The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, administered by DHCD’s Community Planning and Development Division provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities, municipalities and non-profit organizations. The program is intended to develop viable urban communities by:
Providing decent housing
Providing a suitable living environment
Expanding economic opportunities, principally for low and moderate-income persons
Prince George’s County receives approximately $6.5 million annually from the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) appropriation, in CDBG funds to finance a wide range of activities that principally benefit low and moderate-income persons. The general public is notified when these funds are available and proposals are solicited from non-profit organizations and municipalities to be considered for funding.
A CDBG Proposal Workshop is held every fall of each year to provide technical assistance to non-profit organizations and municipalities that are applying for CDBG funds.
For more information about the CDBG Program or if you would like to be notified of funding availability and learn how this program might benefit you contact Ms. Shirley E. Grant, CPD Administrator by e-mail, SEGrant@co.pg.md.us or by phone on 301-883-5542.
Qualifications/Requirements:
Municipalities, local government agencies and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for CDBG funds. Nonprofits must provide a letter from the Internal Revenue Service certifying tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status. Individual persons are not eligible to apply for CDBG funds.
Eligibility Criteria:
A least 51 percent of the persons or households receiving the service must be low and moderate income; or
Project beneficiaries must live in an area (census tract or block group) that is low and moderate income as determined by HUD; or The project addresses a slum or blighted condition or meets an urgent need.
Eligible Activities:
Acquisition or disposition of real property
Clearance and/or demolition
Housing rehabilitation and preservation
Removal of architectural barriers to the handicapped
Public facilities improvements
Economic development
Job creation or retention
Public services
Annual Proposal Review and Adoption Process:
Proposal application packets are available during the second week of October.
A Proposal Advisory Group appointed by the County Executive and the County Council reviews proposals.
The County Executive makes recommendations to the County Council.
The County Council holds public hearings in April and adopts the Annual Action Plan by early May.
The County submits the adopted Annual Action Plan to HUD by May of each year.
Must the applicant organization be a
501(c)(3) nonprofit?
Most applicants are government agencies and public entities, like municipalities.
The nonprofit applicant must have 501(c)(3) status confirmed by the time funding
decisions are made. Back to questions
Must the applicant agency be located
in Prince George's County?
Yes, although there have been a few exceptions in the past. In all cases, the agency must provide service to low and moderate-income Prince George's County residents. Back to questions
Does the designation of specific revitalization
focus areas exclude applications from other areas in the County?
No. Eligibility depends on the income of people who reside in the area. No eligible area is excluded from consideration. Eligibility determinations are based on 2000 census data provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Back to questions
The Consolidated Plan for Housing and
Community Development covers the years 2000 through 2005. Does
this mean that proposals should be for that five-year period?
No. The Consolidated Plan presents a five-year strategy and a one-year Action Plan. Proposals are for one-year periods beginning July 1st. Back to questions
If a CDBG-funded Operating Agency has
not spent its existing grant, can it still apply for new funds
for next year?
Yes. Agencies are asked to plan the project so that the grant will be spent
during the one-year period. Back to questions
Can CDBG funding be used to provide group
homes (or assisted living facilities/congregate housing) for
senior citizens?
The County funds housing development activities through the Home Investment
Partnership Program (HOME) administered by this Department's Housing Development
Division. A HOME proposal package can be obtained by calling (301) 883-5570. Back to questions
Are start-up funds available through
CDBG?
Start-up operating funds for a new public service project are almost never
approved. A short, start-up period for a proposed one-year "brick and
mortar” project can be included. Back to questions
What are the steps of the proposal application
approval process?
Proposals are compiled and summarized by the Department of
Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Community Planning
and Development Division.
The summarized information is submitted to the County Executive
who recommends funding approvals to the County Council for review.
Proposals selected for funding are written into the Annual
Action Plan for the coming year.
The proposal form refers to but does
not provide the State's definition of "slums or blight." Could
you give us that?
There are two kinds of slums or blight: (1) spot, and (2) area wide. The slums/blight
determination must be based on any of the conditions described in State/County
regulation. One basis used in the County is that the condition causing the
area wide deterioration results from a defect in the design of the community.
In these cases, the defect was the failure to provide adequate storm water
management systems. Back to questions
If your project has two components,
should you use two application forms?
Yes. Back to questions
Can you explain the reimbursement process?
An agency uses its own resources to pay project expenses, submits its request
to DHCD for reimbursement along with proof of the expenses paid. The County
processes the request and then mails a check to the agency. Back to questions
Are grant awards all or nothing? Is
there any negotiation?
An agency might be awarded a portion of the amount requested. The grant amount
depends on the reasonableness of the request and the track record of the requesting
agency and the amount of funds the County has available. The amount of work
to be accomplished must be renegotiated if the agency is awarded less than
the total requested. Back to questions
Will proposals for large projects, say
$750,000, be considered?
Large projects should be broken down into year-by-year phases. CDBG funds are
limited, and there are many needs throughout the County that must be addressed. Back to questions
What is my agency's chance of being
funded?
Projects involving rehabilitation and improvement of public facilities and
infrastructure have a good chance of being funded because more money is available
for them. Of course, the proposal has to describe a project with a high likelihood
of success, well thought through, realistic, achievable, etc.
A new public service has a poor chance of being funded. Only 15
percent of the County's CDBG funds can go to public services. For
a new project to be funded, an existing project has to give up
funding. This is not likely to happen. Back to questions
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