Policy Requirements and General Section to HUD s FY2009 NOFAs for Discretionary Programs | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is this HUD notice a stand-alone grant program I can apply to?

No. The notice titled "Policy Requirements and General Section to HUD's FY2009 NOFAs for Discretionary Programs" (Funding Opportunity Number FR 5300 N 01A) is not a single, stand-alone grant program and does not come with its own application package. It functions as an umbrella set of policy requirements and general guidance that applies across HUD's FY2009 competitive discretionary program NOFAs.

2. What is the purpose of this General Section notice?

Its purpose is to set baseline policy rules, submission expectations, and general guidance that HUD intended to apply to its FY2009 competitive discretionary funding announcements. It also explains how program-specific NOFAs would be released during FY2009.

3. What does "Funding Opportunity Number FR 5300 N 01A" refer to?

It refers to this General Section notice itself (FR 5300 N 01A), which provides policy and procedural guidance for HUD's FY2009 discretionary program NOFAs rather than soliciting applications for one specific grant program.

4. Where do I find the actual grant programs and application instructions?

You must look to each individual program NOFA issued during FY2009. This General Section explains that the program-specific NOFAs contain the exact requirements, including how to submit, when to submit, and what program rules apply.

5. Did HUD require all FY2009 discretionary applications to be submitted through Grants.gov?

No. A key update in this later publication is that HUD amended the earlier blanket statement (from the December 29, 2008 General Section) that applicants would continue to be required to submit applications electronically through Grants.gov. This notice clarifies that the specific submission instructions would be provided within each individual program NOFA.

6. What does the change in submission requirements mean for applicants?

It means applicants could no longer assume there was one uniform submission method for all HUD FY2009 discretionary competitions. Applicants were expected to read each program NOFA carefully to confirm the required submission method, deadline mechanics, and any program-specific submission directions.

7. What is Executive Order 13502 and why is it mentioned?

The notice updates HUD's General Section to reflect Executive Order 13502, "Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects." This update aligns HUD's general NOFA policy language with federal direction on when and how project labor agreements may be used for large-scale federal construction projects.

8. Does this notice create a new construction grant or construction funding program?

No. It does not create a new construction grant by itself. Instead, it updates the compliance and policy environment that could apply when a specific program NOFA includes construction activities.

9. Who is most affected by the Executive Order 13502 update?

Applicants proposing construction activities are most likely to be affected, because the update signals how HUD wanted its general NOFA policy language to align with federal guidance related to project labor agreements for federal construction projects.

10. How were HUD FY2009 NOFAs planned to be announced?

HUD explained that, for FY2009, it planned to publish NOFAs as they were approved rather than bundling them into a single combined "SuperNOFA."

11. What is the practical impact of HUD not using a single "SuperNOFA"?

The practical impact is that funding opportunities would appear on a rolling basis throughout FY2009. Organizations would need to monitor for individual NOFAs as they were released rather than expecting one consolidated annual announcement.

12. Was there an anticipated schedule for NOFA releases?

Yes. HUD provided an anticipated schedule (in an appendix) showing expected timing for NOFA releases to help organizations plan around the rolling release approach.

13. Is the NOFA schedule guaranteed?

No. HUD emphasized that the schedule and program details were dependent on congressional appropriations and could be amended as appropriations became available.

14. Could estimated funding levels, dates, or requirements change during FY2009?

Yes. HUD stated that program dates, estimated funding levels, and even requirements could shift based on the final FY2009 appropriations act and HUD's subsequent updates.

15. What does the notice say about eligibility?

Eligibility is not defined universally in this General Section notice. The document states that eligibility requirements must be taken from each individual program NOFA.

16. Why does the notice list eligibility as "Others (see text)"?

This reflects that HUD's discretionary programs vary widely, and eligibility could differ by program. The notice reinforces that the only reliable source for eligibility is the specific NOFA for the program being pursued.

17. What kinds of organizations might be eligible under HUD discretionary programs?

The notice indicates that eligibility can vary widely by program. Examples mentioned include local governments, nonprofits, public housing authorities, universities, or other entities, depending on the specific program NOFA.

18. What administrative registration issue does the notice address?

The notice includes minor technical corrections related to registration instructions for the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), which at the time was a key federal registration step for entities seeking awards.

19. Why were CCR registration instructions corrected?

The stated purpose was to reduce registration-related confusion that could delay or disqualify applicants, helping applicants stay eligible to apply when specific NOFAs opened.

20. Does this notice explain the overall "rule hierarchy" for FY2009 HUD discretionary competitions?

Yes. It positions the General Section as a policy and procedural umbrella, while emphasizing that each program NOFA provides the program-specific requirements applicants must follow.

21. If I have questions or access issues related to this announcement, who do I contact?

The contact listed is Dorthera Yorkshire, Senior Program Analyst, at 202-708-0667.

22. What is the main takeaway for applicants reading this notice?

The main takeaway is that this is not a direct funding solicitation. Its value is in clarifying where rules come from (General Section plus the individual program NOFA), how competitions would be rolled out during FY2009 (rolling releases), and what policy/administrative updates applicants needed to factor into compliance planning (including the change away from a universal Grants.gov submission requirement and the incorporation of Executive Order 13502 guidance).