Eligible applicants are Washington State cities and towns with less than 50,000 in population or counties with less than 200,000 population not participating in a CDBG Entitlement Urban County Consortium.

Special purpose districts, public housing authorities, port districts, community action agencies, economic development councils, other non-profit organizations, and Indian tribes are not eligible to apply directly to the state CDBG Program for funding, but may be a partner in projects and sub-recipient of funding through eligible jurisdictions.

Projects must principally benefit low- and moderate-income persons, or aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight.

Under limited circumstances, a local government could submit up to four unrelated General Purpose Grant applications each annual funding cycle. One for construction/acquisition, one for microenterprise assistance, one for housing rehabilitation, and one for planning-only activities.