Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2021 ACF ORR RG 1909
The Refugee Microenterprise Development Program (MED) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). It is designed to strengthen economic self-sufficiency among refugees by helping them start and grow small, owner-operated businesses (microenterprises). Alongside business creation and expansion, the program also places a clear emphasis on improving participants credit outcomes, specifically by helping refugees build a credit history and/or repair an existing credit score so they can access mainstream financial services over time.
At its core, the program supports a blend of financing and practical support. Funded projects are expected to assist refugees in establishing microenterprise businesses through tools such as small grants and loans, as well as training and technical assistance. The training and technical assistance component generally aligns with what early-stage entrepreneurs need to succeed, such as learning to plan a business, manage cash flow, price products and services, handle basic bookkeeping, navigate licensing requirements, and understand local markets. The loan and grant assistance is meant to pair with this coaching so that participants are not only receiving capital, but also the guidance to use it effectively.
The solicitation identifies several allowable activities that define what grant funds can be used for. These include providing technical assistance related to grants and loans, maintaining a revolving loan fund (so loan repayments can be re-lent to future participants), offering credit builder loans that help participants establish positive payment histories, and covering reasonable administrative costs tied to running and managing the MED program. In practice, that means an applicant organization can structure a program that combines a lending operation (including revolving lending) with credit-building products and targeted business development support, as long as the effort is focused on refugee populations and aims to improve long-term economic stability.
The opportunity is cataloged under CFDA number 93.576 and is labeled with Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2021-ACF-ORR-RG-1909. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is Income Security and Social Services. ORR anticipated making about 12 awards, with an award ceiling of $250,000 per award, indicating that funded projects are expected to be focused but substantial enough to operate a structured microenterprise and credit-building program. Applications were due June 7, 2021, with electronic submissions required by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public and private entities that commonly deliver community-based economic and social services. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories). This wide eligibility range reflects ORRs intent to fund experienced organizations and public agencies that can combine refugee-serving expertise with small business support and financial capability programming.
Overall, the Refugee MED Program is essentially a targeted microenterprise and credit access initiative for refugees: it helps participants move from wage-based survival to business ownership or self-employment, while also addressing one of the most common structural barriers to financial mobility in the U.S. credit history and credit score readiness. The permitted use of revolving loan funds and credit builder loans signals an emphasis on sustainability and long-term impact, where funds and repayment cycles can continue to serve new entrepreneurs beyond a single round of assistance.Apply for HHS 2021 ACF ORR RG 1909
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - ORR in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Refugee Microenterprise Development Program (MED)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.576.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 08, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 07, 2021 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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