The North Dakota Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provides financial assistance, in the form of matching grants, for community development activities. These funds are block granted to states from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and in turn, the State has designated the eight Regional Councils to recommend projects for potential funding. Local units of government (i.e. incorporated cities and counties) are the only eligible applicants for CDBG funding.

Purpose
The purpose of the CDBG program is to provide financial incentives for Cities and Counties to develop and implement projects, which will improve the public infrastructure and housing quality for low-income residents.

Application
To apply for funds, applicants must contact the Souris Basin Planning Council office for the appropriate project pre-application forms, low-income verification requirements, matching provisions, and other technical information needed. Project applications are accepted once a year, and Cities and Counties are limited to one application per year.

Scoring and Ranking
All eligible pre-applications are subject to review by a ranking committee made up of the Souris Basin Planning Council Board of Directors. This committee, based on the amount of funds available for this region of the State, will recommend funding levels for the final applications which are made to the North Dakota Division of Community Services.

Requirements
Matching requirements for each type of project will vary, but expect the local match to be between 35% and 60%. Also, some types of projects may rank higher than others due to priorities set forth by the Regional Ranking Committee.

Community Development Funding
Cities and Counties may apply for matching grant funds, which enhance community development for public infrastructure, emergency services, removal of architectural barriers, and other projects that target the benefits to where at least 51% of the residents are low income. Types of projects that may be funded under this program include:

Housing Funding
Cities and Counties may apply for grants to assist local low-income homeowners or nonprofit housing agencies, who provide low income housing for rehabilitation of existing structures. This type of rehabilitation should be targeted at housing problems related to the following areas:

Cosmetic items or work related to the aesthetic appearance of a structure will not be funded unless there are overriding health and safety reasons.

A more detailed explanation of the program requirements, ranking criteria, matching fund provisions, amount of funds available, and application deadlines can be found in the State's Program Distribution Statement and Regional Attachment. You can request these documents from the North Dakota Division of Community Services or the Souris Basin Planning Council.