Sidewalks and Trails 

The Kansas Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Sidewalks and Trails program is administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce. This state-level funding initiative aims to enhance public infrastructure by supporting the construction of new sidewalks and trails, as well as complementary elements like benches and resting areas. The core objective of this program is to benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents by improving accessibility to essential community destinations such as services, schools, recreational areas, and community centers. To be eligible, applicants must be incorporated cities or counties in Kansas that do not receive direct annual CDBG entitlement funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Larger cities like Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City, and the entirety of Johnson County are ineligible due to their entitlement status. Additional disqualifications include having any open CDBG projects that required time extensions or that have exceeded their original contract end date. The grant has a funding ceiling based on population size, with awards capped at $650,000 for communities with fewer than 5,000 residents and $800,000 for those with more. The program uses a formula of $2,000 per person to determine award size, up to the specified caps. A minimum match of 25% of the total project cost (excluding administrative costs) is required, and at least 10% of this match must come from a local cash source. Notably, applicants contributing a 50% or greater match may earn up to 20 points in the leverage scoring section. Applications must be submitted by September 30, 2024. Each application is evaluated on a 100-point scale, which includes criteria such as project need, project alternatives, past efforts, readiness, impact, and leverage. Up to 20 bonus points may be awarded to applicants that either secure private donations accounting for at least 10% of the matching funds or have not received funding in the past five years. Applications must include a detailed one-page Community Needs Narrative that addresses overall community issues and housing needs. Mandatory submission components include a budget form, resolution documents, letters of support, survey documentation (if applicable), a preliminary engineering or architectural report, maps, and environmental review documentation. All applications must meet threshold requirements to be scored, including proper documentation of low- to moderate-income benefit, public hearing protocols, and intergovernmental agreements if applicable. An incomplete or deficient application will trigger a two-week correction period, except for uncorrectable issues such as invalid public hearings. For more information or assistance, applicants can contact the CDBG team via email at CDBG@ks.gov or by phone at 785-296-3481. Additional resources and guidance can be found on their official website, kansascommerce.gov/cdbg. All application materials are to be submitted through the online application portal.

Letters of support earn 5 points. Bonus points for 50%+ match or no awards in 5 years.