The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provides flexible funding to carry out a wide range of community development activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and improved community facilities/services. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at HUD. All CDBG-funded activities must meet one of the following national objectives: (1) Benefit low- and moderate-income persons; (2) Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight; or (3) Meet certain community development needs having a particular urgency.
In Virginia, CDBG funds may be utilized to address construction or renovation of various infrastructure projects such as water, wastewater and solid waste facilities, streets, and flood control projects; construction or improvements of a range of community facilities such as senior, health and social services centers; expansion of public services to serve low-income persons; creation of new jobs through small business loans or infrastructure improvements; and various affordable housing projects including home reconstruction, rehabilitation or repair programs.
Funding is divided into the following program categories:
- Community Economic Development Fund - The CDBG Community Economic Development (CED) Fund grants support economic development activities, particularly those creating employment opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons in CDBG-eligible localities.
- Community Improvement Grants (CIG) - Community Improvement Grants enable localities to implement solutions to identified local community development problems. These grants include acquisition, construction, reconstruction, installation, and development of comprehensive, economic development, housing, community facility, and community service facility projects.
- Construction-Ready Water And Sewer Fund - This program supports the construction of community facility projects providing public water or sewer service to communities made up of at least 60 percent low- to moderate-income (LMI) households or a locality-wide project serving at least 55 percent LMI households.
- Local Innovation Fund - The CDBG Local Innovation Program targets funding for innovative, small-scale pilot projects, such as Individual Development Account programs, loan programs to support economic restructuring activities, construction trades training programs, entrepreneurship development, heritage tourism, telecommunication projects or other efforts which provide unique, unmatched benefits to eligible Virginia communities.
- Planning Grants - Planning Grants enable localities to conduct assessments and develop effective strategies for solving local community development problems. The predominant focus of this offering will be on solving the problems of low- and moderate-income persons. All planning grant funding will be made available on an open basis.
- Urgent Need Fund - CDBG Urgent Need Fund Grants enable the prompt response to existing serious and immediate threats to local health and safety.
Additional funding is available for community economic development initiatives. For more information, contact the DHCD CDBG team at (804) 371-7000.