Barnes Housing Trust Fund

In 2013, Mayor Karl Dean and the Metro Council created Metro Nashville's first housing trust fund to leverage affordable housing developments throughout Davidson County. Named after Reverend Bill Barnes, a longstanding advocate for affordable housing and deconcentrating poverty, the Barnes Fund makes competitive grants to nonprofit housing developers to increase affordable housing options for Nashvillians. Grants include funding for preservation and creation of affordable rental and homeowner units to encourage long-term affordability.

The Metropolitan Housing Trust Fund Commission (HTFC) oversees the Barnes Fund. The HTFC usually meets at 2:00 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month in the Sonny West Conference Center. The Metro Housing Division provides administrative support to the HTFC and manages all aspects of the Barnes Fund.

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View past Housing Trust Fund meetings

Since its inception, the Barnes Fund has invested more than $191 million in to create and preserve over 6,000 affordable homes and has leveraged over $1.5 billion in other funds.

For more information on the performance of the Barnes Fund, please visit the Barnes Fund tab on our Housing Dashboard and review recent Annual Reports listed below.

Barnes Fund 10 Year Celebration Video

Applying for a Barnes Fund Grant

Each year, the Metro Council appropriates funds to the Barnes Fund. The HTFC makes these funds available to qualified nonprofit organizations on a competitive basis through a funding round, and Housing Division staff prepare requests for applications (RFAs), which include grant policies and scoring matrices (i.e., evaluation criteria).

Barnes Fund Grant Application Policies and Procedures Manual

Upcoming Funding Round

The Round 16 application window is open! Deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m., Pacific, on June 19, 2026.

The Metro Housing Division, on behalf of the HTFC, has issued three requests for funding applications (RFAs): (1) Owner-Occupied Rehab Projects; (2) Rental and Limited Equity Housing Co-operative Projects; and (3) Homeownership Projects. Materials and information for each RFA are provided below.

Owner-Occupied Rehab RFA Materials & Information

Rental and Limited Equity Housing Co-operative RFA Materials & Information

Homeownership Projects RFA Materials & Information

Submittal Information

Question Period: Interested applicants may submit questions in writing before 11:59 p.m., central, on May 26, 2026. Written questions should be emailed to: [email protected], Subject: R16 Application Questions.
Informational and Technical Assistance Questions: Applicants will have an opportunity to ask questions on each RFA during the virtual informational and technical assistance sessions listed above. A representative from ZoomGrants will be available to answer questions on and demonstrate the application platform.
Responses: Responses to questions will be posted to the Barnes Fund website and emailed to information session participants and persons who submitted questions no later than 5:00 p.m., central, on May 29, 2026.
SUBMITTAL DEADLINE: Applications must be submitted in the ZoomGrants platform by 11:59 p.m., Pacific, on June 19, 2026. No late applications will be accepted, and no exceptions will be granted.
Submittal Format: Applications must be submitted electronically via the ZoomGrants platform. Links to each application are provided above. Applications submitted in any other format will not be accepted.
- Tips for using ZoomGrants:
  - Applicants are encouraged to read ZoomGrants application instructions (available by clicking this link) prior to initiating an application and attend the informational and technical assistance session for the project type.
  - Applicants should use Firefox or Chrome.
  - Contact ZoomGrants at [email protected] or visit ZoomGrants University for assistance.

Funding Awards

Following the evaluation process, the HTFC approves award recommendations. Final awards and contracts are approved by the Metro Council. Below is a list of organizations that have received awards from the Barnes Fund.