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How to Apply for HUD's New Recovery Housing Funding: A Step-by-Step Guide

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📌 This is Part 2

In our previous post, The Big Shift: How HUD's New Funding Rules Create Major Opportunities for Recovery Housing Operators, we covered what's changing and why it matters. This guide gets tactical—showing you exactly how to apply for each funding opportunity, with direct links and step-by-step instructions.

What's in This Guide

  1. Critical Deadlines at a Glance
  2. Continuum of Care (CoC) Grants — Full Application Walkthrough
  3. Recovery Housing Program (RHP) — State-by-State Guide
  4. Faith-Based Organization Pathways
  5. Second Chance Act (Justice-Involved Populations)

Critical Deadlines at a Glance 

Before we dive into the details, here's what you need to know right now:

Program Deadline Where to Apply
CoC NOFO FY2025 Jan 14, 2026 @ 8pm ET grants.gov
Indiana RHP (full app) Feb 22, 2026 in.gov/ocra/cdbg/rhp
West Virginia RHP Apr 3, 2026 wvcad.org
Second Chance Act (DOJ) TBA for FY26* bja.ojp.gov

FY25 deadline was April 2025; watch for FY26 announcements in early 2026

⚠️ The January 14 Deadline is Real

 

1. Continuum of Care (CoC) Transitional Housing Grants

This is the big one. The FY 2025 CoC Program Competition has $3.9 billion available, with a dramatic shift toward transitional and recovery-focused housing. Here's how the application actually works.

Understanding the Process

Unlike most federal grants, you don't apply directly to HUD for CoC funding. Instead:

  1. You submit a project application to your local Continuum of Care
  2. Your local CoC reviews, ranks, and includes your project in their consolidated application to HUD
  3. HUD reviews the consolidated application and makes awards

This means your first step isn't filling out forms—it's building a relationship with your local CoC.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Find and Contact Your Local CoC Coordinator

Use HUD's directory at hudexchange.info/grantees/contacts (filter by "CoC" under programs). Reach out immediately to express interest in becoming a transitional housing provider. Ask about current gaps in their service area and what they're looking for in partners.

Step 2: Register on Grants.gov and e-snaps

All HUD applications go through their electronic system called e-snaps. Go to esnaps.hud.gov and create an account if you don't have one. You'll also need a Grants.gov registration. Do this early—account setup can take time.

Step 3: Complete Your Project Applicant Profile

In e-snaps, you'll need to complete all profile screens with your organization's information. Click through each section, fill in the required fields, and hit "Complete" when finished. This unlocks the actual application.

Step 4: Register for the FY 2025 Funding Opportunity

In e-snaps, go to "Funding Opportunity Registrations" and select the FY 2025 CoC Program. This tells HUD you intend to apply.

Step 5: Create Your Project

Select "Projects" in the left menu, click "Add," and give your project a name. This creates the container for your application.

Step 6: Complete the Application via "Submissions"

Access your project through the "Submissions" screen and work through each section. The application asks about your organization, proposed services, budget, outcomes tracking, and partnerships.

Step 7: Submit to Your CoC by Their Internal Deadline

Your CoC will have an internal deadline (usually 1-2 weeks before HUD's deadline) so they can review and rank projects. They'll include your project in their consolidated submission to HUD.

What You'll Need to Document

  • Organizational capacity: Audited financial statements, governance documents, staff qualifications
  • Outcomes data: Sobriety rates, employment gains, housing stability metrics, reduced emergency services usage
  • Partnerships: MOUs with treatment providers, workforce programs, healthcare organizations
  • Community need: Local data on homelessness, substance use disorders, gaps in current services
  • Certifications: NARR certification significantly strengthens applications
  • Letters of support: From partners, local government, community organizations

Essential CoC Links

2. Recovery Housing Program (RHP) 

RHP is different from CoC funding in one critical way: it's administered by states, not HUD directly. HUD allocates funding to eligible states under the SUPPORT Act, and each state runs its own application process.

This means deadlines, requirements, and application systems vary by state. Here's what we know about current opportunities:

Indiana

  • Full Applications Due: February 22, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET
  • Award Amount: Up to $750,000 per project
  • Focus: Strong rural emphasis
  • Requirements: Active SAM registration, certified grant administrator
  • Apply: Indiana Electronic Grants Management System
  • Info: in.gov/ocra/cdbg/rhp
  • Contact: CDBG@ocra.in.gov

West Virginia

  • Application Release: January 15, 2026
  • Mandatory Workshop: February 3, 2026
  • Applications Due: April 3, 2026
  • Focus: Certification costs, facility rehabilitation
  • Apply: wvcad.org/infrastructure/rhp
  • Contact: (304) 558-2234

North Carolina

  • Multiple funding rounds through Department of Commerce
  • October 2024 awards announced; next round expected 2026
  • Info: commerce.nc.gov

Ohio

  • Strong emphasis on outcomes tracking (abstinence, employment, wellbeing)
  • Active state support for recovery housing infrastructure
  • NARR affiliate providing technical assistance
  • Contact: Ohio Department of Development for 2026 timeline

California

  • Shifting toward sobriety-focused models after Housing First challenges
  • Funding likely through DHCS, county grants, or CDBG
  • No statewide deadline yet; monitor county contracts

Maine & Oklahoma

  • Both have active NARR affiliates
  • Contact state housing authorities for RHP allocations and upcoming rounds

RHP Application Process (General)

Step 1: Check If Your State Has RHP Allocations

Not all states received funding. Check hudexchange.info/programs/rhp or contact your state housing authority.

Step 2: Contact Your State Housing Authority

Each state administers its own program. Find your state's community development or housing authority and ask about application timelines.

Step 3: Partner with Local Government (If Nonprofit)

Many states require nonprofits to partner with a local government entity as the lead applicant. Start building that relationship now.

Step 4: Prepare Your Documentation

You'll need evidence of community need (local SUD data), organizational capacity, staffing plans, compliance with NARR standards, and partnership commitments.

Step 5: Submit via State System

Applications typically go through state-specific electronic grants management systems—not e-snaps.

Essential RHP Links

3. Faith-Based Organization Pathways 

Executive Order 14321 explicitly encourages HUD to partner with faith-based and community organizations. If you're a faith-based recovery housing operator, this gives you preferential positioning in the current funding environment.

What's Different for Faith-Based Organizations

  • Special scoring consideration for values-based programming and peer support
  • Solo Applicant process — HUD can award funds outside the traditional CoC competition if you've been denied access to your local CoC
  • White House Faith Office involvement in CoC implementation
  • Eligibility for both CoC and RHP funding streams

How to Apply

Step 1: Document Your Faith-Based Status

Prepare documentation showing your organization's faith-based or community organization status.

Step 2: Highlight Program Elements

In your application, emphasize peer support models, community integration, and values-based programming.

Step 3: Build Collaborative Applications

Connect with other faith-based providers in your area for joint applications—this strengthens your collective case.

Step 4: Consider the Solo Applicant Process

If you've attempted to participate in your local CoC but were denied access, you may be eligible to apply directly to HUD. Contact CoCNOFO@hud.gov for guidance on this process.

Key resource: hudexchange.info/programs/priority-faith

4. Second Chance Act & Justice-Involved Population Programs 

These grants come from the Department of Justice (not HUD), but they're highly relevant for recovery housing operators serving people leaving incarceration. The new HUD emphasis on accountability and self-sufficiency aligns perfectly with reentry programming.

Program Overview

  • Administered by: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
  • Focus: Reducing recidivism through housing, employment, and treatment
  • Award amounts: Up to $900,000 per award (varies by program)
  • Eligibility: State/local/tribal governments, nonprofits
  • Preference: Programs with Level 2/3 NARR certification serving justice-involved populations

How to Apply

Step 1: Register on Grants.gov and JustGrants

DOJ uses JustGrants (not e-snaps) for their applications. Get registered on both systems.

Step 2: Build Reentry Partnerships

Partner with probation/parole departments, courts, and existing reentry programs in your area.

Step 3: Track Reentry-Specific Outcomes

Implement tracking for recidivism reduction, employment outcomes, and housing stability post-release.

Step 4: Watch for FY2026 Announcements

Previous cycles had spring/summer deadlines. Monitor bja.ojp.gov/funding/current for new opportunities.

Step 5: Cross-Reference in HUD Applications

If you serve justice-involved populations, highlight this in your CoC and RHP applications—it demonstrates you're serving a high-need population with strong accountability measures.

Second Chance Act Links

Your Action Plan

This Week

  • Contact your local CoC coordinator (even if you'll miss the January 14 deadline, start the relationship now)
  • Check your state's RHP status through your state housing authority
  • Register on Grants.gov and e-snaps if you haven't already
  • Review the FY 2025 CoC NOFO to understand what HUD is prioritizing

Next 30 Days

  • Compile your outcomes data: success rates, employment outcomes, sobriety metrics
  • Meet with potential partners: treatment centers, probation departments, workforce programs
  • Formalize partnerships with MOUs and letters of support
  • Prepare organizational capacity documentation and financial statements

Next 90 Days

  • Implement robust case management and outcomes tracking systems
  • Diversify your funding strategy—don't rely on a single source
  • Engage with policymakers and build community support for your program
  • Share your outcomes publicly to build credibility for future applications

Strong Data Wins Grants

The operators who will succeed in this new funding environment are those who can demonstrate measurable outcomes. Sobriety Hub helps recovery housing operators track the metrics that matter—resident outcomes, compliance, and program effectiveness.

Learn How Sobriety Hub Can Help →

The Bottom Line

The funding is there. The policy priority is clear. But capturing these opportunities requires preparation, partnerships, and proof of outcomes.

If you missed the January 14 CoC deadline, don't wait another year. Start building relationships with your local CoC now. Get your outcomes tracking in order. Apply for state RHP funding where available. Position yourself so that when the next round opens, you're ready.

The federal government is finally investing in what recovery housing has always offered: accountability-based transitional support that helps people achieve lasting self-sufficiency. Now it's time to show them what you can do.

Related: The Big Shift: How HUD's New Funding Rules Create Major Opportunities for Recovery Housing Operators