The Urgent Need for Disasters grant program is administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce as part of the state’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. It is designed to support local governments responding to unforeseen disasters that pose an immediate threat to public health or welfare. This program is not open to cities or counties in Kansas that already receive CDBG entitlement funding from HUD, such as Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita, and others.
The program’s purpose is to provide emergency funding to communities that have experienced a sudden and severe natural or other disaster within the last six months. Applicants must prove that the condition is recent, urgent, certified by the appropriate jurisdictional agency, and that no other financial resources are available. The grant supports only the most immediate needs—long-term recovery must be addressed through other funding avenues.
Eligible activities include projects that directly address urgent health and welfare needs, reimbursable project costs (from the date of the disaster if pre-approved), and administrative costs not exceeding 12.5% of the grant or $35,000, whichever is less. A Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) or Preliminary Architectural Report (PAR) by a licensed professional is also required to detail the scope, costs, and alternative solutions.
Applicants must conduct two public hearings: one prior to application submission to gather community input and disclose full project details, and a second at project closeout to report on outcomes. The environmental review process is also mandatory under NEPA and must be completed and paid for with local funds before beginning any project work. Furthermore, applicants must comply with federal requirements such as the Davis-Bacon Act, Build America Buy America (BABA) Act, and Section 3 of the HUD Act.
The maximum grant award is $100,000, and there is no matching fund requirement. Applications are accepted between May 1 and November 14, 2025. If selected, contracts will be signed within 30 days and construction must begin within 60 days of the award, with full project completion expected within 12 months.
Grant application support, environmental and engineering guidelines, and a detailed checklist are available in the official guidelines. Questions may be directed to Tim Parks, CDBG Specialist, at Tim.Parks@ks.gov or (785) 480-8072. More resources and application materials can be accessed via kansascommerce.gov/cdbg.
Ensure that other funding options have been fully investigated and ruled out, document urgency and timing of the disaster, meet all deadlines for public hearings, and comply with environmental and federal requirements.
