Community Facilities: Small Grants

The Community Facilities: Small Grants Program is administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The program is authorized under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and governed by federal regulations at 24 CFR Part 570, Subpart I. Through this funding opportunity, the Kansas Department of Commerce distributes federal CDBG funds to eligible non-entitlement units of local government across Kansas. The program is designed to help smaller communities undertake cost-effective community facility improvements that increase accessibility, community engagement, public safety, and quality of life for low- and moderate-income residents. The program specifically emphasizes smaller-scale infrastructure and facility projects capable of producing visible and lasting local impacts while remaining financially accessible through a reduced local match requirement. The funding opportunity allows cities and counties to propose nearly any eligible CDBG community facility project without being constrained to narrow subcategories. Eligible uses of funds include minor renovations to libraries, community centers, and other public buildings to improve safety, functionality, and accessibility. The program also supports parks and recreation improvements such as park benches, picnic tables, accessible playground equipment, drinking fountains, trails, grading, and drainage improvements. Public safety activities such as emergency sirens, security lighting, and storm shelters are eligible, along with ADA accessibility upgrades including ramps, handrails, automatic door openers, accessible parking signage, and minor sidewalk rehabilitation. Post-award administrative costs, engineering costs, and architectural costs are also allowable. The total project cost may not exceed $231,000, and the maximum grant award is capped at $210,000. Funding is distributed on a reimbursement basis, meaning grantees must incur eligible expenses before requesting payment. Eligibility is limited to Kansas cities and counties that qualify as non-entitlement communities under the federal CDBG program. Entitlement jurisdictions including Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan, Overland Park, Topeka, Wichita, and all of Johnson County are not eligible to apply through the State CDBG program. Communities with open projects currently under time extension are also ineligible until those projects are successfully closed. Every project must meet a national CDBG objective, and all projects under this specific program must primarily benefit low- and moderate-income persons. Applicants must demonstrate that at least 51 percent of beneficiaries qualify as low- to moderate-income according to HUD standards. This requirement may be met through HUD census data or through an approved income survey process. Certain projects may qualify under the Limited Clientele national objective if approved by CDBG staff. Applicants are required to provide matching funds equal to at least 10 percent of the CDBG grant request. Matching funds may come from local government funds, bank loans, industrial revenue bonds, owner equity, economic development entities, grants, or other funding sources. At least 10 percent of the local match itself must consist of cash from a local source such as city or county funds, local fundraising, nonprofit cash contributions, or owner funds. In-kind contributions may not exceed 10 percent of the required local match. Costs incurred before grant award, including grant writing, preliminary engineering, preliminary architectural work, or property acquisition expenses, are not eligible for reimbursement and cannot count toward match requirements. The program also awards optional bonus points to communities that have not received certain CDBG funding during the previous five years and to applicants that secure at least 10 percent of local matching funds from private donations or foundation grants. The application process includes several mandatory steps before a full application can be submitted. Applicants must first consult with CDBG staff and submit a pre-application for review and approval. The pre-application includes a project description, estimated budget, eligibility information, and readiness documentation. The deadline for pre-applications is September 15, 2026. Only applicants with approved pre-applications may proceed to the full application stage, although pre-approval does not guarantee funding. Applicants proposing construction-related activities must also complete a Preliminary Engineering Report or Preliminary Architectural Report prepared by a licensed engineer or architect. Public participation is another required component. Applicants must conduct an initial public hearing at least 15 full days before submitting the final application and publish a public hearing notice at least five full days before the hearing. Additional required application materials include environmental review documentation, project budgets, funding commitments, maps, resolutions, disclosure forms, letters of support, and other compliance materials identified in the program checklist. Applications for the 2026 funding cycle are accepted from March 2, 2026 through October 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM Central Time. The Kansas Department of Commerce indicates that applications may be reviewed as received and award notifications are generally issued within 20 to 30 days after the submission deadline. The grant process typically operates on a two-year timeline. The first year is generally devoted to environmental review, planning, engineering, architectural design, and procurement activities, while construction and implementation activities usually occur during the second year. Projects are expected to be completed within a 24-month grant period whenever feasible. Grantees must comply with all applicable federal and state requirements including NEPA environmental review requirements, Davis-Bacon labor standards, Build America Buy America requirements, Section 3 obligations, procurement standards, quarterly reporting requirements, and record retention obligations. Applications are evaluated using a 100-point scoring system that measures project need, project alternatives, past efforts to address community needs, project readiness, project impact, and optional bonus criteria. Reviewers evaluate whether applicants clearly document community need using quantitative evidence, assess alternative solutions, demonstrate readiness to proceed, and identify measurable outcomes benefiting low- and moderate-income populations. Projects that integrate with broader community development strategies and demonstrate sustainability are viewed favorably. Questions regarding the opportunity may be directed to the Kansas Department of Commerce CDBG team at CDBG@ks.gov or by phone at 785-296-3481. The program is recurring and administered annually as part of the Kansas CDBG funding portfolio.

Clearly document quantitative community need and urgency using verifiable data. Demonstrate review of alternative solutions and provide financial comparisons. Secure private or foundation match funding to improve scoring competitiveness. Obtain strong community support letters and demonstrate project readiness through completed engineering planning and documented leverage commitments.