Deadlines are approaching throughout the Midwest for the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). According to HUD, the primary goal of the CDBG program is “the development of viable communities, by providing decent housing and suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.”
What does low and moderate income mean? Low and moderate income (LMI) households are those with up to 80% of the median household income based on household size. CDBG currently uses 2015 American Community Survey data to estimate the LMI of a given community.
Each State receives two types of CDBG funding: Entitlement and Nonentitlement.
- Entitlement CDBG funding is distributed to cities over 50,000 and counties over 200,000 population. These communities receive annual distributions directly from HUD.
- Nonentitlement CDBG funding is available for cities under 50,000 and counties under 200,000 population.
Each State administers its CDBG funding independently and prioritizes the unique needs of the communities they serve. This article covers CDBG information and deadlines for Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Colorado
The State of Colorado administers its nonentitlement funding through the Department of Local Affairs’ (DOLA) Division of Local Government (DLG). This grant is available for community development activities including utility infrastructure, community centers, and shelters. The 2021 application deadline for CDBG funding was in February. The DLG has not yet announced the application deadline for the 2022 CDBG funding.
Entities eligible to apply are limited to units of local governments, including counties. These entities may apply on behalf of nonprofits. Applications are submitted electronically on the DOLA grant portal, but application questions can be submitted to the applicable regional manager. The State regions are shown in Figure 1, and the corresponding regional manager contact information is in Figure 2.
| CO CDBG Region | Regional Manager |
| Northwestern | Kimberly Bullen [email protected] 970-903-0230 |
| Southwestern | Patrick Rondinelli [email protected] 970-749-0138 |
| Northern Mountains | Greg Winkler [email protected] 970-668-6160 |
| South Central | Christy Doon [email protected] 719-580-1313 |
| North Central | Chris La May [email protected] 970-679-4501 |
| Central | Clay Brown [email protected] 303-273-1787 |
| Southeastern | Tara Marshall [email protected] 719-544-6577 |
| Northeastern | Greg Etl [email protected] 970-380-4065 |
Figure 2: Colorado CDBG Regional Managers
North Dakota
In North Dakota, the entitlement communities include Fargo, Bismarck and Grand Forks.
The nonentitlement funding is distributed annually to the North Dakota Department of Commerce, who then relies on the eight regional councils to administer. Eligible applicants are limited to North Dakota nonentitlement cities and counties with LMI of at least 51%. Cities and counties may serve as project sponsor to a non-eligible entity. Applicants are required to cover a 15% CDBG administrative fee and all engineering expenses as a local match.
North Dakota offers CDBG grants for public facilities (infrastructure), housing (single family and multi-family), removal of architectural barriers, and economic development.
North Dakota’s eight regional councils recently announced deadlines for applying for the nonentitlement distribution. The eight regional councils and their districts are highlighted in Figure 3. The Council names, 2021 distributions, and application deadlines are shown in Figure 4.
| No. | Regional Council | Available Funding | Application Deadlines |
| 1 | Tri County Regional Development Association | $268,000 | 05/14/2021 |
| 2 | Souris Basin Planning Council | $332,000 | 6/23/2021 |
| 3 | North Central Planning Council | $269,321 | 6/18/2021 |
| 4 | Red River Regional Council | $205,951 | 6/23/2021 |
| 5 | Lake Agassiz Regional Council | $290,445 | 5/19/2021 |
| 6 | South Central Dakota Regional Council | $265,000 | 5/14/2021 |
| 7 | Lewis and Clark Regional Development Council | $155,784 | 6/4/2021 |
| 8 | Roosevelt-Custer Regional Council | $216,513 | Fall 2021 |
Each North Dakota Regional Council has its own application package with differing project priorities. Entities interested in applying are encouraged to contact the corresponding regional council to discuss the proposed project and the Council’s specific application requirements.
Minnesota
The Minnesota nonentitlement CDBG funding is administered through the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development’s (DEED) Small Cities Development Program (SCDP). This program is available to cities with fewer than 50,000 residents and counties with fewer than 200,000 residents and the proposed project must benefit low- and moderate-income persons.
DEED administers the grant funds under three categories:
- Housing,
- Public Facilities, and
- Comprehensive (economic development and/or a combination of housing and public facilities).
The maximum grant is $600,000 for a single purpose (housing or public facilities) project and $1.4 million for a comprehensive project.
MN DEED has not announced the application deadline for the 2022 grants. If the 2022 application window follows the schedule from the previous year, the next application window will open mid-summer with applications due mid-November. Program regions in the State of Minnesota are show in Figure 5, and contact information is listed in Figure 6.
| Region | Regional Representative |
| 1, 2, 3, 7W | Christian Nordeng [email protected] 651-259-7455 |
| 4 | Natasha Kukowski [email protected] 651-259-7425 |
| 5, 6W, 8, 11 | Zachary Klehr [email protected] 651-259-7460 |
| 6E, 7E, 9, 10 | Emajean Hanson-Ford [email protected] 651-259-7461 |
Montana
The State of Montana’s CDBG program, administered by the Community Development Division of the Department of Commerce (MDOC), offers grants for five distinct categories:
- Planning,
- Community and Public Facilities,
- Economic Development,
- Affordable Housing Development and Rehabilitation, and
- Housing Stabilization.
All grants are administered directly by the MDOC, with separate application deadlines for each category.
Montana’s nonentitlement CDBG assistance is available to cities, towns, and counties with populations under 50,000. The cities of Billings, Great Falls, and Missoula are entitlement communities.
The application window is currently open for the Spring 2021 planning grants. Applicants are eligible for up to $50,000 for the preparation of plans, studies, training or research. Applications are due June 18, 2021 and a 1:3 match is required.
The MDOC has not yet announced the application window for community and public facilities, but applications are estimated to open this summer. The maximum grant award is $450,000, and matching funds equal to 25% of the CDBG request is required.
Guidelines and the application for the CBDG planning grant can be found on the MDOC website.
South Dakota
The South Dakota CDBG program is administered by the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development in cooperation with the State’s six planning districts. South Dakota separates is annual allocation into four categories:
- Community Projects (infrastructure and public facilities),
- Special Projects (infrastructure for economic development),
- Workforce Training, and
- Imminent Threat (address urgent threats to public health and safety).
South Dakota’s entitlement cities include Rapid City and Sioux Falls. All nonentitlement cities and towns are eligible to apply for to the State’s CDBG program. Eligible entities should work with their local planning district to apply. Applications are due twice a year on April 1 and October 1. Figure 7 shows the South Dakota planning council jurisdictions, and Figure 8 lists the contact information and provides a link the council website for specific CDBG information.
Figure 7: South Dakota Planning Councils
| Planning Council | CDBG Contact | Council Website | |
| Black Hills Council of Local Governments | Ali Demersseman [email protected] 605-394-2681 | Link | |
| Central South Dakota Enhancement District | David Reiss [email protected] 605-773-2780 | Link | |
| Northeast Council of Governments | Eric Senger [email protected] 605-626-2595 | Link | |
| Planning & Development District III | Greg Henderson [email protected] 605-665-4408 | Link | |
| First District of Local Governments | Todd Kays [email protected] 605-8852-5115 | Link | |
| South Eastern Council of Governments | Lynne Keller Forbes [email protected] 605-367-5390 | Link |
If you have questions about CDBG funding, contact Abby Ritz, AE2S Nexus Funding Programs Specialist.