Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2016 ACF ORR RG 1117
Apply for HHS 2016 ACF ORR RG 1117
- The HHS-ACF-ORR in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Refugee Microenterprise Development (MED) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.576.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 21, 2016 and posted on Apr 21, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 21, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Refugee Microenterprise Development (MED) Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The program focuses on helping refugees move toward long-term economic self-sufficiency by supporting them in starting and growing very small businesses (microenterprises). ORR has funded MED projects since 1991, reflecting a long-running federal investment in refugee entrepreneurship as a pathway to stable income, asset-building, and community integration.
At its core, the MED Program has two connected goals. First, it helps refugees establish microenterprise businesses by providing access to small business loans paired with training and technical assistance. The lending component is meant to address a common barrier for new entrepreneurs, especially those who are newly arrived or financially excluded: limited access to conventional credit. The training and technical assistance component is equally central, since many first-time business owners need practical support such as business planning, budgeting and cash-flow management, pricing, licensing and permits, marketing, recordkeeping, and other operational skills that help a small business survive beyond its early months. Second, the program explicitly aims to help refugees build a credit history and/or repair their credit score, recognizing that creditworthiness often determines whether families can access mainstream financial products and expand economic opportunities over time.
The grant allows recipients to run the program in a structured, finance-oriented way. Allowable activities include providing technical assistance to refugee entrepreneurs, maintaining a revolving loan fund (RLF), maintaining a loan loss reserve fund (LLR), and covering administrative costs tied to operating and managing the MED Program. A revolving loan fund is significant because repayments can be recycled into future loans, allowing the same pool of funds to support multiple rounds of refugee business owners over time. The loan loss reserve fund is also important because it helps manage the risk of defaults, which can be higher when serving borrowers with limited credit history, limited collateral, or unstable early earnings. Together, these mechanisms are designed to make the program financially sustainable while still serving clients who would otherwise be screened out by traditional lenders.
In addition to standard microenterprise lending, MED programs may offer credit builder loans (CBLs) for refugee clients who plan to pursue a microenterprise loan but first need to establish or improve their credit. A credit builder loan is typically structured to help clients demonstrate consistent repayment behavior so that credit bureaus can record positive payment history. In practice, this creates a bridge for clients who have viable business ideas but are not yet ready for an entrepreneurship loan because their credit profile is too thin or damaged.
The opportunity is open to a broad range of eligible applicants, which signals that ORR expects partnerships and local capacity to vary by community. Eligible entities include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories). Historically, ORR notes that MED awards have gone to a mix of public agencies, community economic development organizations, local mutual assistance associations, and voluntary agencies, which fits the program model of combining refugee-serving expertise with small-business development and lending capacity.
Administratively, this opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2016-ACF-ORR-RG-1117, under Assistance Listing/CFDA 93.576 (Income Security and Social Services). The posting date and creation date were April 21, 2016, with an application closing date of June 21, 2016. ORR anticipated making about 12 awards, with an award ceiling of $250,000 per award. Overall, the program is structured to fund local or regional operators who can blend responsible micro-lending, hands-on business coaching, and credit-building tools to help refugees start microenterprises and strengthen their long-term financial footing.
Refugee Microenterprise Development (MED) Program - FAQs
What is the Refugee Microenterprise Development (MED) Program?
The Refugee Microenterprise Development (MED) Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity that supports refugees in starting and growing very small businesses (microenterprises). It is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
What is the purpose of the MED Program?
The program is designed to help refugees move toward long-term economic self-sufficiency by expanding access to small business financing and providing practical business training and technical assistance. It also has an explicit credit-building focus to help participants establish or repair credit.
What are the main goals of the MED Program?
The MED Program has two connected goals:
- Help refugees establish microenterprise businesses by pairing small business loans with training and technical assistance.
- Help refugees build a credit history and/or repair their credit score to support longer-term access to mainstream financial products and opportunities.
What types of support does the MED Program provide to refugee entrepreneurs?
MED projects combine financing with hands-on support. The grant supports microenterprise lending and technical assistance that can cover practical topics such as business planning, budgeting and cash-flow management, pricing, licensing and permits, marketing, recordkeeping, and other operational skills that help businesses survive beyond the early months.
Why does the MED Program include a lending component?
The lending component is intended to address a common barrier for new and financially excluded entrepreneurs: limited access to conventional credit. By providing small business loans through the program, MED operators can serve clients who might not qualify through traditional lenders.
Why does the MED Program emphasize credit building?
ORR highlights creditworthiness as a key factor in whether families can access mainstream financial products and expand economic opportunity over time. The program therefore aims to help participants establish and strengthen credit histories in addition to launching businesses.
What activities are allowable under the MED grant?
Allowable activities described for this opportunity include:
- Providing technical assistance to refugee entrepreneurs
- Maintaining a revolving loan fund (RLF)
- Maintaining a loan loss reserve fund (LLR)
- Covering administrative costs tied to operating and managing the MED Program
What is a revolving loan fund (RLF) and why is it important in this program?
A revolving loan fund (RLF) is a pool of money used to make loans where repayments are recycled back into the fund to support future loans. In the MED Program, this structure helps the same funds support multiple rounds of refugee entrepreneurs over time, strengthening long-term sustainability.
What is a loan loss reserve fund (LLR) and what role does it play?
A loan loss reserve fund (LLR) is used to manage lending risk and potential defaults. This matters in a refugee microenterprise context because borrowers may have limited credit history, limited collateral, or unstable early earnings. The LLR helps programs remain viable while still serving people often excluded by traditional lenders.
Can MED programs offer credit builder loans (CBLs)?
Yes. In addition to standard microenterprise lending, MED programs may offer credit builder loans (CBLs) for refugee clients who plan to pursue a microenterprise loan but first need to establish or improve their credit.
What is a credit builder loan (CBL) in the MED context?
A credit builder loan (CBL) is described as a tool to help clients demonstrate consistent repayment behavior so that credit bureaus can record positive payment history. It can serve as a bridge for clients with viable business ideas who are not yet ready for a microenterprise loan due to thin or damaged credit.
How does the MED Program connect business support and credit improvement?
The program model ties together small business loans, business training/technical assistance, and credit-building tools (including possible credit builder loans). This approach is meant to help refugees both operate viable microenterprises and strengthen their long-term financial footing.
Who offers and administers this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through ACF's Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
How long has ORR funded MED projects?
ORR has funded MED projects since 1991, reflecting a long-running federal investment in refugee entrepreneurship as a pathway to stable income, asset-building, and community integration.
Who is eligible to apply for this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is open to a broad range of eligible applicants, including:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Other tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in the nonprofit category)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in the nonprofit category)
What kinds of organizations have historically received MED awards?
ORR notes that awards have historically gone to a mix of public agencies, community economic development organizations, local mutual assistance associations, and voluntary agencies.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this MED grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed for this opportunity is HHS-2016-ACF-ORR-RG-1117.
What is the Assistance Listing/CFDA number for this program?
The Assistance Listing/CFDA number provided is 93.576 (Income Security and Social Services).
When was this opportunity posted and when did applications close?
The posting date and creation date were April 21, 2016. The application closing date was June 21, 2016.
How many awards did ORR anticipate making, and what was the maximum award amount?
ORR anticipated making about 12 awards. The award ceiling was $250,000 per award.
What overall program model does this grant support?
The grant is structured to support local or regional operators that can blend responsible micro-lending, hands-on business coaching, and credit-building tools to help refugees start microenterprises and strengthen long-term financial stability.
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