The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced that it is offering $35 million to public housing authorities to develop facilities that will provide early childhood and adult education, and/or job training programs for public housing residents.

The new Capital Fund Education and Training Community Facilities Program (CFCF) further illustrates the Obama Administration’s commitment to link affordable housing with education reform and early childhood education. The Notice of Funding for CFCF was posted on Grants.gov.

“Education offers a path to a better life,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “This new program will provide public housing authorities the necessary resources to give their residents educational and enrichment opportunities that will open doors to boundless opportunities.”

Housing authorities have until January 14, 2011, to apply for CFCF funding to construct new facilities, rehabilitate existing structures or purchase facilities that will provide early childhood and adult education, and/or job training programs for public housing residents based on an identified need.

The funding can also be used to revitalize an existing community center that will offer comprehensive integrated services to help public housing residents achieve better educational and economic outcomes resulting in long-term economic self-sufficiency. While use of the facility is primarily for public housing residents, families in the community may utilize and benefit from the new centers and their resources.

The maximum grant award is $5 million. Applicants must “leverage” or have financial commitments of at least five percent of the grant amount and identify at least one education or training supportive service provider, such as a community college, that will partner with the housing authority to provide the services required. Agencies that are awarded funding are given four years to have an operating facility.

CFCF, which is being funded though a special set-aside from HUD’s Capital Fund Program, adds to the Obama Administration’s commitment to including educational components to its housing programs. Both the Choice Neighborhoods (CN) and HOPE VI Revitalization Programs, that are currently taking applications, require providing early childhood educational opportunities a priority.

The Choice Neighborhoods initiative aligns quality educational opportunities with community development resources for long-term, economically viable neighborhood transformation. Now in its pilot year, the competitive program will award up to $65 million to public housing authorities, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and for profit developers that apply jointly with a public entity to extend neighborhood transformation efforts beyond public and/or assisted housing, to link housing revitalization with education reform and early childhood education. CN builds on the success of the HOPE VI Revitalization Program that has for nearly 20 years transformed neighborhoods with distressed public housing into revitalized mixed-income communities.