Fair Housing Initiatives Program - Fair Housing Organizations Initiative FY2025 and FY2026

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is soliciting applications under the Fair Housing Initiatives Program - Fair Housing Organizations Initiative for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 to support organizations in building capacity to enforce fair housing rights as outlined in the Fair Housing Act, particularly in underserved areas and communities with high concentrations of protected classes. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations with an active SAM.gov registration and a valid Unique Entity Identifier, and must apply electronically through Grants.gov by the deadline of August 21, 2025. The funding opportunity offers two program components: FHOI-CDC with awards ranging from $100,000 to $260,000 for a 12- to 18-month period, and FHOI-ENOC with awards from $250,000 to $1,880,000 for a 36-month period, with a total available funding pool of approximately $3.7 million. Recipients are required to implement comprehensive projects that include complaint intake, investigation, fair housing testing, and enforcement of meritorious claims targeting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. All proposals must include a detailed Statement of Work Chart, a project abstract using the prescribed format, an applicant certification, a budget using the HUD-424-CBW form, and a written conflict of interest policy compliant with 24 CFR 125.107. Applications are evaluated through a multi-stage process including a threshold review for eligibility, a merit review weighted across five factors—staff expertise and organizational capacity (36 points), statement of work and budget (30 points), measurement and evaluation (15 points), problem statement and proposed solution (19 points), and potential preference points (up to 4 points) for minority serving institutions, Promise Zones, or Opportunity Zones. The award decision also incorporates a risk assessment evaluating financial stability, management systems aligned with 2 CFR Part 200, and past performance. Performance must adhere to strict compliance requirements under the Fair Housing Act, civil rights laws, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, and environmental regulations, while also observing prohibitions on certain telecommunications equipment and ethical standards for conduct. Payments are made on a fixed-price basis contingent upon satisfactory progress and timely submission of financial and performance reports via LOCCS, and all awarded funds must be