The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a total of $17.1 million in grants to recipients in 37 different states and the District of Columbia.

The grants were funded through HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program and will be used to educate the public about their rights under the Fair Housing Act and to investigate allegations of housing discrimination.

This year's grants were awarded under one of two initiatives:

• Private Enforcement Initiative grants (PEI) - HUD awarded $14 million to help groups investigate alleged housing discrimination, and to enforce the Fair Housing Act and state and local laws that are substantially equivalent to the Act.
  
  
• Education and Outreach Initiative grants (EOI) - HUD awarded $3.1 million to groups that educate the public and housing providers about their rights and obligations under federal, state, and local fair housing laws.

HUD also awarded $1 million to New America Media to coordinate a national media campaign to educate the public on behalf of The Department.