2024 CDBG Capital Improvement, Economic Development and Demolition Grant

The 2024 CDBG Programs Capital Improvement (Demolition and Economic Development) applications is now available.

Donor Name: Cook County

State: Illinois

County: Cook County (IL)

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 03/22/2024

Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000

Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned

Details:

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is authorized under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act (HCDA) of 1974, as amended. CDBG grew out of the consolidation of several categorical programs under which communities competed nationally for funds.

The primary objective of Title I of the HCDA, as amended, is the development of viable urban communities. These viable communities are achieved by providing the following, principally for persons of low- and moderate-income:

Decent housing;
A suitable living environment; and
Expanded economic opportunities.

Funding Information

Capital Improvement Projects:

Area Benefit Threshold: At least 51% low-to-moderate income population in the benefiting area for infrastructure projects
Number of Projects: 1 maximum
Funding Request Cap (Municipal): $400,000
Funding Request Cap (Non-Profit): $200,000

Eligible Activities

Capital Improvement Projects:
- Infrastructure: Improvements including but not limited to construction or installation of streets, curbs, and water/sewer lines.
- Public Facilities: Improvements including but not limited to recreational facilities, parks, playgrounds, and facilities for persons with special needs. Examples of eligible costs include energy efficiency improvements, and disabled accessibility improvements.
- Demolition: Activities limited to demolition of vacant buildings including necessary removal of demolition debris.
Economic Development Projects:
- Special Economic Development: CDBG funds may be used to undertake the following economic development activities, subject to the required public benefits standards being met regarding job creation/retention, or the provision of goods/services:
  - Acquiring, constructing, reconstructing, rehabilitating, or installing commercial or industrial buildings, structures, and other eligible real property improvements. Please note that these capital-oriented special economic development activities will be restricted to projects undertaken and controlled by public or nonprofit entities.
  - Providing economic development services in connection with otherwise eligible CDBG economic development activities. Please note that these special economic development service activities will be restricted to such services provided by nonprofit entities.
- Social Services and Capacity Building Assistance: This activity is targeted to increasing the capacity of entities to carry out eligible neighborhood revitalization or economic development activities. In order to use CDBG funds for this activity, prior to providing such assistance, it must be determined that the activity for which capacity is to be built is eligible and that there is a reasonable expectation that a national objective can be met once the entity has received the technical assistance and undertakes the activity.
- Microenterprise Development (Workforce Development): These are activities designed to foster the development, support, and expansion of microenterprise businesses which are commercial enterprises with five or fewer employees, one of whom owns the enterprise. CDBG support under this category will be limited to nonprofit entities providing eligible microenterprise activities.
- Eligible activities include the provision of:
  - Financial support for the establishment, stabilization and expansion of microenterprises;
  - Technical assistance, advice, and business services to owners of microenterprises and persons developing microenterprises;
  - General support to owners of microenterprises and persons developing microenterprises, including child care, transportation, counseling and peer support groups.

Eligible Areas

Cook County currently receives CDBG funds as an annual entitlement allocation on the basis of its qualification as an urban county. Cook County CDBG funds may only be utilized within the limits of the current effective Cook County Urban County area excluding other entitlement communities also receiving CDBG funding.

All jurisdictions in Cook County may be served by Cook County’s CDBG program in this funding year except for: