Comprehensive Housing Counseling (CHC) and the Housing Counseling Training (HCT) NOFO (FY2026)

The Comprehensive Housing Counseling (CHC) and Housing Counseling Training (HCT) Notice of Funding Opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support a national network of housing counseling agencies. HUD is a federal agency responsible for national housing policy, community development, and ensuring access to affordable housing. Through this program, HUD provides financial assistance to approved housing counseling agencies that deliver direct services to tenants and homeowners. The initiative is part of the broader Housing Counseling Assistance Program and is designed to strengthen housing stability and promote informed housing decisions among individuals and families. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to provide resources for counseling services that help individuals improve housing conditions, manage finances, and sustain homeownership or rental stability. Eligible activities include providing guidance on property maintenance, financial literacy, foreclosure prevention, rental counseling, and navigating housing assistance programs. Additionally, the HCT component supports organizations that provide training services to housing counselors nationwide, ensuring consistent quality and professional development within the housing counseling field. These efforts collectively aim to prevent housing instability, reduce fraud and discrimination, and connect individuals to relevant housing resources. Funding under this program is distributed as grants, with an estimated total program funding of 53,000,000 dollars and an anticipated 175 awards. Individual awards may reach up to 3,000,000 dollars. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement for applicants. Funds are intended to support program operations, service delivery, and training activities aligned with HUD’s housing counseling objectives. While the award floor is listed as 1 dollar, this appears to function as a placeholder rather than a meaningful minimum, indicating variability in award sizes depending on applicant scope and capacity. Eligibility is limited to organizations that meet specific criteria. Applicants for the CHC component must already be approved to participate in HUD’s Housing Counseling Program prior to the issuance of the notice. Eligible entities include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, state governments, and state housing finance agencies with statewide authority to provide housing counseling services. For the HCT component, applicants must be nonprofit organizations with at least two years of experience delivering nationwide housing counseling training. Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorships are explicitly excluded from eligibility. Additional restrictions apply to prevent duplication of funding across multiple HUD housing counseling sources. The application process is expected to be conducted electronically through HUD’s established submission systems, with applications due by September 21, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The opportunity is currently in a forecast stage, with an anticipated posting date of July 22, 2026. Applicants are expected to prepare comprehensive submissions that demonstrate eligibility, program capacity, compliance with HUD regulations, and the ability to deliver effective counseling or training services. While specific application components are not detailed in the forecast, typical submissions include organizational documentation, program narratives, budgets, and evidence of HUD approval status. Applications will be evaluated based on alignment with program goals, organizational capacity, compliance with HUD requirements, and the potential impact on housing stability outcomes. Awards are expected to be announced by October 1, 2026, with project activities beginning on the same date. The performance period aligns with the federal fiscal year, and recipients are expected to adhere to reporting and programmatic requirements established by HUD. For further information, applicants may contact the program through the official HUD housing counseling email address. This funding opportunity is expected to recur annually as part of HUD’s ongoing support for housing counseling services nationwide, making it a key resource for organizations engaged in housing stability and financial literacy initiatives.