ORCA Capacity Building Grant Application

The ORCA Capacity Building Grant (ORCA CB Grant) helps organizations that currently (or have taken documented steps to) develop, preserve, or operate affordable rental housing by providing funds for a variety of capacity building activities. Individual grants are for two years. Applicants may request up to $150,000 for the two-year grant period. Grant activities should strengthen the organization's ability to meet its mission related to developing and/or operating affordable rental housing.


ORCA CB Grants are funded through the General Housing Account Program (GHAP).


ORCA Capacity Building (CB) grants are meant to aid organizational growth and development at a structural level, increasing an organization’s ability to deliver on its mission over time. These grants are not intended to cover routine core operating expenses nor provide on-going programmatic support. Eligible entities may hold only one active ORCA CB grant at a time. Additional information can be found on the GHAP Capacity Building program website.


This resource has a rolling application window. Applications for the ORCA CB Grant will open in eligibility group phases and will remain open until the funds have been exhausted. OHCS anticipates the fund will be regularly replenished. Additional eligibility groups may be added over time. Please refer to the GHAP Program Manual for definitions.


The following entity types are eligible to apply for ORCA CB Grants*:


  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Public Housing Authorities
  • Federally recognized Tribal Nations


*Specific eligibility groups will be derived from the above entity types and used to align the application process and capacity strengthening investment with OHCS priorities and programs.



Current Eligibility Groups for ORCA CB Grant:


Spring 2024 – Application opened and will remain open (contingent on funding) for the following groups: Nonprofit Culturally Specific Emerging Developer and Sponsor Organizations, Rural Public Housing Authorities, and Tribal Nations (Federally Recognized)



December 16, 2024 - Application opens for*: Nonprofit Culturally Specific Established Developer and Sponsor Organizations, Rural and Rural-Serving Nonprofit Developer and Sponsor Organizations, Direct Referrals from OHCS Portfolio Management.


*Application will remain open to prior eligibility groups.


Link to application content document - not official application. Provided for informational purposes only.


To report technical problems with this form please contact app.team@hcs.oregon.gov.

Eligibility Screening for ORCA Capacity Building Grants

Does your entity hold a current ORCA Capacity Building grant?*

Other capacity building grants offered outside the ORCA pathway are not considered ORCA CB Grants. Entities with a current ORCA CB Grant are not eligible to apply for a second grant at this time.

Does your entity have experience developing or operating multi-family affordable rental housing?*

This grant is currently open ONLY to entities with experience developing or operating multi-family affordable rental housing. Refer to the GHAP Program Manual for definitions.

Applicants to ORCA Capacity Building grants must agree that:*

You will be required to provide a copy of bylaws, charter, articles of incorporation, or documented board decision before the grant can be fully executed.

Eligibility Group*

Only Eligibility Groups listed below are eligible to apply for ORCA CB grants at this time.

Your entity does not qualify for ORCA CB grants at this time. For more information, please visit the GHAP Capacity Building website.

Your entity appears to qualify to apply for an ORCA CB grants. Please complete the application below.

Please contact hcs.ghap.cb@hcs.oregon.gov for further information.

ORCA Capacity Building Grant Application

Street, City, State, Zip

Phone

If none, please type "N/A"

If none, please type "N/A"

Please enter the budget and year it applies to

Please limit to 3-5 sentences

Please limit to 8-10 sentences

You have acknowledged that your organization is a Culturally Specific Organization.


Please complete the ORCA Prequalification which will include a Culturally Specific Organization Certification. This must be completed in order to process your Capacity Building Grant Application.


Please know: the prequal process is generally for projects entering the ORCA process and further along the development process than projects applying for capacity building grants. The response you receive from your Prequal submission may not appear to align with your project readiness, which is to be expected, and will not impact your Capacity Building Grant application.

Please limit to 8-10 sentences

Please limit to 8-10 sentences

Please limit to 3-5 sentences

Please limit to 8-10 sentences

Please limit to 3-5 sentences

Activities and Timeline

Allowable Grant Activities:


  • Adding or expanding Grantee housing staff capacity, or to pay current housing development or asset management staff;
  • Staff training, including professional certifications, memberships, and continuing education;
  • Acquiring technical assistance, including contracting with consultants;
  • Community engagement, networking, and collaboration related to organizational housing development and operating priorities, including for service-enriched housing;
  • Acquiring hardware or software;
  • Strengthening organizational management systems (e.g. financial, project tracking, portfolio management, etc.);
  • Paying for report costs for Asset Management evaluation activities
  • Paying for other expenses reasonably necessary to meet their identified organizational or regional capacity building priorities related to ARH development or portfolio management and preservation;
  • Paying for the following project-related predevelopment soft costs (up to 10% of the total Grant Funds) such as:
  • Accounting and financial analysis;
  • Research, required audits, and legal consultant fees

Briefly summarize your capacity building plans and explain the connection between your plans and your development project or existing portfolio (8-10 sentences).

Select all that apply

Select all that apply

Please limit to 3-5 sentences

Please complete the ORCA CB Grant Activities document located on the GHAP Capacity Building website.


Once completed, please upload the Grant Activities document at the end of this form.

Budget

You may request up to $150,000 to be utilized over two years. The requested funds must be used over two years and cannot be requested for use over a single year.

Please complete the ORCA CB Grant Budget document located on the GHAP Capacity Building website.


Once completed, please upload the ORCA CB Budget document at the end of this form.

OHCS DEI Agreement

Have you completed and submitted the OHCS DEI agreement?*

If you answered "No or not sure" please visit the OHCS DEI agreement to complete. You will be required to complete this DEI agreement before the grant can be fully executed.

OHCS Insurance Coverage Requirements

Prior to execution of the grant agreement, you must provide a Certificate of Insurance reflecting levels and types of coverage as required for this grant.


After your application has been reviewed, you will receive access to an online work center. The work center will contain a summary of insurance coverage requirements along with other documents needed for the grant agreement.

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