Rural Community Development Program (RCD) Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems Training and Technical Assistance Project | HHS 2025 ACF OCS EF 0177

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2025 ACF OCS EF 0177

The Rural Community Development Program (RCD) Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems Training and Technical Assistance Project is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS). It makes about $11 million available to support training and technical assistance efforts aimed at improving water and wastewater services in low-income rural communities. Rather than paying directly for construction, the program focuses on building the know-how and local capacity that small communities often lack, so they can plan, finance, develop, and maintain essential water supply and waste disposal systems over the long term.

The core purpose of the funding is to expand and protect access to basic water and sanitation for low-income families living in rural areas. Key goals include increasing access to safe water and waste disposal services, preserving affordability of those services where costs threaten to price out low-income households, and strengthening the ability of local leaders and organizations to establish and operate the community facilities they need. The program also emphasizes economic outcomes: by helping rural communities secure reliable water and sanitation, the funding supports healthier living conditions and creates a foundation for local economic opportunity and growth.

Another central expectation is that training and technical assistance will help communities leverage additional resources beyond the grant itself. That includes positioning communities to secure other federal and state funds, local financing, and private capital where appropriate. The opportunity also prioritizes better coordination among federal, state, and local agencies and financing programs, recognizing that rural water and wastewater projects often stall due to fragmented funding and complex compliance requirements. In practice, applicants should expect to deliver hands-on support that helps small communities navigate project development steps such as needs assessments, system planning, rate setting and affordability strategies, managerial and operator capacity building, and aligning funding sources.

Eligibility is geared toward organizations that can serve multiple communities and provide structured, scalable technical assistance. Eligible applicants include multistate or regional private nonprofit organizations capable of enabling and supporting small rural communities in meeting community facility needs. The eligible applicant types listed include nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (also excluding institutions of higher education), and certain other entities as allowed in the notice. Individuals, including sole proprietorships, are not eligible, and foreign entities are explicitly ineligible and would be disqualified from merit review.

Faith-based and community organizations may apply as long as they meet the eligibility requirements. The notice states that faith-based organizations will be considered on the same basis as other applicants, and that ACF will not discriminate in selection based on religious character, affiliation, or exercise, consistent with applicable federal protections and regulations (including 45 CFR Part 87 and relevant federal statutes).

From a funding and timing standpoint, the opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2025-ACF-OCS-EF-0177 and CFDA 93.570 (Income Security and Social Services). The closing date is September 5, 2025. ACF expects to make about 8 awards, with an award ceiling of $1,381,975 per award. This structure suggests a competitive national process where selected grantees will likely be expected to operate at a regional or multi-community scale and demonstrate the staffing, partnerships, and delivery approach needed to provide consistent technical assistance that produces measurable improvements in rural water and wastewater access, affordability, and system sustainability.

• The Administration for Children and Families - OCS in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Community Development Program (RCD) Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems Training and Technical Assistance Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.570.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-09-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-09-05. (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 $1,381,975.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for HHS 2025 ACF OCS EF 0177

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