In the United States, homelessness persists as one of the nation’s most fatal and constant social disease. Based on the studies of Solutions for America, homelessness in the US continues to ground people due to the depressing performance of the economy and low wages for the less-skilled workers.
Coupled with high housing costs, a normal person finds it hard to become part of a thriving neighborhood defined by a single file of robust and sturdy houses. Also, poverty is a huge added factor in our country’s issues of lack of housing.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), awards multi-million worth of housing grants to poor people, tax-exempt charities, and foundations. It is a federal sector with a mission of giving low-cost housing and helping communities.
HUD believes that through fair grant making, they can rescue thousands of homeless people from the harsh streets of the country. Their main goal is to give a chance to needy people and non-profit groups to afford houses through competitive grant making and programs.
HUD’s grant programs have helped many families through Housing Choice vouchers that assist homeless people through rental support and housing plans.
Tips in Writing Housing Grants
The fight for grants for housing is very stiff due to the number of seekers who apply for HUD’s housing plans. And to get ahead of others, here are some grant writing tips for people who wish to apply for home ownership or rental support program with HUD.
Visit HUD’s website or Grants.gov for updates before you start writing.
First, never write a grant proposal without checking for recent posts and updates. HUD opens its grant programs within a precise time frame, and awards housing grants to those who followed their instructions diligently. They update the Notifications of Funding Availability (NOFAs) from time to time, so be sure to check that first.
Understand the type of support you are applying.
Will you be applying for HUD’s rental support program or will you opt for the housing program? You should know that HUD does not award mixed housing grants to both individuals and non-profit groups.
Avoid clichés and humdrum statements.
It is a good idea to start a grant that goes straight into the point. Do not fill up your draft with clichés or statements that try to fool the reader’s feelings. Start it by finding the core problem and conclude it with a genuine request for help.
Do not submit a proposal if you don’t fit HUD’s program requirements.
HUD, in its stalwart efforts to help lessen the number of homeless people in the US, does not have enough grant money to support all of the needy families. Therefore, submitting a request outside HUD’s program scope is just a waste of time.
For info about grants and grant writing, you can check out our blogs page.
