Charrette Grants

Charrette Grants

Grants of $5,000 per project go toward helping affordable housing developers engage in integrative design (through a Charrette) to help you maximize the green and healthy outcomes for your project. 

• Charrettes take into consideration the existing community context by using a holistic and total-systems approach to the development process to promote health and livability throughout the life cycle of the development. 
• Holding a charrette at the schematic design phase helps developers establish green goals as early as possible so that the most cost-effective green strategies can be incorporated in the building and site plans through a Green Development Plan. 
• The charrette is an intense working session that aims to integrate sustainable green design principles by bringing together:
  • Housing development professionals
  • Residents
  • Technical experts
  • Funders
  • Policymakers
  • Community stakeholders

 Before submitting an application, review the following resources to guide you:

• 2011 Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, as a resource in the integrative design process
• Sample Charrette Toolkit for project team members and charrette facilitators
• The Success of Charrettes: Evidence in Practice for Engaging in an Integrative Design Process

• 501(c)(3) nonprofits
• Tribally designated housing entitied
• For-profit entities participating through joint ventures with qualified organizations (These applicationsmust identify the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization as the legal entity to receive the grant, if awarded funding.)
• The applicant and the development team must demonstrate their qualifications to successfully carry out the proposed development.

• Projects must be subject to firm site control or evidence that site control is imminent. Applicant must identify whether proposed project site is an occupied or unoccupied property.
• Projects must involve new construction of residential units or rehab at an estimated cost of $3,000 or more per unit.
• Projects applying for pre-development Charrette funds must be in the early stages of planning or schematic design phase of development.

Intended Uses of Funds
Funds may be used to cover the cost of conducting a charrette. Food is not an allowable expense. Consultants selected must adhere to the rate policy established by the federal provider of these funds. Allowable expenses include:

• Pre-qualified consultant fee for facilitation
• Consultant travel costs, not to exceed $1,000
• Meeting preparation costs, such as creating invitations
• Meeting and follow-up materials
• Venue and program support time all not to exceed a combined total of $800

Grant Amounts

• Grantees will be required to provide a match of 3:1 in private dollars.
• Match must be achieved at the beginning of the grant period of performance.
• Back up documentation must also be submitted to provide confirmation of these sources.

Grant Application and Approval Process
Once you have confirmed that your organization is eligible and that your project falls within the targeted projects,

• Select a facilitator (see information below on Finding a Facilitator). If the facilitator is not listed in the registry or recognized as an Enterprise Green Communities Technical Assistance Provider, applicant must provide a qualification checklist for consultant. When contracting with a facilitator, Enterprise will provide grantee with a sample consultant contract template, if necessary.
• Submit the Charrette Grant application. At this stage, applicants must identify the development goals, intended outcomes and facilitator information.
• Receive acknowledgement from Enterprise regarding whether the grant has been approved, denied or approved with conditions. Because funds are limited, Enterprise will reserve the right to negotiate with grant applicants to determine the highest and best use of grants in a specific project.
• Execute a Charrette Grant Agreement with Enterprise.
• Charrette grant applications are reviewed once per month. Applicants will be notified within 4-6 weeks after submission.

Finding a Facilitator

• Choose one from Enterprise's Pre-Qualified Facilitator Registry
• Additional experts who specialize in the integrative design process can be found on the Enterprise Green Communities Technical Assistance Providers Database.
• If you would like to apply to be listed on the Pre-Approved Charrette Facilitator Registry, download and complete the application and return to greencommunities@enterprisecommunity.org

Green Development Plan Template
Green Development Plan guides the developer during the integrative design process. A successful integrative design process ensures that all agreed-upon green measures are properly documented in a project’s plans and specifications. This template:

• Helps address critical design and planning issues
• Helps identify champions for achieving particular green goals and strategies
• Outlines next steps to achieve results and document your team's approach to meeting the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria.

Reporting Requirements
Upon requesting disbursement of grant funds, grantees must provide the following:

• A copy of the agenda, attendee list and meeting notes of the charrette
• The Green Development Plan template referenced above to be completed at the time of the charrette
• A progress report that tracks outcomes of the charrette and the integrative design process, as well as next steps to achieve successful implementation of green design and development.
• Grant Disbursement Request documentation provided within the Grant Agreement and signed by an authorized representative of the organization.