Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants (RCB) | FR 6200 N 08

Opportunity Information: Apply for FR 6200 N 08

The Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants (RCB) program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designed to strengthen the on-the-ground ability of rural organizations to deliver affordable housing and community development work that benefits low- and moderate-income people. Rather than primarily funding bricks-and-mortar construction, the program focuses on building the operational strength of rural entities so they can consistently plan, finance, manage, and sustain affordable housing and broader community development activities over time. The program is listed under CFDA 14.265 and was released under Funding Opportunity Number FR 6200 N 08.

A key feature of this opportunity is that HUD funds National Organizations with proven expertise in rural housing and rural community development, and those National Organizations then work directly with local rural partners to build their capacity. The local partners described as the intended beneficiaries include rural housing development organizations, Community Development Corporations (CDCs), Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs), local governments, and Indian tribes. In other words, the grant is structured to support intermediaries that can provide hands-on technical assistance and organizational development to rural groups that are closest to community needs.

Eligible activities are tightly centered on capacity building, meaning funds must be used for efforts that strengthen organizational infrastructure, management systems, and governance. The goal is to make rural beneficiary organizations more effective and resilient so they can carry out affordable housing and community development activities that serve low-income or low- and moderate-income households in rural areas. This typically includes training, education, support, and advisory services that help organizations diagnose gaps and improve performance. Examples of the types of capacity-building assistance HUD highlights include conducting organizational assessments to understand operational strengths and weaknesses; facilitating strategic planning to set realistic goals and align resources; supporting board development to improve oversight, accountability, and long-term governance; and helping organizations access and implement technology improvements that modernize operations, data tracking, communications, and service delivery.

The program also emphasizes community engagement and planning capacity. Supported activities can include helping rural organizations engage local stakeholders more effectively, evaluate the performance of current and planned community development efforts, and plan for the use of available rural resources in a comprehensive and holistic way. In addition, RCB funds may be used to support participation in HUD planning efforts so rural perspectives and needs are represented, and to foster regional planning by connecting local rural plans with neighboring communities. This reflects the reality that rural housing markets, workforce needs, and infrastructure challenges often cross jurisdictional boundaries and benefit from coordinated regional approaches.

Beyond technical assistance and training, the opportunity allows National Organizations to provide loans, pass-through grants, or other forms of financial assistance as part of their capacity-building strategy, as long as those tools serve the program purpose and remain consistent with HUD guidance. The notice also allows for other activities if determined appropriate by the grantees in consultation with the Secretary or the Secretarys designee, which gives some flexibility to tailor support to the specific capacity constraints rural organizations face, while still keeping the emphasis on strengthening institutions rather than simply funding standalone projects.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a grant under the Community Development activity area, with an award ceiling of $2,500,000 and an expected four awards. Applications were required to be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date listed in the notice (originally June 11, 2019). The eligibility field indicates "Others" with further clarification in the full notice, which aligns with the programs structure of awarding funds to National Organizations that then deliver capacity-building support to eligible rural beneficiaries.

• The US Department of Housing and Urban Development in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants (RCB)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 14.265.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 08, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 11, 2019 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (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 $2,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for FR 6200 N 08

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: