Community Development Block Grants available to help rural areas struggling with costs of pandemic
The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) has allocated funds to the state Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program at Commerce
Commerce is now accepting applications from CDBG nonentitlement (rural) city and county governments for the first round of these CDBG-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV1) funds.
The list of CDBG-CV1 funding allotments by county and city, and application materials can be found on our website.
- Eligible activities: CDBG-CV1 grants can fund public services (including utility/rent/mortgage subsistence payments) and local microenterprise assistance programs; and public health, emergency response, or temporary housing facilities that address COVID-19 impacts and grant administration. Further information is in the CDBG-CV1 Eligible Activities Guide.
- Each applicant/consortium determines how it intends to use the funds while adhering to CDBG guidance and federal requirements.
- For assistance programs, we strongly recommend county-wide consortiums use a regional service provider to administer the assistance program for the city and county residents in the consortium.
- Timing - The CDBG-CV1 application is due by Sept. 3. In limited cases, this due date may be extended.
- Following the CDBG-CV1 Consortium Guide, if a city does not want its CDBG-CV1 allotment added into the county’s CDBG-CV1 grant, it needs to inform the board of county commissioners (or county administrator) and Commerce as soon as possible, but no later than Aug. 7 or five days after the CDBG-CV1 applicant’s local public hearing.
We know this is a challenging time for our communities. This is an opportunity for us to partner to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus.
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