Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program

Funding Cycle

El Paso County’s CDBG program year runs from April 1 – March 31.

Open Applications and Instructions

The application cycle is currently closed. The 2020 application cycle will open on January 10, 2020 and close on February 7, 2020. Application, instructions, and additional materials will be posted on this page on January 10, 2020.

The low to moderate income map link below is provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development based on ACS data. For current recipients of funding and future recipient, this link is an excellent tool for scouting prospective locations for projects.

Nationwide LMI Maps (To use map, zoom in to El Paso County and select only the ‘LMISD by Block Group’ option. Click on Block Groups to view Low/Mod percentages. For more assistance, contact our office.)

El Paso County LMI Maps (These maps are zoomed in to specific Census Tract Block Groups in El Paso County that qualify for LMA benefit. For more information or specialty maps for persons with disabilities, please contact our office.)

Who is eligible to apply for funding?

CDBG funds can be awarded to local jurisdictions and non-profit organizations but not private individuals. Agencies with experience administering federal funding resources will likely have adequate internal controls and policies to successfully implement a CDBG funded project.

After confirming your agency’s eligibility for funding, please consider that the following guidelines must be met:

• The project must serve persons of low-to-moderate income who reside within El Paso County but outside the city limits of Colorado Springs. Eligible areas include Calhan, Fountain, Green Mountain Falls, Manitou Springs, Monument, Palmer Lake, Ramah, and unincorporated El Paso County.
• The project must be eligible according to the Code of Federal Regulations, which can be accessed at CDBG Code of Federal Regulations
• The project must meet one of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s national objectives and one of the El Paso County Consolidated Plan goals. National objectives and local goals are described in detail under the Goals tab.

Please contact our office directly to discuss the eligibility of a specific program or project.

National Objectives of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has outlined three clear objectives to be fulfilled by the CDBG program. Every project funded by CDBG funds must accomplish one of the three following objectives: address an urgent need, mitigate slum/blight conditions, or benefit persons of low-to-moderate income. Additionally, mitigating slum/blight conditions or benefiting persons of low-to-moderate income can be accomplished through several different avenues. A visual breakdown of these objectives is presented below.

Local Goals of the El Paso County CDBG Program

In addition to meeting a national objective, all projects funded by the El Paso County CDBG Program must meet at least one of the goals outlined in our 2017-2021 Consolidated Plan. Please note all goals denoted with an ‘AFH’ in reference to our Assessment of Fair Housing are considered high priority goals. An in-depth listing of all goals is linked below.

2017-2021 CDBG Goals

Before El Paso County CDBG Program projects may begin expending funds, they must first be approved by the Board of County Commissioners and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Projects are selected and submitted for approval on an annual basis, with the final approval from HUD usually occurring in July or August each year.

Click the links below to see current and past projects, as well as a few highlighted projects that have made an exceptional difference in our community.

2017 CDBG Project Listing

2018 CDBG Project Listing

2019 CDBG Project Listing

Whether you are a first-time recipient of El Paso County CDBG funding or a federal funding old timer, this page will help your agency keep your project in compliance with all associated requirements.

All funding applicants are highly encouraged to review the documents below in advance of submitting their application. These links will help you prepare an application that addresses the needs of the CDBG program as well as develop a deeper understanding of what to expect when developing a potential project.

Playing by the Rules Handbook CDBG Subrecipients

Sample CDBG Subrecipient Agreement

Reporting Resources

Not sure which reports to submit, or when they’re due? Start off by reviewing the 2019 CDBG Reporting Schedule below. Additional questions can be directed to CDBG staff using the contact information at the bottom of the page.

2019 CDBG Reporting Schedule
Reimbursement Request Form
Quarterly Subrecipient Report
Program Income Report
Annual Federal Expenditure Report
2019 Program Year Project Completion Report
2019 CDBG Income Limits

In order to receive CDBG entitlement funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, El Paso County CDBG staff must prepare a series of annual and five-year reports for the federal agency’s review. All applicable reports for the current program year and consolidated plan cycle are posted here as they become available.

2017-2021 Assessment of Fair Housing

2017-2021 Community Development Block Grant Consolidated Plan

2017 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan

2017 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER)

2018 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Action

2019 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan

The El Paso County CDBG Program is committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing within our jurisdiction as delineated in our 2017-2021 Consolidated Plan goal AFH4. Our program hosts two free and open to the public fair housing events each year, which are posted under the Events and Notices tab as they are scheduled.

Below is a collection of free resources relevant to the Fair Housing Act, including agencies that can assist individuals in filing fair housing complaints.

2017-2021 Assessment of Fair Housing
Regional Housing Needs Assessment (2014)
HUD’s Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Website
United States Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division
Colorado Division of Civil Rights

Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB)

On April 1, 2009, El Paso County became an “entitlement community” and was awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to carry out a wide range of community development activities directed toward revitalizing neighborhoods, economic development, and providing improved community facilities and services.

The Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB) reviews matters of importance regarding the CDBG program and makes recommendations to the El Paso County Board of Commissioners concerning community development issues and use of CDBG funds.

The CDAB is comprised of 12 voting members, including a representative from each of the municipalities participating in the El Paso County Community Development Block Grant Program and a representative from each of the commissioner districts. Participating municipalities advise the Board of County Commissioners who they have designated as their representative. Commissioner district representatives are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Members are appointed for five-year terms, with terms initially staggered, and are limited to serving two consecutive five-year terms.

Please review the Events and Notices tab for upcoming CDAB meeting dates and times.