Community Facilities: Large Grants

The Community Facilities: Large Grants Program is administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce through the state’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation. It empowers Kansas cities and counties that do not receive annual CDBG “entitlement” funds from HUD—thereby excluding Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan, Overland Park, Topeka, Wichita and all of Johnson County—to carry out substantial, CDBG-eligible facility or infrastructure projects that generate long-term community benefit and primarily serve low- and moderate-income residents. Applicants must ensure at least 51 percent of beneficiaries meet HUD’s LMI definition. Eligible activities span major renovation or new construction of community centers, libraries, nonprofit childcare facilities, parks and trails, public safety facilities such as fire stations, sidewalks, streets, lighting, and the professional services needed to design and manage such projects. For the 2025 cycle, a combined $12 million is available for Community Facilities grants (Large and Small). Individual Large Grant awards range from $210,001 up to $1,500,000, with a per-beneficiary cap of $2,000. Projects in communities under 5,000 population may receive up to $650,000, while larger communities are capped at $1.5 million. Every project must furnish a minimum local match equal to 20 percent of the CDBG request (at least 10 percent of that match must be local cash), and proposals offering a 50 percent match earn maximum leverage points. Eligible applicants are any incorporated Kansas city or county outside the HUD entitlement list that does not have an overdue or extended CDBG project. Multi-jurisdictional or on-behalf applications are allowed when proper interlocal agreements are included. The 2025 application window opens 1 May 2025 and closes 14 November 2025. A mandatory pre-application—designed to verify basic eligibility and project readiness—must be submitted by 14 October 2025; Commerce reviews these within ten days and only pre-approved communities may file full applications. Two public hearings (one before submission, one at close-out) are required, along with completion of the NEPA environmental review post-award. Applications are scored out of 100 points across seven criteria: project need, alternatives considered, past efforts, readiness, impact, leverage, and two optional bonus categories (private-source match and five-year non-recipiency). Projects scoring below 80 are rarely funded, and those providing 50 percent or greater match, clear LMI benefit, strong letters of support, and documented readiness are most competitive. Questions should be directed to Ginny Eardley, CDBG Specialist, Kansas Department of Commerce, at 785-230-6319 or Ginny.M.Eardley@ks.gov

Secure at least 10 percent of match from private sources and avoid prior CDBG awards within five years to gain bonus points; gather broad letters of support; obtain Commerce approval before income surveys or procurement; ensure public hearing notice timing meets the seven-day minimum.