EZ/EC Grants

When it created the EZ/EC Program, Congress took the unusual approach of de-coupling the program management from the oversight function for the underlying grants. On the one hand, it authorized the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to designate the Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities localities and oversee their community renewal programs. On the other hand, Congress authorized the HHS Office of Community Services (OCS) to manage $1 billion in flexible grants that are the core federal support for the local EZ/EC projects. The OCS grants, called "EZ/EC SSBG" are vital to the revitalization projects currently underway in the designated neighborhoods.