Fair Housing Initiatives Program - Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI) | FR 6900 N 21 B

Opportunity Information: Apply for FR 6900 N 21 B

The Fair Housing Initiatives Program Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI) is a competitive grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designed to strengthen fair housing enforcement capacity among nonprofit organizations. The core purpose is to support the continued development or implementation of initiatives that enforce rights protected under the Fair Housing Act, specifically tied to the authority in 42 USC 3616a(c). In practical terms, the funding is meant to help organizations investigate and address housing discrimination, build stronger enforcement programs, and expand the overall reach of the fair housing movement, especially in places where local needs are not being met.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is organized into two tracks, each aimed at a different stage of organizational development. The first track is the Continued Development Component (CDC). CDC funding is intended for established organizations that already do fair housing work and want to expand or improve their enforcement capacity. Eligible applicants for CDC include Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (QFHOs), Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (FHOs), and other private nonprofit organizations seeking to build capacity to conduct fair housing enforcement activities. A key application requirement for CDC applicants is completion and submission of Appendix B, the FHOI Eligibility Certification, as part of the application package.

The second track is the Establishing New Organizations Component (ENOC), which is structured to help create and launch new fair housing enforcement organizations in areas that are currently unserved or underserved. Unlike CDC, ENOC applications are submitted by an existing QFHO that acts as the sponsoring organization for the new entity being created. The intent here is to broaden national coverage by seeding new local or regional organizations where there is a gap in enforcement presence. Under ENOC, the sponsoring QFHO receives the grant award and is responsible for distributing funds to the new, sponsored organization as it is being established and brought up to operating capacity.

ENOC also includes specific guardrails on how money can be used and how the sponsorship relationship must function. The sponsoring organization may retain administrative funds, but these are capped at no more than 25 percent of the annual grant amount, and only for the administrative purposes described in the Statement of Work (SOW). The remaining funds must be directed toward establishing the new organization, meaning the primary focus of the budget must be building the sponsored entity rather than expanding the sponsor. In addition, there is an important threshold requirement: the sponsored organization may not apply for or receive additional FHIP Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) funding until it becomes a QFHO or FHO. At the same time, the sponsored organization is allowed to pursue other related funding streams, including FHIP Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) funds and future FHOI Continued Development Component funding, even before it reaches QFHO or FHO status.

To ensure the new organization is realistically positioned to become a functioning enforcement entity, ENOC requires a formal certification by the sponsoring QFHO. As part of the application, the sponsor must submit Appendix B (Sections 1 and 2) and certify that the proposed new organization has the ability to become a Fair Housing Enforcement Organization (FHO) by the end of the grant period of performance. The sponsor is also expected to lay out a Statement of Work that shows the sponsored organization transitioning into actual enforcement-related activities by the second year of the grant, not merely focusing on incorporation or basic setup for the full term.

HUD places oversight emphasis on financial and management capacity for both the sponsoring and sponsored organizations. A HUD Government Technical Representative (GTR) will conduct monitoring of both entities to confirm that financial controls and management systems are adequate. If HUD determines that one or both organizations do not have adequate systems, HUD may respond by providing technical assistance or, if issues are significant or unresolved, terminating the grant. This monitoring framework reflects the fact that funds flow through the sponsor, but both organizations must be capable of responsible stewardship and program execution.

In terms of basic opportunity facts, this is a discretionary grant under the Housing activity category, listed under CFDA number 14.417. The opportunity is issued by HUD under Funding Opportunity Number FR 6900 N 21 B. The application closing date is August 21, 2025. The award ceiling is $1,880,000, and HUD anticipates making approximately 8 awards. Eligibility is limited to appropriate organizational applicants; individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorships are explicitly not eligible to apply for or receive awards under this announcement.

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development in the housing sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fair Housing Initiatives Program - Fair Housing Organizations Initiative (FHOI)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 14.417.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-07-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-08-21. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,880,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for FR 6900 N 21 B

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