What to Know About Congressionally Directed Spending

When we think of federal funding for homeless services, we typically think of targeted programs like the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). But did you know there are also opportunities to secure additional funding through the federal appropriations process, simply by making a request to your Members of Congress?

Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS), sometimes referred to as “earmarks,” is funding provided by Congress for specific projects, programs, or grants within a state or district. These funds can be explicitly written into appropriations legislation at the request of a Member of Congress, who would direct federal funding to local, nonprofit, or government entities. The CDS framework offers a strategic, transparent pathway to help close funding gaps for high-impact community projects.

Using CDS to Fill Funding Gaps

CDS allows Members of Congress to request funding for specific projects through the annual appropriations process. Congress provides structured timelines, transparency, and spending caps; most Congressional offices publish their own detailed guidance and application forms annually. These funds can be useful when a community has a project that serves a clear public purpose and has an identified capital need or is intended to fill a one-time investment gap. This funding cannot be used to provide ongoing operations.

How to Secure CDS for Projects

The CDS process happens as part of the annual appropriations cycle, typically beginning in February or early March. Congressional offices open request portals to accept applications; while each office sets their own deadline, this window is often only 2-4 weeks. Therefore, it is important to be ready with a project in mind when your Member’s portal opens, then refine it once the office provides guidance.

If your Member of Congress agrees to pursue your request, it still must be approved by the House or Senate Appropriations Committees for inclusion in the relevant funding bill for that fiscal year. Your request will be in competition with other requests submitted to your lawmakers, and then in competition with the thousands of requests submitted by all Representatives and Senators who seek earmarks before funding bills can be enacted into law. This is why it is so crucial for homelessness advocates to keep and maintain regular contact with their Congressional offices.

Patience and attention to detail are key to seeking CDS. The House and Senate have different rules governing the overall process, and those rules are subject to annual changes. Subcommittees have different rules for funding eligibility and what documentation is required, and each office has different rules as to how they process requests.

Preparing to Submit CDS Requests

The CDS request portals are anticipated to open at any point in the next few weeks for FY2027 funding. Although Congress has not yet released any guidance, it may be useful to review the Senate and House Appropriations Committees’ guidance from FY2026.

Not every community need can be addressed through CDS, so it is important to determine if there is a project that would be a good fit. The most successful applications for CDS are existing, well-defined efforts that demonstrate that the project would be ready to move quickly once funding is allocated. Members of Congress are often more likely to advance a request when there are factors like a defined scope of work, a detailed budget, site control (if there is construction involved), and a realistic timeline.

Seeking Examples of Successful CDS Projects

If you have successfully secured CDS for a project in your community, the Alliance would love to know more. Please reach out to Alec Vandenberg (avandenberg@naeh.org) about your project.