§ 570.415 - Community Development Work Study Program.

§ 570.415 Community Development Work Study Program.

(a) Applicability and objectives. HUD makes grants under CDWSP to institutions of higher education, either directly or through areawide planning organizations or States, for the purpose of providing assistance to economically disadvantaged and minority students who participate in a work study program while enrolled in full-time graduate programs in community and economic development, community planning, and community management. The primary objectives of the program are to attract economically disadvantaged and minority students to careers in community and economic development, community planning, and community management, and to provide a cadre of well-qualified professionals to plan, implement and administer local community development programs.

(b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to CDWSP:

Applicant means an institution of higher education, a State, or an areawide planning organization that submits an application for assistance under CDWSP.

Areawide planning organization (APO) means an organization authorized by law or by interlocal agreement to undertake planning and other activities for a metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area. For an organization operating in a nonmetropolitan area to be considered an APO, its jurisdiction must cover at least one county.

CDWSP means the Community Development Work Study Program.

Community building means community and economic development, community planning, community management, land use and housing activities.

Community building academic program or academic program means a graduate degree program whose purpose and focus is to educate students in community building. “Community building academic program” or “academic program” includes but is not limited to graduate degree programs in community and economic development, community planning, community management, public administration, public policy, urban economics, urban management, and urban planning. “Community building academic program” or “academic program” excludes social and humanistic fields such as law, economics (except for urban economics), education and history. “Community building academic program” or “academic program” excludes joint degree programs except where both joint degree fields have the purpose and focus of educating students in community building.

Economically disadvantaged and minority students means students who satisfy all applicable guidelines established at the participating institution of higher education to measure financial need for academic scholarship or loan assistance, including, but not limited to, students who are Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic, or Asian/Pacific Island, and including students with disabilities.

Institution of higher education means a public or private educational institution that offers a community building academic program and that is accredited by an accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary of Education under 34 CFR part 602.

Recipient means an approved applicant that executes a grant agreement with HUD.

Student means a student enrolled in an eligible full-time academic program. He/she must be a first-year student in a two-year graduate program. Students enrolled in Ph.D. programs are ineligible.

Student with disabilities means a student who meets the definition of “person with disabilities” in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

(c) Assistance provided -

(1) Types of assistance available. HUD provides funding in the form of grants to recipients who make assistance available to eligible students. Grants are provided to cover the costs of student assistance and for an administrative allowance.

(i) Student assistance. Grants are made to recipients to cover the costs of assistance provided to eligible students in the form of student stipends, tuition support, and additional support.

(A) Student stipend. The amount of the student stipend is based upon the prevailing hourly rate for initial entry positions in community building and the number of hours worked by the student at the work placement assignment, except that the hourly rate used should be sufficiently high to allow a student to earn the full stipend without working over 20 hours per week during the school year and 40 hours per week during the summer. The amount of the stipend the student receives may not exceed the actual amount earned, up to $9,000 per year.

(B) Tuition support and additional support. The amount of support for tuition, fees, books, and travel related to the academic program, workplace assignment or conferences may not exceed actual costs incurred or $5,000 per year, whichever is higher. The conferences are limited to those dealing with community building, sponsored by professional organizations.

(ii) Administrative allowance. HUD provides an allowance to recipients to cover the administrative costs of the program. The administrative allowance is $1,000 per year for each student participating in the program.

(2) Number of students assisted. The minimum number of students that may be assisted is three students per participating institution of higher education. If an APO or State receives assistance for a program that is conducted by two or more institutions of higher education, each participating institution must have a minimum of three students in the program. The maximum number of students that may be assisted under CDWSP is five students per participating institution of higher education.

(d) Recipient eligibility and responsibilities -

(1) Recipient eligibility.

(i) The following organizations are eligible to apply for assistance under the program:

(A) Institutions of higher education. Institutions of higher education offering a community building academic program are eligible for assistance under CDWSP.

(B) Areawide planning organizations and States. An APO or a State may apply for assistance for a program to be conducted by two or more institutions of higher education. Institutions participating in an APO program must be located within the particular area that is served by the APO and is identified by the State law or interlocal agreement creating the APO. Institutions of higher education participating in a State program must be located within the State.

(ii) To be eligible in future funding competitions for CDWSP, recipients are required to maintain a 50-percent rate of graduation from a CDWSP-funded academic program.

(iii) If an institution of higher education that submits an individual application is also included in the application of an APO or State, then the separate individual application of the institution of higher education will be disregarded. Additionally, if an institution of higher education is included in the application of both an APO and a State, then the references to the institution in the application of the State will be stricken. The State's application will then be ineligible if fewer than two institutions of higher education remain as participants in the State's application.

(2) Recipient responsibilities.

(i) The recipient is responsible for the administration of the program, for compliance with all program requirements, and for the coordination of program activities carried out by the work placement agencies and (if the recipient is an APO or State), by the participating institutions of higher education. The recipient must:

(A) Recruit and select students for participation in CDWSP. The recipient shall establish recruitment procedures that identify economically disadvantaged and minority students pursuing careers in community building, and make such students aware of the availability of assistance opportunities. Students must be selected before the beginning of the semester for which funding has been provided.

(B) Recruit and select work placement agencies, and negotiate and execute agreements covering each work placement assignment.

(C) Refer participating students to work placement agencies and assist students in the selection of work placement assignments.

(D) Assign sufficient staff to administer and supervise the program on a day-to-day basis, and, where the recipient is an APO or State, to monitor the activities of the work study coordinating committee.

(E) Encourage participating students to obtain employment for a minimum of two years after graduation with a unit of State or local government, Indian tribe or nonprofit organization engaged in community building.

(F) Maintain records by racial and ethnic categories for each economically disadvantaged student enrolled in the CDWSP.

(G) Keep records and make such reports as HUD may require.

(H) Comply with all other applicable Federal requirements.

(ii) If the recipient is an APO or State, the recipient must also:

(A) Establish a committee to coordinate activities between program participants, to advise the recipient on policy matters, to assist the recipient in ranking and selection of participating students, and to review disputes concerning compliance with program agreements and performance. The committee shall be chaired by a representative of the recipient, and shall include representatives of the participating institutions of higher education, work placement agencies, students, and HUD.

(B) Allocate the assistance awarded under the program to the participating institutions of higher education. APOs and States may not make fractional awards to institutions. (E.g., awards to institutions must assist a fixed number of students and not, for example, 6.5 students.)

(e) Institutions of higher education. Institutions of higher education participating in a program are responsible for providing its educational component. Where the recipient is an APO or State, the institution of higher education shall assist the APO or State in the administration and operation of the program. Responsibilities include assisting the recipient in the selection of students by determining the eligibility of students for the academic program, and by making the analysis of students under the financial need guidelines established by the institution. All institutions of higher education must comply with other applicable Federal requirements.

(f) Work placement agencies eligibility and responsibilities -

(1) Eligibility. To be eligible to participate in the CDWSP, the work placement agencies must be involved in community building and must be an agency of a State or unit of local government, an APO, an Indian tribe, or a nonprofit organization.

(2) Responsibilities. Work placement agencies must:

(i) Provide practical experience and training in community building.

(ii) Consult with the institution of higher education (and the APO or State, where an APO or State is the recipient) to ensure that the student's work placement assignment provides the requisite experience and training to meet the required number of work hours specified in the student work placement agreement.

(iii) Provide a sufficient number of work placement assignments to provide participating students with a wide choice of work experience.

(iv) Require each student to devote 12-20 hours per week during the regular school year, or 35-40 hours a week during the summer, to the work placement assignment. Work placement agencies may provide flexibility in the work period, if such a schedule is consistent with the requirements of the student's academic program. However, a participating student may receive stipend payment only during the period that the student is placed with the work placement agency.

(v) Comply with all other applicable Federal requirements.

(vi) Maintain such records as HUD may require.

(g) Student eligibility and responsibilities. Students apply directly to recipients receiving grants under CDWSP. Students shall be selected in accordance with the following eligibility requirements and selection procedures.

(1) Eligibility. To be eligible for CDWSP, the student:

(i) Must satisfy all applicable guidelines established at the participating institution of higher education to measure financial need for academic scholarship or loan assistance.

(ii) Must be a full-time student enrolled in the first year of graduate study in a community building academic program at the participating institution of higher education. Individuals enrolled in doctoral programs are ineligible.

(iii) Must demonstrate an ability to maintain a satisfactory level of performance in the community building academic program and in work placement assignments, and to comply with the professional standards set by the recipient and the work placement agencies.

(iv) May not have previously participated in CDWSP.

(v) Must provide appropriate written evidence that he or she is lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, if the individual is not a citizen.

(2) Selection. In selecting among eligible students, the recipient must consider the extent to which each student has demonstrated:

(i) Financial need under the applicable financial need guidelines established at the institution of higher education;

(ii) An interest in, and commitment to, a professional career in community building;

(iii) The ability satisfactorily to complete academic and work placement responsibilities under CDWSP.

(3) Student responsibilities. Participating students must:

(i) Enroll in a two-year program. A student's academic and work placement responsibilities include: Full-time enrollment in an approved academic program; maintenance of a satisfactory level of performance in the community building academic program and in work placement assignments; and compliance with the professional conduct standards set by the recipient and the work placement agency. A satisfactory level of academic performance consists of maintaining a B average. A student's participation in CDWSP shall be terminated for failure to meet these responsibilities and standards. If a student's participation is terminated, the student is ineligible for further CDWSP assistance.

(ii) Agree to make a good-faith effort to obtain employment in community building with a unit of State or local government, an Indian tribe, or a nonprofit organization. The term of employment should be for at least two consecutive years following graduation from the academic program. If the student does not obtain such employment, the student is not required to repay the assistance received.

(h) Notice of fund availability. HUD will solicit grant applications from institutions of higher education, APO's and States by publishing a notice of fund availability in the Federal Register. The notice will:

(1) Explain how application packages (requests for grant applications) providing specific application requirements and guidance may be obtained;

(2) Specify the place for filing completed applications, and the date by which the applications must be physically received at that location;

(3) State the amount of funding available under the notice;

(4) Provide other appropriate program information and guidance.

(i) Recipient selection process. The selection process for applications under CDWSP consists of a threshold review, ranking of eligible applications and final selection.

(1) Threshold. To be eligible for ranking, applicants must meet each of the following threshold requirements:

(i) The application must be filed in the application form prescribed by HUD, and within the required time periods;

(ii) The applicant must demonstrate that it is eligible to participate;

(iii) The applicant must demonstrate that each institution of higher education participating in the program as a recipient has the required academic programs and faculty to carry out its activities under CDWSP. Each work placement agency must have the required staff and community building work study program to carry out its activities under CDWSP.

(2) Rating. All applications that meet the threshold requirements for applicant eligibility will be rated based on the following selection criteria:

(i) Quality of academic program. The quality of the academic program offered by the institution of higher education, including without limitation the:

(A) Quality of course offerings;

(B) Appropriateness of course offerings for preparing students for careers in community building; and

(C) Qualifications of faculty and percentage of their time devoted to teaching and research in community building.

(ii) Rates of graduation. The rates of graduation of students previously enrolled in a community building academic program at the institution of higher education, specifically including (where applicable) graduation rates from any previously funded CDWSP academic programs or similar programs.

(iii) Extent of financial commitment. The commitment and ability of the institution of higher education to assure that CDWSP students will receive sufficient financial assistance (including loans, where necessary) above and beyond the CDWSP funding to complete their academic program in a timely manner and without working in excess of 20 hours per week during the school year.

(iv) Quality of work placement assignments. The extent to which the participating students will receive a sufficient number and variety of work placement assignments, the assignments will provide practical and useful experience to students participating in the program, and the assignments will further the participating students' preparation for professional careers in community building.

(v) Likelihood of fostering students' permanent employment in community building. The extent to which the proposed program will lead participating students directly and immediately to permanent employment in community building, as indicated by, without limitation:

(A) The past success of the institution of higher education in placing its graduates (particularly CDWSP-funded and similar program graduates where applicable) in permanent employment in community building; and

(B) The amount of faculty and staff time and institutional resources devoted to assisting students (particularly students in CDWSP-funded and similar programs where applicable) in finding permanent employment in community building.

(vi) Effectiveness of program administration. The degree to which an applicant will be able effectively to coordinate and administer the program. HUD will allocate the maximum points available under this criterion equally among the following considerations set forth in paragraphs (i)(2)(vi) (A), (B), and (C) of this section, except that the maximum points available under this criterion will be allocated equally between the considerations set forth in paragraphs (i)(2)(vi) (A) and (B) of this section only where the applicant has not previously administered a CDWSP-funded program.

(A) The strength and clarity of the applicant's plan for placing CDWSP students on rotating work placement assignments and monitoring CDWSP students' progress both academically and in their work placement assignments;

(B) The degree to which the individual who will coordinate and administer the program has clear responsibility, ample available time, and sufficient authority to do so; and

(C) The effectiveness of the applicant's prior coordination and administration of a CDWSP-funded program, where applicable (including the timeliness and completeness of the applicant's compliance with CDWSP reporting requirements).

(vii) Commitment to meeting economically disadvantaged and minority students' needs. The applicant's commitment to meeting the needs of economically disadvantaged and minority students as demonstrated by policies and plans regarding, and past effort and success in, recruiting, enrolling and financially assisting economically disadvantaged and minority students. If the applicant is an APO or State, then HUD will consider the demonstrated commitment of each institution of higher education on whose behalf the APO or State is applying; HUD will then also consider the demonstrated commitment of the APO or State to recruit and hire economically disadvantaged and minority students.

(3) Final selection. Eligible applications will be considered for selection in their rank order. HUD may make awards out of rank order to achieve geographic diversity, and may provide assistance to support a number of students that is less than the number requested under applications in order to provide assistance to as many highly ranked applications as possible.

(j) Agreements -

(1) Grant agreement. The responsibilities of the recipient under CDWSP will be incorporated in a grant agreement executed by HUD and the recipient.

(2) Student agreement. The recipient and each participating student must execute a written agreement incorporating their mutual responsibilities under CDWSP. The agreement must be executed before the student can be enrolled in the program. A student's participation in CDWSP shall be terminated for failure to meet the responsibilities and standards in the agreement.

(3) Work placement assignment agreement. The institution of higher education, the APO or state (if an APO or State is the grant recipient), the participating student, and the work placement agency must execute a written agreement covering each work placement assignment. The agreement must address the responsibilities of each of the parties, the educational objectives, the nature of supervision, the standards of evaluation, and the student's time commitments under the work placement assignment.

(4) APO (or state) and institution of higher education. Where the recipient is an APO (or a State), the recipient and each participating institution of higher education must execute a written agreement incorporating their mutual responsibilities under CDWSP.

(k) Grant administration -

(1) Initial obligation of funds. When HUD selects an application for funding, and notifies the recipient, HUD will obligate funds to cover the amount of the approved grant. The initial obligation of funds will provide for student grants for two years.

(2) Disbursement. Recipients will receive grant payments by direct deposit on a reimbursement basis. If that is not possible, grant payments will be made by U.S. Treasury checks.

(3) Deobligation and recipient repayment.

(i) HUD may deobligate amounts for grants if proposed activities are not begun or completed within a reasonable time after selection.

(ii) If a student's participation in CDWSP is terminated before the completion of the two-year term of the student's program, the recipient may substitute another student to complete the two-year term of a student whose participation has terminated. The substituted student must have a sufficient number of academic credits to complete the degree program within the remaining portion of the terminated student's two-year term. With respect to any CDWSP grant, there is no requirement, regardless of the date of grant award, for students who are terminated from the CDWSP to repay tuition and additional assistance or for the grant recipient to repay such funds to HUD. Funds must still be otherwise expended consistent with CDWSP regulations and the grant agreement, or repayment may be required under paragraph (k)(3)(iii) of this section.

(iii) Consistent with 2 CFR part 200, HUD, in the grant agreement, will set forth in detail other circumstances under which funds may be deobligated, recipients may be liable for repayment, or other sanctions may be imposed.

(l) Other Federal requirements -

(1) Handicap provision. Recipients must provide a statement certifying that no otherwise qualified handicapped person shall, solely by reason of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under the CDWSP.

(2) Nondiscrimination. The recipient must adhere to the following nondiscrimination provisions: The requirements of title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, 42 U.S.C. 3600-20 (Fair Housing Act) and implementing regulations issued at subchapter A of title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations; title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d-4) (Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs) and implementing regulations issued at 24 CFR part 1; section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) and implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 8; Executive Order 11063 and implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 107; and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 146.

[54 FR 27131, June 27, 1989, as amended at 61 FR 36458, July 10, 1996; 63 FR 31869, June 10, 1998; 80 FR 75937, Dec. 7, 2015]