Eligible Applicants. Only HBCUs as determined by the U.S. Department of Education in 34 CFR 608.2 in accordance with that Department's responsibilities under Executive Order 13256, dated February 12, 2002, are eligible to apply for funding under the program. All applicants must be accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the Department of Education.

Eligible Activities. Each activity proposed for funding must meet both a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program national objective AND the CDBG eligibility requirements. The national objectives are listed in 24 CFR 570.208. Eligible activities are described in 24 CFR part 570. Categories of eligible activities include:

• Acquisition of real property.
• Clearance and remediation activities.
• Rehabilitation of residential structures to increase housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons and rehabilitation of commercial or industrial buildings to correct code violations or for certain other purposes.
• Acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or installation of public facilities and improvements.
• Special economic development activities described at 24 CFR 570.203 and assistance to facilitate economic development by providing technical or financial assistance for the establishment, stabilization, and expansion of microenterprises, including minority enterprises.
• Assistance to community-based development organizations to carry out Community Development Block Grant neighborhood revitalization, economic development, or energy conservation projects, in accordance with 24 CFR 570.204.
• Public services such as those general support activities that can help to stabilize a neighborhood and contribute to sustainable redevelopment of the area, including but not limited to activities such as those concerned with job training and placement, crime prevention, childcare, healthcare services, drug abuse counseling, adult basic education classes, general equivalency diploma preparation and testing, support activities for youth and senior citizens or fair housing services, public access telecommunications centers including neighborhood networks, energy conservation, and homebuyer downpayment assistance.
• Direct homeownership assistance to low- and moderate-income persons, as provided in section 105(a)(25) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(25)).
• Program administrative costs.

Program Contact

Ophelia H. Wilson
Grant Specialist
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of University Partnerships
Room 8226
451 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20410
Telephone: (202) 402–4390
Fax: (202) 708–0309
Email: ophelia.wilson@hud.gov