Community Development Block Grants (CBDG) Industrial Infrastructure

The Missouri Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Industrial Infrastructure Program is administered by the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) and funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This program is designed to support local governments in non-entitlement areas of Missouri by assisting with the development of public infrastructure necessary to retain, expand, or attract industrial businesses. The program is targeted at supporting local economic development and job creation initiatives through strategic investments in public infrastructure. This funding opportunity operates under an open cycle model, allowing applications to be submitted at any time while funds remain available. Its primary goal is to support public infrastructure projects that directly benefit manufacturing, processing, or assembly companies, especially those offering competitive wages and benefits. Public infrastructure funded through this program must be publicly owned and serve multiple users, not just a single private business. Projects must demonstrate a direct correlation between the infrastructure and job creation, and at least 51% of the new or retained jobs must benefit low-to-moderate income individuals. Funding is divided into two categories based on the maturity of the business. For established companies with more than three years of financial history, the grant ceiling is the lesser of $2,000,000 or $20,000 per full-time/retained job. Startups, defined as companies with three years or less of financial history, are eligible for up to $350,000 or 50% of infrastructure costs (whichever is less), though this may be increased to $500,000 with personal guarantees or irrevocable letters of credit. All applicants are required to provide a 15% local public match, which may include cash or in-kind contributions, and the participating company must pledge at least one dollar in capital investment for every dollar in grant funding requested. Eligible activities include the construction or improvement of public streets, water or sewer lines, and other essential public infrastructure. Facilities owned by private utilities or for speculative development are not eligible. Additionally, the program is not intended for projects primarily motivated by insurance reductions or for intra-state company relocations, unless retention is essential for economic viability. Companies that have made public announcements or begun construction activities prior to funding approval are not eligible. The application process requires substantial documentation, including environmental reviews, preliminary engineering reports, public hearings, community needs assessments, and various legal and financial certifications. The DED provides a detailed application package through Submittable, and the applicant must be a local unit of government in a non-entitlement area. Multi-jurisdictional and sub-applicant projects are permitted, provided proper agreements are executed. Required public hearings must be held at least five days in advance and demonstrate meaningful citizen participation. Applications must also meet national objective requirements, including ensuring at least 51% of created or retained jobs benefit low-to-moderate income persons. Questions about the program may be directed to the Missouri CDBG office at (573) 751-3600 or via email at mocdbg@ded.mo.gov. More information and the full application guidelines are available on the program's website at https://ded.mo.gov/cdbg.

Ensure no construction or announcement is made prior to grant approval. Use Submittable checklist to ensure completeness.