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Updated October 6, 2022
HUD Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and
Affordable Housing (RCB) Program
The Rural Capacity Building for Community Development
which provide explanations of available grant funding,
and Affordable Housing program (Rural Capacity Building
procedures, and deadlines. HUD generally releases RCB
or RCB), administered by the U.S. Department of Housing
NOFAs on an annual or bi-annual basis.
and Urban Development (HUD) is one of several federal
programs that supports local housing and community
HUD rates applications that meet the threshold
development in rural areas. This In Focus describes the
requirements on a 100-point scale. HUD assesses eligible
RCB program’s structure and provides an overview of
applications based on five core factors. As an example,
program funding.
Table 1 provides an overview of the core rating factors and
maximum point values outlined in the FY2021/FY2022
Program Structure and Administration
RCB NOFA. HUD will only consider applications from
HUD awards RCB grants on a competitive basis to rural
entities that meet the following requirements:
community development intermediary organizations
(primary grantees). The primary grantees then use the RCB
1. have no outstanding or insufficiently
funding over a four-year period to provide technical support
resolved civil rights issues;
and financial assistance to rural community development
2. planned activities comply with the Fair
organizations, local governments, and tribal entities for
Housing Act (with certain exceptions for
capacity-building activities.
Indian tribes);
Eligible Primary Grantees
3. submit RCB applications in a timely
manner, in accordance with the stated
HUD restricts primary grantee eligibility to certain
deadline; and
nonprofit intermediary organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-
exempt status. Eligible organizations must apply
4. qualify as an eligible national nonprofit
independently, rather than as a consortium. HUD requires
organization.
that organizations have a demonstrated record of
Table 1. RCB Application Core Rating Factors
accomplishment in relevant activities, within the previous
FY2021/FY2022
decade. Additionally, these organizations must serve in at
least seven of HUD’s ten regions, illustrated in Figure 1.
Core Rating Factor
Maximum Points
Figure 1. HUD’s Regions
Capacity of Applicant and
28
Relevant Organizational
Experience
Need/Extent of the Problem
10
Fair Housing and
5
Underserved Communities
Soundness of Approach
36
Leveraging Resources
6
Achieving Results and
15
Program Evaluation
Total Points
100
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
FY2021-FY2022 Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and
Affordable Housing Grants (RCB), p. 33, https://www.hud.gov/sites/
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
dfiles/SPM/documents/
HUD’s Regions, https://www.hud.gov/localoffices/regions.
FY2021_and_FY2022_RuralCapacityBuildingforCommunityDevelopm
entandAffordableHousingGrants.pdf.
Grant Application Process
Notes: Core rating factors and maximum point amounts may vary
Application guidance for HUD’s RCB program is outlined
across RCB NOFAs. This table provides an example of guidance from
in the agency’s Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs),
the FY2021/FY2022 NOFA.
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link to page 2 HUD Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing (RCB) Program
HUD may award preference points for applications that
RCB Appropriations
propose activities aligned with certain priorities of an
Congress has provided HUD $5 million in RCB funds each
administration. For instance, the FY2021/FY2022 RCB
fiscal year from FY2018 to FY2022 under the Self-Help
program NOFA announced that applicants could receive up
Homeownership Opportunity program account in the
to four preference points for applications including
annual Transportation, Housing and Urban Development,
activities located in Promise Zones, projects carried out in
and Related Agencies appropriations bills. This account
partnership with Historically Black Colleges and
also funds the Section 4 Capacity Building for Community
Universities, or projects that support environment justice in
Development and Affordable Housing program and the
historically underserved communities. Each preference
Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity
category is worth up to two points. Typically, preference
Program.
points are awarded exclusively to eligible applicants with
core scores of 75 points or greater.
RCB Grant Awards
On January 5, 2021, HUD announced a total of $10 million
Eligible Beneficiaries
in RCB awards for five national nonprofit organizations to
As mentioned above, the intermediaries (primary RCB
carry out program activities. These awards represented two
grantees) use RCB funds to provide financial and technical
years of appropriated funds (FY2019 and FY2020). Under
assistance for eligible beneficiaries. Potential grantees are
the combined FY2019/FY2020 grant awards, HUD set the
required to share the plans for their beneficiary selection
minimum grant amount at $1.25 million and the maximum
process in their application proposal. HUD rates the
at $3.25 million. When awarded on an annual basis, HUD
beneficiary selection process plans as a component of the
typically sets the minimum and maximum awards at $1
“Soundness of Approach” factor. Generally, RCB primary
million and $2.5 million, respectively.
grantees can provide capacity-building support in the form
of financial and technical assistance to five types of eligible
Table 2 provides a breakdown of RCB grant awards of
beneficiaries:
FY2019 and FY2020 funds.
1. rural housing development organizations;
Table 2. FY2019/FY2020 RCB Program Awards
2. community development corporations;
Primary Grantee
Award Amount
3. community housing development
organizations;
Housing Assistance Council
$2.70 mil ion
4. local governments; and
Rebuilding Together
$2.40 mil ion
5. Indian tribes.
Minnesota Housing
$2.40 mil ion
In order to receive RCB support, beneficiaries must operate
Partnership
in an eligible rural area and serve rural constituencies.
Under the RCB program, rural areas are defined as Census
Rural Community Assistance
$1.25 mil ion
Bureau-recognized statistical geographic areas with fewer
Corporation
than 50,000 people. HUD has developed a web-based
Technical Assistance
$1.25 mil ion
“Rural Beneficiary Mapping Tool” to aid primary grantees
Col aborative
in confirming beneficiary eligibility.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD
Eligible Activities
Announces $10 Mil ion in Capacity Building Grants for Rural America,
The RCB program supports the following activities for rural
https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/
community development organizations, local governments,
HUD_No_21_001.
and tribes:
Notes: The list and number of grantees receiving RCB awards may
technical assistance including training and advice;
vary from year to year. For a breakdown of RCB awards since
FY2012, see U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
financial assistance such as loans and grants; and
Capacity Building Programs, https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/
comm_planning/capacitybuilding/#rcb.
other activities approved by HUD.
These activities—as carried out by primary grantees—
Related CRS Products
typically support operational and administrative capacity
CRS Report R47045, Section 4 Capacity Building for
needs of beneficiaries, related to organizational efforts such
Community Development and Affordable Housing
as affordable housing development and job creation.
Program, by Joseph V. Jaroscak
Program Monitoring
CRS In Focus IF12038, Farm Bill Primer: Rural
HUD requires that primary RCB grantees submit semi-
Development Title, by Lisa S. Benson
annual reports on project finances, implementation status,
and outcomes. Grantees submit these reports through the
Joseph V. Jaroscak, Analyst in Economic Development
Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting System, which tracks a
Policy
range of appropriated funds administered by HUD.
IF12060
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HUD Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing (RCB) Program
Disclaimer
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12060 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED