The Red River Regional Council’s (RRRC) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding allocation for FY2020 is $205,951. At its August 19, 2020 meeting, the RRRC Board of Directors reviewed pre-applications submitted by the original June 24, 2020 deadline and allocated the following:

City of Fordville on behalf of the Fordville Senior Citizen Club (exterior building rehabilitation and handicap accessibility):  $122,360

This leaves a balance of $83,591 available in the FY2020 allocation for other CDBG eligible projects in Region IV which includes Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh counties.

The RRRC Board of Directors has approved amending the PDS to solicit a second round of pre-applications for the available $83,591 in FY2020 CDBG funds with the amended deadline dates as follows:

December 21, 2020                                          Pre-application deadline

On or about February 21, 2021                   CDBG Review Committee meeting (scoring/ranking) of pre-applications and recommendation to Board of Directors

June 1, 2021                                                        Final date for completion of full applications to Division of Community Services (DCS) for approval

Under CDBG guidelines, all cities, counties and other interested parties in the region must be notified in writing of the changes to be made to the PDS and given 15 days to respond to the RRRC. Therefore, any responses regarding the PDS amendment must be received before September 14, 2020.

CDBG FUNDS ELIGIBILITY

CDBG funds are awarded to the RRRC on an annual basis via the North Dakota Department of Commerce – Division of Community Services. CDBG is a program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. CDBG funds can be used for projects such as:

Funding Categories (Summarized from State PDS):

• Housing: Eligible projects include rehabilitation of single family housing; affordable multi-family development including rehabilitation, repair, expansion or similar activities proposed that will better assure meeting needs, and health and safety issues; or conversion or eligible soft costs for new construction providing affordable housing. Awards may be made in the form of grants, loans, or combination.
• Public Facilities: Eligible projects include infrastructure (i.e. sanitary sewer or storm sewer lift stations, lagoon improvements, replacement of fire hydrants, street paving, reconstruction of street lights, replacement of sidewalks, etc.), public safety (e.g., fire halls, trucks, ambulances and related equipment) and removal of architectural barriers (handicap accessibility).
• Planning: Eligible activities include establishment of a Capital Improvements Plan, Community Strategic Plan, Comprehensive Plan, Zoning or other plans.
• Other: Other activities that do not fit in to any other category but which are eligible for CDBG assistance. Any proposal in this category must meet one of the national objectives.

The RRRC will be accepting pre-applications for the remaining $83,591 of the FY2020 CDBG allocation until December 21, 2020. Any project allocated FY2020 funds will need to complete the full CDBG application by June 1, 2021.

Please contact CDBG program manager Stacie Sevigny (701-352-3550 or Stacie@redriverrc.com) regarding potential project eligibility and other considerations and/or to receive a copy of the Region IV pre-application. More information on the CDBG program and how to apply can be found under the Developing Our Communities tab of this website: https://redriverrc.com/communities/