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General Housing Account Program – Capacity Building

The General Housing Account Program (GHAP) Capacity Building program provides grants, training, and technical assistance opportunities to help build capacity in individuals, organizations, geographic regions, and systems toward the development and sustainable operation of affordable multifamily rental housing. 

Background

Access to safe, affordable, stable housing is vital to improving the quality of life for Oregon's families and communities. Community-based nonprofit housing developers, local housing authorities, and Native Nation housing entities are uniquely positioned within their communities to support placemaking and provide culturally specific and responsive housing and resident services. Local governments also play an important role in facilitating the development and long-term viability of affordable rental housing projects. The GHAP Capacity Building Program was created to invest in the growth and development of our key partners and regional networks towards meeting Oregon’s immediate and long-term needs for safe, stable housing.

Program goals

  • Increase housing production, preservation, and sustainability in regions and communities in Oregon with unmet needs through capacity building investments.
  • Strengthen capacity of eligible entities and geographic areas in Oregon with high need for housing and limited local resources to meet shared affordable rental housing development and operating goals.

 Eligible entities

  • Nonprofits
  • Public Housing Authorities
  • Native Nations
  • Local Governments

Although these entities are all eligible to receive GHAP Capacity Building Funds, individual grant offerings may be designed to focus on only one or two of the eligible entity types and may include additional criteria related to OHCS goals and priorities. 

Current resource offerings
Oregon Centralized Application Capacity Building Grants (ORCA CB Grants)

OHCS is combining its 2025-27 priorities for GHAP Capacity Building funds into the Oregon Centralized Application Capacity Building (ORCA CB) grant. ORCA CB grants help organizations that are working to develop, preserve, operate, or expand affordable rental housing opportunities in Oregon. Full program details are in the ORCA CB Grant Instruction Guide.

Individual grants are for a two-year period, and organizations can apply for $50,000 to $150,000. 

What the grant can support: 
  • Building your organization’s ability to develop or operate affordable rental housing  
  • Training and knowledge sharing  
  • Innovative and regional projects 
  • Improving access to development and asset management tools 
The ORCA CB application opens October 8, 2025 and can be accessed through the ORCA Intake Form

Capacity Building Grant Webinar
*Side deck available upon request

Recent offerings

2024 ORCA Capacity Building Grant

Application window is now closed.

The 2024 ORCA Capacity Building Grant offering was made available to eligible entities working to develop, preserve, operate affordable rental housing opportunities in Oregon. Applicants were required own or operate an affordable rental housing project in the ORCA development pipeline or have one that had previously been placed in-service. Applicants were permitted to request up to $150,000 for the two-year grant period. The investment focus areas of the 2024 ORCA CB Grant were rural and Tribal housing, strengthening culturally specific housing development, and deepening the pool of skilled professionals working in affordable rental housing. 

Homeless Housing Response and Capacity Strengthening Grant

Application window is now closed.

GHAP CB grants have been paired with HOME American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) development funds within NOFA 2023-9: Homeless Housing Response and Capacity Strengthening Grant. OHCS awarded $7.5 million in HOME-ARP funds in January 2024 to Liberty Village Apartments located in Hermiston, which will focus on Veterans at risk of homelessness. $1.7 million has been awarded for seven rural housing organizations to help increase their capacity to address housing needs in their communities. The remaining HOME-ARP development funds will be reserved for two years for use by capacity-building grantees. 

More information