foreclosure counselor training and grants

If you are a homeowner facing foreclosure, immediate help is available for you. Call 1-888-995-HOPE NeighborWorks America and its network of 240 local organizations have been at the forefront of efforts to preserve homeownership and sustain communities in the face of rising foreclosures. We not only provide training for foreclosure counseling services, but also have formed strong alliances with private- and public sector partners to help prevent foreclosures. Our work in this area is conducted through several national efforts:

	National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program
	This $360-million program was launched in December 2007 with funds appropriated by Congress to increase the availability of foreclosure counseling services across the country. Grants are being made to fund foreclosure counseling and legal assistance to homeowners at risk of foreclosure to housing counseling intermediaries approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to qualifying state housing finance agencies (HFAs), and to NeighborWorks organizations. Funds are also being used to train foreclosure counselors by the NeighborWorks Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling (NCHEC) through NeighborWorks Training Institutes, regional trainings, place-based trainings in partnership with intermediaries and HFAs, and the development of an online Foreclosure Basics e-learning course.

	Foreclosure Help and Hope for Homeowners
	As part of our outreach efforts to struggling homeowners, NeighborWorks teamed up with the Ad Council to create a national public service awareness advertising campaign. The campaign includes television, radio, newspaper, magazine, Web, and outdoor advertising, in addition to direct mail and grassroots marketing. The ads are available to all interested communities.

	NeighborWorks Center for Foreclosure Solutions
	The NeighborWorks Center for Foreclosure Solutions was created to preserve homeownership and healthy neighborhoods in the face of rising foreclosure rates. NeighborWorks offers training courses and resources for foreclosure mitigation counselors, conducts public outreach campaigns to reach struggling homeowners, and works with local leaders to create sustainable foreclosure intervention programs.

	Foreclosure Counselor Training
	NeighborWorks America recognizes the critical role professional homeownership educators and counselors play in stemming the foreclosure crisis. Throughout 2008, the NeighborWorks Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling (NCHEC) will deliver a significantly increased amount of time-sensitive training to counselors on the front line – in cities across the country. Course topics target the needs of all counselors, from fundamental classes to advanced certifications. Scholarships are available to all qualifying applicants. Visit NCHEC to check your eligibility and to learn more about how to take advantage of this unparalleled training.

	Community Stabilization
	NeighborWorks' Community Stabilization Web Site NeighborWorks America developed an online information hub for nonprofit organizations and their public and private partners working together to stabilize their communities in the wake of the foreclosure crisis. View the site at www.stablecommunities.org Data is now available at the zipcode level to help states and localities identify the relative need of different neighborhoods for neighborhood stabilization assistance. View. NeighborWorks Symposia on Community Stabilization NeighborWorks America hosted a national symposium on community stabilization at its NeighborWorks Training Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 7, 2008. View resources. Another symposium was held in August 20 in Chicago.