California Community Development Block Grant Funds

HUD Community Development Block Grant funds flow from HUD to the California Department of Housing and Community Development once a year generally in early Spring. A block grant is a federal grant made by formula every year, so that grantees are given discretion to undertake specific activities.

Funding is determined by a formula based on need as determined by US Census data released every 10 years. You may look up the CDBG funding allocation for your area by fiscal year and state at the CPD Budget page.

In the past few years, the State of California has set-aside between 2 and 5 percent (out of a maximum of 10 percent) of allocated CDBG funds for colonias projects. Currently, Imperial County is the only county in the state with designated colonias that are eligible to compete for and obtain these funds. For more general information on this set-aside go to the CDBG Colonias Set-Aside page.

As shown, CDBG funds flow annually from HUD to the state or directly to Entitlement Cities and Counties. From the state, funds go to non-entitlement city and county governments. Local and county elected officials decide which projects to fund locally. Nonprofits must apply through their municipality or county government for funding.