The Consolidated Plan is designed to help states and local jurisdictions to assess their affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions, and to make data-driven, place-based investment decisions. The consolidated planning process serves as the framework for a community-wide dialogue to identify housing and community development priorities that align and focus funding from the CPD formula block grant programs: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program, and Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program. The Consolidated Plan is carried out through Annual Action Plans, which provide a concise summary of the actions, activities, and the specific federal and non-federal resources that will be used each year to address the priority needs and specific goals identified by the Consolidated Plan. Grantees report on accomplishments and progress toward Consolidated Plan goals in the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER).

More information: Consolidated Plan Process, Grant Programs, and Related HUD Programs

In May 2012, HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) introduced the eCon Planning Suite, including the Consolidated Plan template in IDIS OnLine and the CPD Maps website. The eCon Planning Suite is designed to support grantees and the public to assess their needs and make strategic investment decisions by providing better data and tools and by creating a seamless planning and grants management framework.

The HUD Exchange provides a hub for the latest Consolidated Plan and eCon Planning Suite resources, updates, and information.

Other features include:

	Email Updates - To receive CPD communications about program policy, upcoming trainings, resources, reporting deadlines, technical assistance and more, sign up on the HUD Exchange Mailing List.
	Resources - To find tools and templates, news, guides, training manuals, and more, visit the Consolidated Plan page or use Advanced Search.
	Training Opportunities - For information on upcoming webinars, in-person workshops, and self-paced online training, go to Training and Events or browse eCon Planning Suite courses in the Course Catalog.
	Unanswered Policy or Technical Question? - If you are an organization with a HUD policy, program, or reporting system question, submit your question and get a response through Ask a Question.