Senator Cardin Congratulates Cloudburst on $12 Million Community Compass Award

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s office extended a congratulatory visit to celebrate Cloudburst’s continued partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with the recent announcement of a $12 million Community Compass Technical Assistance Award. Managed by HUD’s Technical Assistance Division, Community Compass is HUD’s integrated technical assistance and capacity building initiative to help communities with regulatory compliance, need-driven investment decisions, and outcome-focused programming for housing, homeless, and community development challenges. This vehicle helps to equip communities with the knowledge, skills, and tools, needed for successful program implementation of competitive- and formula-funded grant programs.

Senator Cardin’s Field Representative, Jarryd Hawkins, had an opportunity to visit Cloudburst’s Headquarter offices in Landover, MD to learn more about how this work fits within our mission to create impact, empower communities, and build resilience. “Cloudburst uses their expertise to help governments mitigate disruptive societal issues,” said Hawkins. Mr. Hawkins was impressed with the domestic and global reach of our work, as well as the diverse professional and personal backgrounds of our staff, both of which help to make Cloudburst unique. Based in Prince George’s County, Maryland, within Senator Cardin’s district, Cloudburst’s work helps local non-profits to Midwestern U.S. cities and states to large-scale endeavors to advance democracy globally. As a women-owned small business, Cloudburst works at the intersection of domestic and international development to improve social, economic, and environmental resilience, contracting and partnering with other mission-driven organizations and governments.

Under this award, Cloudburst will assist grantees with challenges; propose ways in which TA tools, training, and capacity building solutions can employ community- and data-driven investment strategies; and help grantees build inclusive communities that are more resilient to economic and natural disruptions. This includes supporting homelessness, community development, disaster, environmental, and multi-family programs, as well as working on the re-design of HUD’s Fair Housing Training Academy.

Written by Melissa Campbell, a Program Area Manager in Community Development Programs. She provides technical assistance support for the development and implementation of housing, community development, and economic development programs. Ms. Campbell has seven years of experience with urban revitalization and working in economically disadvantaged communities.