Jobs Plus Initiative | FR 6300 N 14

Opportunity Information: Apply for FR 6300 N 14

The Jobs Plus Initiative is a discretionary grant opportunity from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) focused on reducing poverty and improving employment outcomes for residents of public housing through a place-based, locally driven strategy. The program is built around the idea that employment supports work best when they are concentrated in a specific housing development and widely promoted so that working and pursuing career advancement becomes the expected norm rather than the exception. In practical terms, Jobs Plus funds communities to build coordinated, on-the-ground systems that connect public housing residents to jobs, help them keep and advance in those jobs, and increase household earnings over time.

At the center of Jobs Plus are three core components that must work together. The first is employment-related services, which typically include work readiness assistance, job search support, job placement, and ongoing counseling or coaching after placement. These services can also include educational advancement opportunities, such as support for completing a high school credential, enrolling in postsecondary education or occupational training, and building technology skills that are increasingly required in the labor market. The emphasis is not just on getting someone employed once, but on creating pathways that lead to higher wages and more stable employment.

The second component is the financial incentive known as the Jobs Plus Earned Income Disregard (JPEID). This incentive is designed to reduce a common disincentive to work in subsidized housing: when earnings rise, rent often rises as well, which can make additional work feel less worthwhile. Under Jobs Plus, the earned income disregard allows eligible working residents to keep more of their increased earnings for a period of time by limiting how much of that increased income is counted when calculating rent. The intent is to make work pay in a way residents can feel immediately, reinforcing employment and encouraging longer-term attachment to the workforce.

The third component is community supports for work, which focuses on shaping the broader environment in the housing development so that residents are encouraged, informed, and practically supported in pursuing employment. This can include resident engagement activities, peer support, community-level messaging, and the creation of a visible, pro-work culture within the development. Rather than treating employment as an individual challenge alone, this element aims to change expectations and norms across the entire community, increasing participation and sustaining momentum.

HUD also stresses the importance of partnerships, encouraging applicants to coordinate with employers, workforce development entities, educational providers, and service organizations that can address barriers to employment. These partnerships are meant to strengthen employer linkages and open doors to real job opportunities while also ensuring residents can access supportive services they may need, such as childcare coordination, transportation solutions, or other stability-focused assistance. A key implementation requirement is the use of an Individualized Training and Services Plan (ITSP) for each participant, which serves as a structured roadmap for setting employment and education goals, identifying the services needed to reach them, and tracking progress over time.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this opportunity is listed as Funding Opportunity Number FR 6300 N 14 and falls under the Housing funding activity category with CFDA number 14.895. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $3,700,000. HUD anticipated making about 7 awards under this competition. The opportunity was created on July 30, 2019, and the original application closing date was October 1, 2019, with electronically submitted applications due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline. Eligibility is summarized as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the opportunity materials, meaning applicants would need to closely review HUDs eligibility language to confirm which organizations or entities can apply and under what conditions.

Overall, Jobs Plus is designed to pair practical employment services with a meaningful rent-related financial incentive and strong community-level reinforcement. The combined approach is meant to increase employment, raise earnings, and support longer-term economic mobility for public housing residents by making work more accessible, more rewarding, and more socially supported within the developments where participants live.

• The US Department of Housing and Urban Development in the housing sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Jobs Plus Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 14.895.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 30, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 01, 2019 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (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 $3,700,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for FR 6300 N 14

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: