Affordable Housing and Supportive Services Demonstration

The Affordable Housing and Supportive Services Demonstration is a federal funding opportunity administered by the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically through the Office of Community Services. This program is designed as a demonstration initiative to test how expanding access to supportive services for residents of affordable housing can improve housing stability, economic mobility, and overall well-being. The funding is targeted toward Community Action Agencies and tribal entities that were directly funded through the Community Services Block Grant and that own affordable housing units while providing social services to residents. The primary objective of this demonstration program is to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating supportive services within affordable housing environments. These services may include education, workforce development, mental health support, substance use treatment, childcare, elder care, and financial literacy. The program emphasizes coordinated service delivery, encouraging recipients to provide direct services, facilitate referrals, and implement case management or human services coordination. In addition, awardees are required to identify service gaps within their communities and actively participate in a federal evaluation effort to assess program outcomes and scalability. Funding under this opportunity will be distributed as cooperative agreements, with a total program funding amount of approximately 2100000 dollars and an expected seven awards. Individual awards will range from 150000 to 300000 dollars for a two-year project period. Recipients must contribute a cost share equal to 10 percent of the total project cost, which may be met through cash or in-kind contributions. Funds cannot be used for construction, real property acquisition, major renovation, or certain restricted activities such as those related to prohibited policy areas outlined in the funding notice. The program also imposes limitations on salary rates and indirect costs in accordance with federal regulations. Eligibility is restricted to Community Action Agencies and tribes that received direct Community Services Block Grant funding in fiscal year 2025 and that own qualifying affordable housing units. Applicants must provide documentation demonstrating both property ownership and the affordability status of the housing units. Eligible residents served through the program must be lawfully present in the United States and meet income thresholds defined as either at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines or 60 percent of area median income. Faith-based organizations that meet these criteria may also apply. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes multiple components such as a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capacity documentation, and third-party agreements. Applicants must also demonstrate alignment with the priorities and guiding principles of the Administration for Children and Families, including program integrity, evidence-based practices, and community partnerships. The evaluation process consists of an initial compliance review followed by a merit-based scoring system that assesses purpose and need, program response, impact, organizational capacity, budget justification, and alignment with agency priorities. Bonus points may be awarded for projects serving extremely low-income or formerly homeless populations. Applications are due by August 24 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, with an expected project start date of September 30 2026. Award recipients will be required to submit quarterly performance reports and semiannual financial reports, as well as participate in ongoing data collection efforts for the federal evaluation. The Administration for Children and Families will maintain an active role throughout the project period, providing guidance, approving work plans, and supporting evaluation activities. Questions regarding the opportunity may be directed to program and grants management contacts provided in the notice, including a shared support email and phone line. This funding opportunity represents a strategic effort to strengthen housing stability and reduce poverty by embedding comprehensive support services within affordable housing settings. By requiring coordination across service providers and emphasizing measurable outcomes, the program aims to generate evidence on effective models for improving the lives of low-income residents while enhancing the sustainability of affordable housing communities.

Align proposal clearly with ACF priorities; emphasize measurable outcomes and data tracking; demonstrate strong case management and service coordination model; include clear implementation timeline and evaluation capacity