Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Housing Tester Training Grant

Training Component – Education and Outreach Tester Training (EOI-TT)
Amount Available – $250,000
Applicant Eligibility – QFHOs, other FHOs, and other nonprofit organizations representing groups of persons protected under Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, agencies of State or local governments and agencies certified by the Secretary under section 810(f) of the Fair Housing Act or other public or private entities that are formulating or carrying out programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices.
Project Period – 12-18 months
Award Caps – Up to $250,000
Eligible Activities – Applicants may propose to develop and implement a comprehensive and on-going tester training program for testers working for organizations participating in HUD’s FHIP PEI and the FHOI . The training must contain either or both basic (general) and advanced (complex) tester training courses. Eligible activities will also include on-going efforts to evaluate training quality and impact and assess the need for additional training.

An applicant may propose to provide tester training in one or more of the training topics listed below:

1.General or Basic Tester Training (rental and sales) – Teach testers the
principles and applications of testing including audit testing, telephone testing, systemic testing and internet/email testing. Review the skills and tools needed to be an effective tester. Provide an overview of the history of testing and the housing industry from a national perspective, as well as information about audit testing, telephone testing, systemic testing and internet/email testing.
2. Advanced or Complex Tester Training (lending and insurance) – Teach testers the principles and applications of lending/insurance testing. Review the skills and tools needed to be an effective tester. Provide an overview of the history of testing in the lending and insurance markets, the mortgage and insurance industry, as well as information about audit and systemic testing.

Both General and Advanced Tester Training should also include:

Role of Testers/Tester Profiles
Preparing for the Tests (test assignments and costs of tests)
Performing the Tests
Following the tests
Test Forms Used
Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.

The Department continues to be vigilant about ensuring that testing performed by testers with FHIP funds adhere to HUD’s investigatory standards so that the testing yields credible, objective and admissible evidence to aid in the enforcement of the federal Fair Housing Act. The Department acknowledges that great variation exists in the quality of fair housing testing performed by FHIP grantees. Some grantees have consistently demonstrated that testing produces strong evidence that can be used to forge effective legal challenges to discriminatory housing practices. Still some grantees exhibit lesser capabilities and uneven or less accomplished tracs. HUD recognizes the need to improve and standardized the quality of testing provided by testers employed by FHIP grantees.

In response, HUD’s FHIP FY 2020 Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) NOFA to that provides consistent training in the areas of testing. The Department is also aware that testers may specialized in specific areas of testing, and that testers will need more than the general tester training to provide high quality services. Therefore, the NOFA will also support specialized training courses for testers in the areas of lending and insurance. In summary, this NOFA provides notice of a FHIP EOI Tester Training component that supports the provision of both general tester training and training in the areas of lending and insurance to help meet the needs and requirements of the FHIP program.