Community Development Block Grant

The South Carolina Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is designed to provide assistance to units of local government in improving economic opportunities and meeting community revitalization needs, particularly for persons of low and moderate incomes. The Program’ s mission has been developed to improve the well-being of all South Carolinians by strengthening communities through revitalization of and improvements to neighborhoods, public infrastructure and local economy.

The CDBG Program has six major categories that address a full range of activities:

  • Community Infrastructure: Addresses water, roads, sewer and drainage activities.
  • Community Enrichment: Addresses needs in facilities and services.
  • Village Renaissance: Addresses revitalization needs through comprehensive strategies linking commercial revitalization to improvements in adjacent neighborhoods.
  • “Ready To Go”: Addresses Community Infrastructure or Community Enrichment project activities that are shovel ready.
  • Regional Planning: Provided to Councils of Governments to assist local governments in developing plans and building local community development capacity.

These categories must be submitted during one of the two funding rounds offered during the year, except for the “Ready To Go” category, which may be submitted at anytime during the year once the project is shovel ready.

  • Business Development: Provides resources for local governments to pursue opportunities that create new jobs, retain existing jobs, stimulate private investment and revitalize or facilitate the competiveness of the local economy.

Business Development project applications may be submitted at anytime during the year.

All CDBG projects must address one of three national objectives:

  1. Benefit low and moderate income persons
  2. Eliminate slum or blight
  3. Address urgent community needs

Maximum grant amounts are generally $500,000 but may be higher based on location and proposed activity. Most grants require a 10 percent local match.

For information on the CDBG program, please contact Grazier Rhea or Jason Vance at 803-327-9041 or by e-mail at grhea@catawbacog.org or jvance@catawbacog.org.