Notice of HUD's FY2009 NOFA Policy Requirements

SUMMARY: This notice provides prospective applicants for HUD's competitive funding with the opportunity to become familiar with the General Section of HUD's FY2009 NOFAs, in advance of publication of any FY2009 NOFAs. This year, HUD plans to publish its NOFAs as they are approved for publication and not in a combined SuperNOFA. HUD believes that by making this change, the NOFAs will be available earlier in the fiscal year. To assist applicants in this transformation, HUD is publishing the anticipated schedule for release of HUD's FY2009 NOFAs in Appendix A. The information regarding NOFA programs and schedules is subject to the availability of appropriations. As HUD receives appropriations, HUD may elect to amend the anticipated dates, estimated funds available, and/or program requirements that may appear in the published NOFAs to reflect HUD's FY2009 appropriations act, when enacted by Congress. Any amendment to HUD published NOFAs will be made available to the public through a Federal Register publication and published on http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.grants.gov. Applicants are urged to sign up for Grants.gov's RSS Feed service to receive any changes to this General Section to HUD's FY2009 NOFAs. Information about the RSS Feed Service can be found at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www07.grants.gov/help/rss.jsp. Detailed instructions on use of the RSS Feed can be found later in this General Section. Applicants are advised to become familiar with the requirements of this General Section, particularly with applicant Grants.gov registration requirements and submission instructions. Submission instructions must be adhered to in order to have a successful submission. Applicants are also advised to provide copies of the General Section to all persons that will be working on the application. HUD has found too often that the Program Section and the application are passed along, but not the General Section instructions; thus placing Authorized Organization Representatives (AORs) at a disadvantage in not having all the information needed for submission. HUD will continue to require that applicants submit their applications electronically via Grants.gov. In FY2008, HUD switched to Adobe Forms application packages, available on Grants.gov.