Community Development Block Grants (CBDG) Competitive Cycle

The Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) administers the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Competitive Cycle program for Fiscal Year 2026 to support community improvement, public infrastructure, and demolition activities in non-entitlement communities throughout Missouri. The program is funded through the federal Community Development Block Grant allocation provided to the State of Missouri and administered by DED. The FY26 allocation totals approximately $22,482,478 with an additional estimated $608,518.67 in rollover funds from FY25, resulting in a projected total of $23,090,996.67. DED reserves 3 percent of available funding for administration costs and dedicates approximately 55 percent of the remaining balance, or roughly $12.3 million, to community improvement projects through the competitive cycle. Eligible projects fall under Community Facilities, General Infrastructure, and Demolition categories and are intended to improve public services, address blight, and strengthen local infrastructure in low-to-moderate income communities. The Community Facilities category supports the construction or improvement of publicly owned facilities that serve a substantial portion of the public. Priority is given to projects supporting education and health or wellness initiatives. Eligible facilities may include senior centers, community centers, youth centers, day care centers, rural health clinics without state funding, 911 services, and telecommunications facilities. General Infrastructure grants support publicly owned infrastructure projects such as streets, drainage systems, bridges, and related improvements that contribute to local economic stability and community functionality. Demolition grants support the removal of vacant and dilapidated structures, especially residential structures located in blighted areas that create public safety hazards. Eligible demolition costs include asbestos inspections, demolition inspections, and demolition services. Operation and maintenance activities are not eligible for funding under the infrastructure category. Funding limits vary by program category. Community Facilities and General Infrastructure projects may request up to $500,000 or $5,000 per benefiting household. Demolition projects may request up to $200,000 for residential-only activities and up to $300,000 for projects including commercial structures. Applicants are evaluated using category-specific scoring rubrics totaling 100 possible points with an additional 10 bonus points available. Scoring criteria evaluate low-to-moderate income benefit percentages, project readiness, leveraging and matching commitments, local financial capacity, project timelines, previous efforts to address the identified problem, code enforcement history, cost effectiveness, and long-term sustainability planning. Bonus points are awarded for application accuracy, participation in CDBG trainings and webinars, use of modern accounting systems, letters of support, and whether the applicant has received prior CDBG funding within the past five years. Eligible applicants are units of general local government located in Missouri non-entitlement areas. Non-entitlement communities are defined as cities with populations below 50,000 and counties with populations below 200,000 that do not directly receive HUD CDBG entitlement funding. Projects must principally benefit low-to-moderate income persons, generally requiring at least 51 percent low-to-moderate income beneficiaries. Local governments may partner with nonprofit organizations or secondary applicants when appropriate, but the city or county applicant remains responsible for ensuring nonprofit eligibility, operational sustainability, and compliance with all grant requirements. Demolition projects must document blight conditions using local dangerous building ordinances or code enforcement findings consistent with federal slum and blight regulations. Applicants must complete several procedural requirements prior to submission. The application process requires applicants to review the FY26 Competitive Cycle Application Guidelines, create or access an account through the Submittable application platform, establish collaborations where necessary, and upload supporting documentation through the designated CDBG Box account. Required application materials include resolutions to apply, certifications, procurement and conflict-of-interest policies, public hearing documentation, financial management documentation, environmental and mapping documentation, cost estimates, code enforcement records, and various compliance forms. Depending on project type and national objective, applicants may also need to provide low-to-moderate income survey materials, proof of flood insurance compliance, demolition consent forms, and engineering or architectural reports. Applicants are encouraged to use the appendices and sample templates provided by DED for required resolutions, agreements, notices, and compliance documents. The FY26 Competitive Cycle application is currently open and applications are due by July 31, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Following submission, the CDBG team conducts reviews for completeness, eligibility, and accuracy. Applicants may be required to submit revisions during a three-day correction period. Applications that are accurate upon initial submission automatically receive two bonus points. After final review and scoring, DED ranks projects according to score and issues approval or denial determinations by official email notification. Awarded applicants must comply with all post-award federal and state requirements outlined in the CDBG Administrative Manual. Scope changes after award are limited and require formal amendment requests, updated environmental reviews, and public hearings. CDBG will not approve increases in grant funding to cover scope-related cost increases, and recipients remain financially responsible for additional costs resulting from approved changes. The FY26 Competitive Cycle is expected to recur annually as part of Missouri's ongoing administration of federal CDBG resources. Applicants are encouraged to prepare early by attending annual administrative trainings and monthly webinars hosted by CDBG staff. Strong applications are expected to demonstrate local commitment, realistic project timelines, substantial community need, and readiness to proceed upon award. The program emphasizes long-term community benefit, measurable impact, and compliance with federal community development objectives. Additional guidance, appendices, and application support documents are available through the Missouri Department of Economic Development CDBG Competitive Cycle webpage and related guideline documents.

Applications that are complete and accurate upon first submission receive bonus points. Strong scoring applications demonstrate project readiness, local financial commitment, leveraging, prior efforts to address the issue, and realistic project timelines. Demolition projects should document severe blight conditions, code enforcement history, and long-term maintenance strategies.