Sec. 4. Competitive grants for pilot projects
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For each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030, the Secretaries shall make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to aid target populations through carrying out a HOPE Accounts Pilot Project described in subsection
(b)or a HOPE Action Plans Pilot Project described in subsection (c). A HOPE Accounts Pilot Project shall enable individuals from target populations to establish through cooperating banks, credit unions, or governmental or Tribal agencies HOPE accounts for such individuals— to have their paychecks deposited directly in such accounts; to use such accounts to increase savings that would be matched with funds provided by government and private sources, including individual development accounts; to use an account application on a smart phone to easily locate and sign up for job training and placement services online; to use any smart phone, digital tablet, or computer— to learn about the public and philanthropic programs that provide benefits to such individuals, including aid— to improve health, nutrition, job training and placement, housing, and income; and to receive Federal and State tax credits; and subject to applicable Federal, State, local, or Tribal law and, in the case of private benefits, the cooperation of the provider of such benefits, to simultaneously apply for, submit eligibility documents for, enroll in, and manage the use of such benefits at once through the convenience of their device if such individuals or their households are eligible for 1 or more of such benefits; to receive— a basic smart phone, digital tablet, or computer, if such individuals do not own a smart phone, digital tablet, or computer; and subsidized internet Wi-Fi access; to obtain the access and information described in paragraph
(4)with assistance at libraries, government offices, or nonprofit organizations if such individuals are uncomfortable using internet technology themselves; if such individuals are older individuals or individuals with a disability, to obtain access to the information described in paragraph
(4)through receiving home visits with the assistance of government employees, employees of nonprofit organizations, or participants in an AmeriCorps program carried out under subtitle C of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq. ) or under title II of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 ( 42 U.S.C. 5000 et seq. ); to access health care information that specifies medical benefits, and any out-of-pocket costs, for each of the health plans for which such individuals may be eligible, and to empower them, as practicable, to easily select the plan that works best for them; to deposit in the account cash that is set aside for education, job training, starting a business, or buying a home; in 1 central online account— to easily access and monitor the status, amounts, and recertification deadlines for some or all their benefits and savings; and to pay bills online, saving high check cashing fees and enormous amounts of time; to budget their resources by using real-time cash flow data and long-term financial planning data, including calculating how much they would lose in interest on credit cards versus how much they would gain in interest by saving more; to access calendar and scheduling functions that enable them to keep track of all job search, work, family, and school obligations, as well as any social service filing or appointment dates; to be protected by security and privacy systems so that only such individuals, and not the government, nonprofit organizations, or banking partners, would be able to see or track private financial and appointment information; and notwithstanding other provisions of law, to easily and clearly authorize their sharing of personal and financial information with multiple government agencies, solely for the purpose of those government agencies enabling those to apply for and utilize government benefits. A HOPE Action Plans Pilot Project shall enable individuals from target populations to partner with government and nonprofit organizations by entering into voluntary agreements with such government and nonprofit organizations to carry out HOPE action plans that— specify exactly how the parties to such plans will help such individuals and their families earn, learn, and save better in order to ensure greater economic opportunity for themselves and their children by working together in a long-term, positive relationship for the purpose of ensuring upward mobility; could empower such individuals and their families to better organize their time and focus their activities on productive endeavors while providing them extra resources to do so; could be short-term (a period of not more than 2 years) and aimed at helping families achieve very basic goals, such as avoiding homelessness and hunger; could be long-term (a period of more than 2 years) with far more ambitious goals for upward mobility; and would require that participating individuals and their families and participating government entities and nonprofit organizations have equal rights to hold each other accountable for plan outcomes and funding. The Secretaries shall each create an application process for eligible entities to apply for a grant under this section. To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit to one of the Secretaries an application— that contains a description of how the applicant proposes to use the grant funds to implement the components of a HOPE Accounts Pilot Project described in subsection
(b)or a HOPE Action Plans Pilot Project described in subsection (c); and that is submitted in such form, at such time, and containing such other information as the Secretaries may require. A grant under this section shall be for a period not to exceed 5 years. If a Secretary finds it appropriate, the Secretary may use cooperative agreements, as described in section 6305 of title 31, United States Code, for purposes of making grants under this section. Grants made under this section shall range in amounts from $250,000 to $3,000,000, and shall be proportionate to the geographical size, project complexity, and number of individuals participating in each project supported by the grant. Eligible entities may receive grants made under this section by 2 or more of the Secretaries. To the extent funds are available, the Secretaries shall each make not fewer than 8 such grants annually. To the extent practicable, the Secretaries shall make grants for pilot projects that operate statewide, as well as pilot projects designed to serve specific rural, urban, and suburban areas. To the extent practicable, pilot projects for which grants are made shall be distributed among diverse administrative regions of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Agriculture. For purposes of making grants under this section, preference shall be given to grants for pilot projects that— serve individuals in rural or urban communities that are historically underserved and have a high rate of poverty; simultaneously carry out a HOPE Accounts Pilot Project described in subsection
(b)and a HOPE Action Plans Pilot Project described in subsection (c); involve low-income individuals as equal partners in project planning and implementation; make additional funds available directly to low-income households through action plans, either through government payments or through subgrants to nonprofit organizations; are matched by considerable non-Federal funds without penalizing rural or urban communities that are very low income, underserved, and cannot provide non-Federal matching funds; propose concrete plans for long-term sustainability and expansions without future Federal grant funds; assist low-income households to apply for Federal earned income tax credits and State tax credits; provide resources in English and in additional languages commonly spoken in the area served by the pilot project; prioritize client-facing, fully-tested, technology and mobile device applications; include a robust monitoring and evaluation planning and reporting plan, including proposed staffing and reporting for that plan, including reporting on— the extent to which the pilot project makes it easier, quicker, and less costly for low-income individuals in the United States to access a variety of benefits; the extent to which the pilot project will save administrative funds over the long run; the extent to which the accuracy and integrity of the benefits programs included are maintained or improved; and the extent to which low-income households are able to more easily obtain free or low-cost banking services; subcontract part of the implementation of the pilot project to United States-based private businesses, banks, savings and loans, credit unions, co-ops, or nonprofit organizations, with relevant, successful experience in similar or related project activities; incorporate a benefits calculator to enable applicants to learn how the receipt of some benefits might or might not impact whether they are eligible for other benefits and might impact the amount of those other benefits for which they are eligible; include planning and funding for the eligible entities to train their staffs and clients to utilize the new technologies under the pilot project; in rural and other areas without strong broad-band service, integrate activities under the pilot project with other activities to strengthen local-broad band service; enable low-income individuals in the United States to obtain smart phones, and data services, at no cost or at a reduced cost; ensure that individuals without personal smart phone, tablet, or computer access are able to benefit from the systems and technological improvements under the pilot project at public locations such as public libraries, community centers, and social service offices; propose a detailed, workable plan to thoroughly beta test and field test any new technologies or systems under the pilot project before making such technologies or systems available to all households, individuals, or the entire area served by the pilot project; and identify the applicable Federal, State, local, or Tribal statutory and regulatory authorities, including waiver authorities, to be potentially leveraged to most effectively implement the pilot project.
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