Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Awards

The Community Services Block Grant Discretionary Awards program includes three funding opportunities that support development of communities with low income: Community Economic Development (CED), Rural Community Development (RCD) and the Neighborhood Innovation Projects (NIP). On an annual basis, Congress has only provided appropriations to CED and RCD. NIP has never received funding. CED provides awards on a competitive basis to private, nonprofit organizations that are community development corporations (CDCs). CDCs use CED funds to provide technical and financial assistance for economic development activities that address the economic needs of individuals and families with low income through the creation of sustainable business development and employment opportunities. CED funds are used to enable businesses to create new, full-time permanent jobs for individuals with low incomes through commercial development and financial equity investments, or through loans to capitalize a new business or expand an existing business. CED allows CDCs to customize investment and business development to the needs of their communities. Seventy-five percent of the jobs created must be filled by individuals that are below 200% of HHS poverty guidelines. RCD provides awards to regional multistate and tribal nonprofit organizations that provide training and technical assistance to small, rural communities for the improvement of drinking water and wastewater systems. RCD helps community members identify and address water and wastewater related issues, including infrastructure and accessibility needs; increases access for families with low incomes to water supply and waste disposal services; preserves affordable water and waste disposal services in low-income rural communities; trains water operators to ensure water systems comply with federal regulations; increases local capacity and expertise to establish and maintain needed water facilities; increases economic opportunities for low-income rural communities by ensuring they have basic water and sanitation; utilizes technical assistance to leverage additional public and private resources; promotes improved coordination of federal, state, and local agencies and financing programs to benefit low-income communities; and helps communities establish financial stability and financial reserves to maintain water delivery and wastewater disposal systems.