Guide to Applying for Sustainable Communities Grant

PolicyLink recently released an update guide for local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions who are interested in developing competitive grant applications for the second round of the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants Program. Last month, an advance notice of requirements was released for the upcoming grant competition. This year, approximately $67 million has been allocated for this competitive grant process. The final notice should be released by the end of the summer.

The 2011 Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Guide: How to Incorporate Equity into your Grant Application provides information on how regions can incorporate social equity, which the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has made a significant priority of Sustainable Communities. In the Sustainable Communities initiative, HUD has partnered with the Departments of Transportation, Education and Energy to integrate housing, transportation and infrastructure decisions into regional planning and to ensure sustainable, mixed-income and mixed-use communities. HUD anticipates this holistic planning approach will help build stronger communities where the quality and location of housing are linked to quality schools, safer streets and better access to jobs.

For more information:

Affordable Housing as a Platform for Improving Family Well-Being: Federal Funding and Policy Opportunities

Strategies to Promote Affordable Housing, PolicyforResults.org