Since 1990, the BCDCOG's Community Development  Department has administered grants totaling more than $20 million dollars.  

These funds have gone toward a variety of projects in all three counties, directly helping approximately 10,000 low-to-moderate income (LMI) residents.  This does not take into account the thousands of people, LMI and others, who have benefited indirectly from these improvements.

While housing rehabilitation, community center development, and capital loans are key parts of the Community Development Block Grant Program, water and sewer improvements are the prevalent projects in the BCD region.  More than $12 million in CDBG funds have gone through the BCDCOG this decade to improve the region's water and sewer infrastructure. 

These projects enhance the lives of residents and enable the creation and expansion of businesses, thereby improving the region's job market, health status, and standard of living.  In addition, the BCDCOG's Community Development Department applies for and administers funds under various other programs such as the Parks and Recreation Department Fund (PARD), and the HOME Investment Partnership Act.

The Community Development Department specializes in:

• Informing local governments of the availability of grants

• Determining which program best suites proposed projects

• Providing technical assistance during the application process

• Coordinating the efforts of necessary agencies

• Assisting local governments in assessing their needs

• Developing a needs assessment document typically required by grantors

• Organizing and promoting public hearings

• Recording the activities of hearings for inclusion in the application

• Soliciting public participation and support through advertisements, letters and other notices

• Collecting, maintaining and organizing all household data necessary to the application process

• Supervising all phases of the grants process, from determining eligibility to selecting the contractors

Staff can assist local governments seek grant or loan funding from a variety of federal and state sources, and can mix and match sources of such funding to aid in recruiting businesses to the region and assist existing businesses with relocation or expansion.