Skip ACF banner and navigation
Department of Health and Human Services logo
Questions?  
Privacy  
Site Index  
Contact Us  
   Home   |   Services   |   Working with ACF   |   Policy/Planning   |   About ACF   |   ACF News Search  
Administration for Children and Families US Department of Health and Human Services



Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Program

EZ/EC Home | EZ/EC Information | HHS Support | EZ/EC Grants | Information for Round 3 EZ and RC Applicants

EZ/EC Grants

When it created the EZ/EC Program, Congress took the unusual approach of de-coupling the program management from the oversight function for the underlying grants. On the one hand, it authorized the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to designate the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities localities and oversee their community renewal programs. On the other hand, Congress authorized the HHS Office of Community Services (OCS) to manage $1 billion in flexible grants that are the core federal support for the local EZ/EC projects. The OCS grants, called "EZ/EC SSBG" are vital to the revitalization projects currently underway in the designated neighborhoods.

Notable Grant Features

The OCS grant funds have a number of notable features, as follows:

Detailed Grant Documentation

The following documents provide more detailed information about OCS funding for the Round One Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities. Click on the titles to view them.

Authorizing Statute and Regulations

Authorizing Statute--The statutory authority for OCS funding for EZ/EC projects is found in Title 20 of the Social Security Act. It is codified at 45 U.S.C. 2007(d).

Congressional Guidance--A 1993 Senate Finance Committee report includes detailed examples of allowed uses of the EZ/EC SSBG award.

HHS Regulations--The regulations for HHS block grants are applicable to the EZ/EC SSBG awards. They are found at 45 C.F.R. Part 96.

Guidance about the Grants

Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance--The Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance includes a detailed description EZ/EC SSBG award, which is a component of the Social Services Block Grant. It covers key topics such as allowed uses, state reporting requirements, and so on.

Overview of Allowed Uses--A two-page document that can serve as a useful thumbnail description of allowed uses of EZ/EC SSBG awards.

Questions and Answers--Questions and answers about the EZ/EC SSBG awards, the roles and responsibilities of state and local agencies, reporting requirements, and so forth.

Guidance for Auditors--Official OCS supplemental audit guidance about the EZ/EC SSBG awards. The guidance gives specific instructions for auditors regarding key fiscal issues.

Information Memo #1--OCS information memorandum clarifying the roles of state agencies and the local level EZ/EC project lead entities.

Information Memo #2--OCS information memorandum clarifying federal construction standards for EZ/EC projects financed exclusively with EZ/EC SSBG awards.

Grant Documentation

Grants for Empowerment Zones

First Grant to States for Round One Urban Empowerment Zones Second Grant to States for Round One Urban Empowerment Zones

First Grant to States for Round One Rural Empowerment Zones
Second Grant to States for Round One Rural Empowerment Zones

Grants for Enterprise Communities

Grant to States for Round One Urban Enterprise Communities
Grant to States for Round One Rural Enterprise Communities

Forms for States

Annual Fiscal Reports--Recipient state agencies are required to submit annual reports to OCS about the EZ/EC SSBG grants. They are required to use Standard Form 269 for the reports. Click here to open a portable document file (PDF) of Standard Form 269.

(Note that to download any PDF file, you must have an Adobe Acrobat reader loaded on your computer. If you do not have an Acrobat reader on your computer, click the image below to download a free copy from Adobe.com.)

get acrobat reader

EZ/EC Home | EZ/EC Information | HHS Support | EZ/EC Grants | Information for Round 3 EZ and RC Applicants
If you have questions or comments, please e-mail James Gatz of the Office of Community Services.
Return to ACF Home | Return to OCS Home | Return to HHS Home
 
This page is Bobby approved.
Bobby Approved (v 3.2)

This document was last modified 6/13/2001 1:30 pm EST