173 per award.

Largest recipients, fiscal 2021 to 2025
RecipientStateAwardsAmount
Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc.Virginia3$6.8 million
Communities Unlimited IncArkansas2$6.6 million
Great Lakes Community Action PartnershipOhio2$6.6 million
Rural Community Assistance CorporationCalifornia2$6.6 million
Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona IncArizona2$6.6 million

Top states: California ($19.4 million), Ohio ($11.8 million), Arizona ($10.2 million), Massachusetts ($8.5 million), Kentucky ($7.7 million).

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.

Questions people ask

Is HHS-2021-ACF-OCS-EE-1965 still open?

No. It closed on May 8, 2023.

Who can apply for Community Economic Development Projects?

Administration for Children and Families - OCS accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

What is the deadline for Community Economic Development Projects?

Closed May 8, 2023. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $800,000 each. About $12.3 million in total across about 15 awards.

Who has won Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Awards grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc., Communities Unlimited Inc, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership. The program made 159 awards worth $141 million in that time.

Similar open grants