NSP Grants, Maybe this Week!

North Carolina is waiting on the news, upcoming any day, on the awarding of NSP grants.  The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Assistance had indicated that decisions might be announced this week.  The DCA plan for HUD proposed contracts by March 1st, with a caveat that it could be subject to change.

The state plans to distribute the money through three channels – one for non-profits, one for local governments, and one for set asides to community development financial institutions and the NC HFA.  Charlotte has a specific allotment, on top of its competition in the pool for other dollars.  HUD’s NSP grants will total $3.92 billion.  The Stimulus included language to add another $2 billion in funds.  In the first $4 billion, North Carolina was alloted $52.3 million.  That money can be used in the 23 counties designated for greatest need.  Here is the points system:

• Demonstration of Need: 50 points (statistics on the level of foreclosures, housing quality, poverty)
• Treatment of Need: 20 points (appropriateness of the proposed strategy in mitigating those cited needs)
• Capacity of agent (non-profit, government, or cdfi/HFA): 20 points
• Green status: 1 point
• Mitigation of fraud: 4 points
• Socioeconomic factors: 5 points