Applications Open for Planning Grants Program – United States

Deadline: 15-Jan-21

Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs seeks applications from eligible local units of government that would like to be considered for Planning Grants funded through the state Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

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Planning grants are funded with Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The goal of the program is to encourage communities to plan for long-term community development.

The goal of the program is to encourage communities to plan for long-term community development. Communities interested in planning for projects relating to such issues as infrastructure, downtown revitalization, and community facilities are encouraged to apply. To be considered, projects must demonstrate the following:

They meet a goal of the Federal Act;
The particular planning project addresses established long-term community priorities;
The funds granted will have a significant impact on the overall project;
The community has demonstrated a strong commitment to the project and its sustainability; and
The project is ready to proceed upon grant award and will be completed within 12 months after grant award.
Funding Information

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The following maximum grant awards have been established by OCRA for Planning Grant recipients:

Water Utilities infrastructure studies are limited as follows:
$60,000 for a study on two utilities, and
$90,000 for a master utility study (water, wastewater, and storm water).
Note: All utilities controlled by the community must be covered by the study.
Comprehensive plans are limited as follows:
Populations over 10,000 are limited to $60,000, and
Populations under 10,000 are limited to $50,000
Economic recovery plans are limited to $50,000.
Broadband plans are limited to $50,000 for single community; $70,000 for a region.
The maximum award is not intended to serve as a target figure for requests for grant assistance. OCRA will review the level of grant assistance requested and will consider the appropriateness of the project’s scope, the level of demonstrated need, and the financial resources of the applicant. If OCRA determines that a lesser amount is appropriate, it may be necessary to revise the project before it is submitted in final form. A minimum local match of 10% of the total project cost will be required for funding consideration. As February 2019, OCRA no longer accepts applications for award grants for Master Park plans. However, DNR created a series of tools to help communities create their own Five-Year Parks and Recreation Master Plan required applying for DNR funding.

Minimum Requirements

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To be eligible for Planning Grant assistance, projects must meet the following minimum requirements:

The lead applicant must be a non-entitlement city, county or incorporated town that possesses the legal capacity to carry out the proposed program.
The proposed project must meet a national objective and be an eligible activity under Section 105 (a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. In general, the project must either:
benefit an area or clientele whose population is at least 51% low- and moderate-income
aid in prevention or elimination of slums or blight
If the applicant has previously received any CDBG funds through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs or the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) the applicant must NOT have:
any unresolved monitoring/audit findings;
any overdue grant reports or closeout documents;
for cities and towns: two (2) open CDBG grants at the time of application;
for counties: three (3) open CDBG grants at the time of application;
an open CDBG grant that has not received Release of Funds
If a community has an open CDBG grant, the community must have an executed construction contract and be under construction, or a consultant under contract for planning grants before the community may apply for an additional CDBG grant. Grant Services must have received the Notice of Start of Construction to be considered “under construction” by the date the application is due.
Any CDBG Program Income collected from a previous CDBG grant must be obligated for a use that has been approved by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs before another CDBG grant will be approved. Any available Program Income may be used as part of the local match for a CDBG project. Please contact the CDBG Program Director for additional information regarding Program Income.
The cost per beneficiary ratio for the proposed project cannot exceed $5,000 (grant funds only).
Local match must be provided by the applicant or third-party. Other state, federal or local grants can count toward the local match requirement. The local match must be in the minimum amount of 10% of the total project cost, not the grant amount being requested.
For more information, visit https://www.in.gov/ocra/cdbg/planning-grants/