Fair Housing Initiatives Program - Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI)

The Fair Housing Initiatives Program - Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI), under Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) FR-6900-N-21-B, is a competitive grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), specifically through the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. The FHOI aims to support non-profit organizations in enforcing the Fair Housing Act by funding fair housing enforcement activities and helping establish or strengthen organizations engaged in this work, particularly in underserved areas. The FHOI includes two components: the Continued Development Component (CDC) and the Establishing New Organizations Component (ENOC). The CDC provides funds to qualified and other eligible non-profit fair housing organizations to build capacity for conducting enforcement activities such as investigating housing discrimination complaints and conducting testing. The ENOC supports Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (QFHOs) to sponsor and establish new, independent fair housing organizations, particularly in regions lacking such enforcement resources. ENOC recipients must use at least 75% of grant funds to establish the new organization, while up to 25% may be used by the sponsoring organization for administrative purposes. Funding for the FY2025 cycle totals approximately $3,700,000. For the CDC, individual award amounts range from $100,000 to $260,000 for grant periods of 12 to 18 months. For the ENOC, award amounts range from $250,000 to $1,880,000 for a 36-month period. HUD expects to make approximately 8 awards. These are discretionary grants, and applications will be evaluated through threshold, merit, and risk reviews. Key evaluation criteria include staff experience, organizational capacity, alignment with community needs, soundness of proposed activities and budget, and performance measurement plans. HUD may award preference points for proposals serving Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), Promise Zones, or Opportunity Zones. Eligible applicants for the CDC are QFHOs, FHOs, and other private non-profit organizations aiming to conduct fair housing enforcement activities. ENOC eligibility is limited to QFHOs sponsoring a new fair housing organization. Applicants must demonstrate 501(c)(3) status and cannot be individuals or organizations rated "poor" on any prior FHIP grant within the past year. Parent and affiliate organizations may not both apply under the same component. The program does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 PM ET on August 21, 2025. Applicants must be registered and active in both SAM.gov and Grants.gov systems. The anticipated award date is September 25, 2025, with performance periods beginning November 1, 2025. The application package requires a series of standard federal forms, narrative responses addressing four rating factors, budget documentation, a project abstract, and a statement of work. The ENOC component also requires a detailed sponsorship agreement. Questions and technical assistance can be directed to the HUD program office as listed in the Contact and Support section of the NOFO. HUD reserves the right to adjust award amounts, partially fund proposals, and apply additional terms as needed. Performance and financial reporting is required post-award, including quarterly progress updates and final evaluations using HUD-provided templates. HUD may terminate awards or apply remedies for non-compliance or underperformance.

Set aside $7,500/year for training and ensure use by Q3. Avoid >50% ineligible activities. Ensure full-service project model.