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

HHS-2025-ACF-OCS-EE-0118: Community Economic Development Projects

Closed Closed September 8, 2025 Opportunity HHS-2025-ACF-OCS-EE-0118 ☆ Save

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 2025.

• Award ceiling$800,000
• Award floor$100,000
• Total funding$15.2 million
• Expected awards15
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeGrant

Key dates

Who can apply

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

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

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; and3. 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 the merit 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?

• Past Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Awards awards averaged $889,173; this notice allows up to $800,000 per award.
• Most of the program's money (100% over five years) went to nonprofits.
• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) will solicit applications to award approximately $15.2 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary 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 awards 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 project 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. Furthermore, OCS encourages potential applicants to explore how proposed projects can be aligned and/or integrated with other OCS-funded programs and priorities to more comprehensively address the needs of rural and urban communities with high rates of poverty, unemployment, and substance use disorder, as well as communities experiencing persistent poverty, as identified by US Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service.

Category: Income Security and Social Services.

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.