The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) will award approximately $1 7. 2 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary grant funds to Community Development Corporations (CDC) for well-planned, financially viable, and innovative projects

credit: Menupix

to enhance job creation and business development for individuals with low income.

CED grants will be made as part of a broader strategy to address objectives such as decreasing dependency on federal programs, chronic unemployment, and community deterioration in urban and rural areas.

CED projects are expected to actively recruit individuals with low income to fill the positions created by CED-funded development activities, to assist those individuals to successfully hold those jobs and to ensure that the businesses and jobs created remain viable for at least one year after the end of the grant period.

CED-funded projects can be non-construction or construction projects, however, short-term construction jobs associated with preparing for business startup or expansion are not counted when determining the number of jobs created under the CED program as they are designed to be temporary in nature.

OCS is encouraging applications from CDCs to target rural areas and underserved areas in states without current projects.

Furthermore, OCS is encouraging projects that align with the Promise Zones Initiative or Choice Neighborhoods Program.