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Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

The Labor‐HHS‐Education Subcommittee previously received requests for Community Project Funding to construct or renovate buildings. Health facilities are the only types of construction projects normally eligible for Community Project Funding in the Labor‐HHS‐Education bill.

The Subcommittee will only consider Community Project Funding requests in the following accounts:

Department of Labor

Employment and Training Administration

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act demonstration program is the only Labor Department program that supports Community Project Funding. Community Project Funding is designated under Training and Employment Services. These projects must meet all statutorily mandated requirements, except that they are exempt from the requirement to compete. In addition, all projects must:

  1. Include direct services to individuals to enhance employment opportunities;
  2. Demonstrate evidence of a linkage with the State or local workforce investment system; and
  3. Include an evaluation component.

Equipment purchases may be included within Community Project Funding only as an incidental part of the entire project. A similar standard applies to curriculum development, which should be incidental to the project's emphasis on direct services to individuals. Community Project Funding cannot be used for construction or renovation of facilities.

Department of Health and Human Services

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

The Subcommittee has historically provided community project funding only in the categories listed below. Requests that do not fit into one of these categories are unlikely to be eligible for community project funding under HRSA.

Health Facilities Construction and Equipment

Grants to help with the cost of construction, renovation, or capital equipment for facilities for provision of health, mental health, or substance abuse services, training of health professionals, or medical research. Examples of eligible facilities include hospitals; health centers and clinics; skilled nursing facilities; mental health centers; facilities for schools of medicine, nursing or other health professions; and medical research laboratories.

In addition to construction and renovation, grants can be used to acquire capital equipment, such as lab equipment or x‐ray machines. Equipment‐only grants—that is, grants not involving construction—are permissible (and commonly done). Generally, any equipment having a useful life of more than one year and a unit cost of at least $5,000 will be eligible as capital equipment. In addition, equipment with lower costs may also be eligible, provided that it is treated as an item of capital expense under the recipient institution's pre‐existing, written accounting policies. Equipment expenses for health information systems and electronic medical records systems are permitted expenditures. The costs of expendable supplies such as pharmaceuticals, lab chemicals, or office paper are not eligible.

HRSA Health Facilities grants cannot be used to acquire land or purchase existing buildings, or to pay salaries or other operating costs. They cannot be used to pay for work previously completed. Grants can be used for architectural and engineering costs associated with an eligible construction project but cannot be used for general feasibility studies.

Health Professions Education and Workforce Development

Grants for projects to improve education and training of health care professionals, or to analyze health workforce trends and needs.

Rural Health Outreach

Grants for projects to improve health care in rural areas. Examples of eligible activities include medical, dental, or mental health care services, health promotion and education, chronic disease management, and improvements to emergency medical services. Grant funds can be used for services only in areas that meet HRSA's definition of rural. For lists of eligible areas and further information regarding that definition, see: https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/about-us/definition/index.html.

Rural Health Research

Grants to support research on rural health problems and ways of improving health care in rural areas.

Telehealth and Health Information Technology

Funding for telemedicine, distance learning, or use of information technology to improve health care.

Department of Health and Human Services

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Community Project Funding within SAMHSA should be submitted through the Health Surveillance and Program Support account. Community Project Funding must fall under one of the following categories:

Mental Health

Grants to support programs that promote the prevention or treatment of mental health disorders, including rehabilitation, outreach, and other support services.

Substance Abuse Treatment

Grants to support programs that improve access, reduce barriers, and promote high quality, effective treatment and recovery services.

Substance Abuse Prevention

Grants to support programs to prevent the onset of illegal drug use, prescription drug misuse and abuse, alcohol misuse and abuse, and underage alcohol and tobacco use.

Community Project Funding cannot be used for construction (other than a limited amount of renovation necessary to carry out a funded project).

Department of Education

Elementary and Secondary Education

Innovation and Improvement

Community Project Funding for elementary and secondary education should be submitted through the Innovation and Improvement account. Elementary and secondary education Community Project Funding includes instructional services, afterschool centers, curricula development, teacher training, acquisition of books and computers, arts education, social and emotional learning activities, full-service community schools, and early childhood education. In general, the focus of elementary and secondary education Community Project Funding should be providing early childhood or K‐12 educational services.

Community Project Funding to provide and improve special education services at the elementary and secondary levels are also eligible under elementary and secondary education. Community Project Funding may include early intervention services for infants and toddlers, transition services, and postsecondary education services.

Eligible grantees are state education agencies, school districts, colleges and universities, and other public and private nonprofit entities. Generally, Community Project Funding intended for individual schools is provided to the applicable school district and not directly to the individual school.

Community Project Funding cannot be used for construction or renovation of school buildings, except in the case of minor remodeling required as part of technology upgrades. Daycare and childcare projects that do not include educational services are also not eligible.

Department of Education

Postsecondary Education

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)

Community Project Funding can be designated under this heading for a wide variety of higher education projects. Generally, Community Project Funding should focus on improving access to, or the quality of, postsecondary education. Community Project Funding cannot be used for construction or renovation of academic buildings, except in the case of minor remodeling required as part of technology upgrades.

Examples of the types of projects that can be funded under FIPSE include projects to hire and train faculty, establish and improve degree programs, improve teacher preparation programs, develop and improve curricula, upgrade technology and telecommunications, acquire science laboratory equipment, provide student support, implement university partnerships with school districts, and establish research and training centers. Grantees are usually colleges and universities but may include other public and private nonprofit organizations.

Limitations on Education-Related Community Project Funding

Again, except where specifically authorized, Community Project Funding cannot be used for construction (or the acquisition of property) or renovation of buildings. In addition, grantees may not restrict participants based on race, ethnicity or gender. Finally, recipients of Community Project Funding may not sub-grant to other organizations or agencies.