Funding routes

Housing providers can apply for funding from the National Affordable Housing Programme (NAHP) in one of two ways.

To apply for NAHP funding an organisation either needs to be an Investment Partner or meet our Specialist Provision requirements.

Investment Partners

Most NAHP funding is delivered through the Investment Partner route. Development organisations have to pre-qualify for Investment Partner status by completing our pre-qualification questionnaire. We assess applications on technical ability (based on the technical standards described in the former Housing Corporation's Design and Quality Strategy and Design and Quality Standards), financial capacity and good standing. 

Pre-qualification rounds

There have been two pre-qualification rounds to date and 143 providers have received Investment Partner accreditation. The second round pre-qualification round ran from February to April 2008.

We will now accept new applications for pre-qualification from organisations that are ready to start their development programme. Please follow our pre-qualification process.

Specialist Provision

Development organisations providing new housing that falls within any of the following six themes are exempt from the Investment Partner route and can instead apply for funding under the Specialist Provision route:

• rural housing provision in settlements with a population of less than 10,000
• black and minority ethnic provision, where the housing is specifically designed to meet the needs of ethnic minority communities and the bid is accompanied by an appropriate method statement
• supported housing that meets the definitions in the former Housing Corporation’s Circular 03/04
• environmental innovation, for housing that meets at least level five in the Code for Sustainable Homes
• housing provided through the Temporary to Settled Initiative in London
• housing to be transferred to a Community Land Trust.