Community Development Block Grant

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

CDFA administers the State of New Hampshire’s annual federal allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds for eligible municipalities. The primary objective of the program is the development of viable communities by improving economic opportunities and meeting community revitalization needs, particularly for persons of low and moderate income.

CDFA directly awards Community Development Block Grant resources to New Hampshire’s cities, towns, and counties, which often sub-grant the money to a nonprofit agency or other entity conducting the work. Funding for the Community Development Block Grant program is provided to New Hampshire through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

New Hampshire’s CDBG program focuses on funding projects in the following areas:

Public Facilities Grants
Help finance water and sewer system improvements, transitional and homeless shelters, municipal infrastructure, handicapped access, and neighborhood or community centers that provide public services to low- and moderate-income people.

Housing Grants
Support affordable housing and housing rehabilitation efforts that benefit low- and moderate-income homeowners and tenants.

Economic Development Grants and Loans
Create jobs in your community that provide good wages, benefits, and training programs. Funds can also be used for acquisition of land and buildings, construction of commercial buildings, purchase of machinery and equipment, employee training, and public facilities improvements.

Microenterprise Grants
The Microenterprise Program helps foster economic development by supporting organizations that provide a full range of entrepreneurial training and technical assistance services to low- and moderate-income micro-business owners and start-ups (those with fewer than five employees).

Planning Grants
Up to $25,000 to support planning and feasibility related activities to determine whether a proposed project is viable. Municipalities can apply for funding to conduct activities like income surveys, preliminary architectural and engineering design, cost estimates and market analysis.

Additional information on the eligible activities and how to apply for funds can be accessed in the Application Section.