Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
NOTICE
The City of Bangor will provide its Annual Action Plan to comply with the rules and regulations of the HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The document incorporates Bangor’s priorities for the upcoming year to target CBDG funding to address Bangor’s most critical needs for housing, economic development, and maintaining suitable living environments, with such activities which primarily benefit low- to moderate-income residents. The public may review the Plan and offer input during the 30-Day comment period beginning on April 24th. A Public Meeting to encourage public feedback will be held on April 30 at 5:00 PM at City Hall in the Council Chambers, (pizza dinner provided). To view the Plan online, click the image below, or visit the Community Development Division offices at 262 Harlow Street. this Plan represents a working draft which will be finalized with the consideration of citizen input, and proposed to the City Council at a Hearing scheduled for June 10, 2024. Contact the Division for additional information, at (207)992-4280, by emailing comm.dev@bangormaine.gov, or by visiting the Department’s Community Engagement page at www.bangormaine.gov/cdbg.
Important Information
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – The City of Bangor is pleased to announce that applications for 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds will be accepted from eligible organizations through March 31, 2024. In addition to providing funds for projects sponsored by non-profits, the City will program a portion of its CDBG allocation toward other community improvement initiatives. These may include City infrastructure projects in income-eligible neighborhoods and affordable housing activities targeted for income-eligible households. Information and applications regarding those programs will be included in the Program Year 2024 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). The City has been estimated of its annual federal allocation for Fiscal Year 2024, and expects to make approximately $300,000 in CDBG funds available through this application cycle.
The City of Bangor’s Homeownership programs provide separate, non-competitive funding support to homebuyers and property owners on a rolling basis throughout the year. More information about these opportunities can be found on the Housing page.
Non-profit organizations may apply for CDBG funds to support new or expanded public service activities or to complete capital improvement projects that meet federal eligibility criteria. The city is especially interested in proposals that leverage other funding and increase agency capacity to serve the community. All CDBG-funded activities must benefit low- to moderate-income Bangor residents and address one of the FY 2024 funding priorities.
Those interested in applying will find guidelines and application materials below, beginning on March 1, 2024.
A workshop covering an overview of the CDBG program and application process will be provided for prospective applicants. Those with questions may contact Robyn Stanicki at the City of Bangor for assistance. Robyn can be reached at (207) 992-4280 or robyn.stanicki@bangormaine.gov. Applications must be submitted by midnight on March 31, 2024 to be considered.
2024 Annual Action Plan
Project Selection for 2024 Annual Action Plan is underway. The City of Bangor uses CDBG to undertake community and economic development activities that are primarily to benefit low- and moderate-income residents. This competitive grant process will also award funding for our Downtown Façade Program for businessowners to enhance the appearance of their downtown buildings.
Capital Improvement and Service Provider grants are open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits and groups that serve Bangor residents and whose mission fulfills the needs of individuals or families within our priority focus areas. In 2024, the most responsive proposals will address housing and supportive services to increase successful housing outcomes. Please note that we cannot consider proposals for certain activities which are ineligible for funding, and which are also listed at the bottom of this page.
The Grant application period opens March 1 and closes March 31.
Interested parties will be required to submit a pre—application to determine the best use of funds and to ensure that all proposals received are feasible projects.
As grant writers know, not all grant applications are successful and there are many reasons why a grant may not be funded. We will provide constructive feedback when we can.
While we aim to fully fund proposals making an impact in our focus areas, please recognize that the total requests for funding still exceed our available grant fund.
Grant applications are thoroughly reviewed by the Community and Economic Development staff, with final decisions on funding recommendations presented to the Director of Community and Economic Development, the Business and Economic Development Committee, and/or the Bangor City Council. Funds awarded will be available to grantees for their use on July 1, 2024.
2024 Grant Application, Resources, and Deadlines
Please download our 2024 CDBG Pre-Application and CDBG Applicant Guide to review the program requirements, prepare questions and gather information.
Quick guide about How to Write Goals and Objectives for Grants.
March 1, 2024 - Application Period Start
March 8, 2024 - Application Workshop
March 12, 2024 - Pre-Application Due
March 31, 2024 - Application Period Close
Neighborly Portal
Applications and Resources will soon be available on the City of Bangor’s new portal, Neighborly. Electronic submissions in Neighborly will be reviewed by staff expeditiously, and will allow grantees to check their status or respond to additional requests for information, and receive technical assistance from the Community Development Division throughout the grant year.
Our new platform will be available beginning March 11, 2024. Until this is released, please refer to the submission requirements in the CDBG Applicant Guide for information about how to apply using our traditional application.
2024 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)
2024 CDBG Pre-Application
Development Application
Service Provider Grant Application
2024 Downtown Façade Improvement Program Application
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Introduction
Established by Congress in 1974, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program has become one of the longest continuously operated Federal domestic programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The CDBG Program provides annual grants, allocated on a formula basis, to entitlement cities and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing in a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons.
The hallmark of the CDBG program is its flexible use by entitlement grantees (cities and counties), providing communities with financial resources to address a wide range of unique local community development needs.
Nature of the Program
HUD awards grants to designated entitlement community grantees to carry out a wide range of community development activities focused on revitalizing neighborhoods, economic development, and providing improved community facilities and services.
Entitlement communities develop their own programs and funding priorities unique to their local needs. Grantees, however, must give maximum feasible priority to activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. A grantee may also carry out activities that help prevent or eliminate slums or blight. However, CDBG entitlement funds may not be used for activities that do not meet these broad national objectives.
HUD determines the amount of each entitlement grant according to a statutory formula which evaluates several objective measures of community need, including the extent of poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing and population growth lag in relationship to other metropolitan areas.
Eligible Activities
Community Development Block Grant funds may be used for activities that include the:
- Acquisition of real property
- Relocation and demolition
- Rehabilitation of residential and non-residential structures
- Construction of public facilities and improvements, such as water and sewer facilities, streets, neighborhood centers, and the conversion of school buildings for eligible purposes
- Public services, not to exceed 15% of the entitlement grant
- Activities relating to energy conservation and renewable energy resources
- Provision of assistance to for-profit businesses to carry out economic development and job creation and retention activities
Ineligible Activities
Generally, CDBG funds may not be used for activities that include the:
- Acquisition, construction, or reconstruction of buildings for the general conduct of government
- Construction of new housing by units of general local government
- Certain income payments
- Political activities
Requirements
To receive its annual CDBG entitlement grant, the City - and all grantees - must develop and submit to HUD a five-year Housing and Community Development Consolidated Plan. This document is a grantee's comprehensive planning document, and application, for funding under the following Community Planning and Development formula grant programs: CDBG and the HOME Investment and Partnerships Program (HOME). In the Consolidated Plan, the grantee must identify its overall goals and its strategies for achieving those goals. The stated goals serve as the criteria against which HUD will evaluate the grantee's Consolidated Plan, each of the Annual Action Plans, and its performance under the Consolidated Plan.
LINK TO CONSOLIDATED PLAN