Is your community facing a lack of affordable housing? Do you work for an organization that could benefit from enhanced local knowledge, training, and strategic partnerships? MHP is excited to open its application for FREE technical assistance for housing and community development! View MHP’s Request for Technical Assistance (RFTA) Application here.

MHP’s renowned Strengthening Rural Communities Program (funded through an eighth-consecutive Rural Capacity Building award from HUD), delivers technical and financial assistance to rural entities and Native Nations across the country, increasing their capacity to meet current and future housing needs—at no cost to RFTA awardees. By increasing local capacity, we position beneficiaries of the assistance to achieve their unique vision and sustain housing and community development successes long after MHP’s work is complete.  

MHP has the expertise to assist with a variety of issues, including housing development, housing program development, organizational development, funding and resource development, and community engagement and outreach. Since 2014, MHP staff provided direct assistance to over 132 beneficiaries through customized and individual workplans; including assistance with 54 community development projects. The result: 577 affordable units are in the development process, with 33 new units completed, and 632 housing units have been rehabbed/preserved.. The assistance also contributed to the success of 41 businesses (including 8 new ones) and boosted their local economies.  Read about the impact of this technical assistance in just a few communities here:

• Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation in International Falls, Minnesota 
• Unit Preservation in Spokane, Washington 
• Peer-To-Peer Training through our Housing Institute Program 
• Chipola Florida Area Habitat For Humanity
• Lower Sioux Indian Community

Priority is given to organizations currently engaged in housing development as a part of their mission or actively working to build their housing development capacity. MHP also works with such entities as rural housing development organizations (RHDOs), local units of government and political subdivisions, tribal governments and tribal corporate entities, and CHDOs and CDCs. Statewide or state-affiliated entities are not eligible.  

Preference points are given to underserved communities, including: majority BIPOC and/or immigrant communities, Native Nations and Indigenous communities, communities experiencing persistent poverty, climate justice impacted communities, and promise zone communities. 

There will be first review of applications through October 31st 2023. Applications will then be accepted on a rolling basis. Click here to access the application directly. MHP will follow up within forty-five days to schedule a collaborative review of your application. MHP is an equal opportunity assistance provider and markets its technical assistance program to communities historically facing housing disparities. More information paper copies of all materials are available upon request.  

We want to work with you! Please reach out with any questions:

Via Phone: 651-925-5545 

Via Email: RFTA@mhponline.org 

Via Fax: 651.649.1725