General Purpose Grants

CDBG General Purpose Grant Applications Open March 2, 2020 – Closes June 3, 2020.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2020 General Purpose Grant cycle. Electronic application submission is through ZoomGrants. Paper copies will not be accepted.

Application Webinar PowerPoint
Application Road Map
CDBG General Purpose Grant Application Q&A

General Purpose Grant applications will be submitted online using ZoomGrants for the 2020 grant cycle. Before you begin, additional resources are available under Technical Assistance Resources/Guidance Materials.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) General Purpose Grants are made available annually through a competitive application process to assist Washington State small cities, towns and counties in carrying out significant community and economic development projects that principally benefit low- and moderate-income persons. The Washington State CDBG Program is funded by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Examples of eligible General Purpose Grant activities include:

  • Public facilities, such as water, wastewater and streets
  • Community facilities, such as community centers, fire stations, homeless shelters and child care facilities
  • Economic development, such as microenterprise assistance and public infrastructure
  • Affordable housing and housing rehabilitation
Apply via ZoomGrants™

BEFORE YOU APPLY: Only ZoomGrants accounts and log ins created by eligible local governments (cities/towns or counties) are valid for application submission. Once the account is created, the eligible local government can assign collaborators to assist with completing the application. The eligible local government must be the one to submit the application. Please review Using ZoomGrants to apply for CDBG General Purpose Grants for detailed instruction.

Click on the “Apply via ZoomGrants” button above to reach the ZoomGrants website. If you have a ZoomGrants account, log in and follow the instructions. If you are a new user, complete the required information for a new ZoomGrants account to create a profile. Please do not use “The” as the first word in the agency name. Once the agency profile has been created, select the CDBG Program you wish to apply for, check the “apply” button, and start your proposal.

The application auto-saves your entries whenever you change fields. This means you can log off and come back anytime to resume your work, refine responses, edit copy and upload or replace previously uploaded documents, even after the application has been submitted, until the application deadline and closure promptly at 5:00 p.m. June 3, 2020.  After that deadline date you will still be able to view your application but no changes will be allowed.

Important Tip: It is highly advisable not to wait until the last minute of the last day to submit your application. This is when most mistakes are made. Waiting to the last minute may not allow sufficient time to address any technical issues or questions you need to resolve before the deadline. We recommend using Chrome, but you can use any browser on any internet enabled device. The web application will not let you submit until all fields are completed and required documents have been uploaded.

The following tutorial links will help you become acquainted with the ZoomGrants process. The actual CDBG grant application will have some slight differences from that shown in the samples (not all tabs are used, some functionally similar but differently-labeled tab names are used.)

Questions:

CDBG Content Related Questions
Jacquie Andresen, CDBG Program Administrator 
jacquie.andresen@commerce.wa.gov 
360-725-3017

ZoomGrants Technical Questions
Tech Support Desk
Questions@ZoomGrants.com
866-323-5404 ext. 2

Applicant Feedback Form
Budget Instructions
Essential Information – Eligible Project Tests
Essential Information – Funding Overview and Submittal Instructions
Essential Information – Project and Application Development Tips
Ethnicity and Race Instructions
LMI Benefit Worksheet
LMI Guide
LMI Map Sample
Narrative Instructions and Questions
Operations Budget Form and Instructions
Project Budget Supplemental
Public Hearing HANDOUT – CDBG Fact Sheet and Citizen Participation
Public Hearing Resource – Citizen Participation Guide
Public Hearing Resource – Grievance Procedure SAMPLE
Public Hearing Resource – Public Hearing Notice SAMPLE
Resolution with Certifications Form and Instructions
Title VI Laws and Regulations
Work Plan Instructions – Construction and Acquisition
Work Plan Instructions – Local Assistance Programs
Work Plan Instructions – Planning-Only Activities
Work Plan Supplemental – Construction and Acquisition

Funds Available

We estimate $11 million will be available for CDBG General Purpose Grants in 2020. The maximum amount is $900,000 for construction and $30,000 for planning.

Eligibility Guidelines

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.

Program Links

CDBG Home Page
CDBG Specialty Grants
Consolidated Plan and Action Plan

Award Lists

2019 General Purpose Grant Awards (PDF)
2018 General Purpose Grant Awards (PDF)
2017 General Purpose Grant Awards (PDF)

Technical Assistance Resources

CDBG Fact Sheet – English (PDF)
CDBG Fact Sheet – Spanish (PDF)
Management Handbook & Forms
Guidance Materials
2019 HUD LMI data for non-entitlement jurisdictions (PDF)
HUD LMI Interactive Map
Drinking water and wastewater funding summary (PDF)
Public Works Board
Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council (IACC)
Request Technical Assistance on IACC Website
Municipal Research Services Center of Washington
SAM – System for Award Management
US Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Need help?

Kaaren Roe, Section Manager
Kaaren.Roe@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-3018

Jacquie Andresen, Project Manager
Jacquie.Andresen@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-3017

Roberta Golden, CDBG Grant Specialist
Roberta.Golden@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-5020

Jeff Hinckle, Project Manager
Public Services and Planning Activities
Jeff.Hinckle@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-3060

Sheila Lee-Johnston, CDBG State Expert
Sheila.Lee-Johnston@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-3009

Genny Matteson, Project Manager
Housing Activities
Genny.Matteson@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-3093

Michelle Reilly, Project Manager
Michelle.Reilly@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-725-2725