CDBG Open Round

CDBG Open Round is sponsored by New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Funding for public facilities, community planning, microenterprise assistance, and imminent threat projects in eligible New York communities.

# COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRAM # 2026 REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS > Commissioner/CEO Table of Contents I. FUNDS AVAILABLE ........................................................................................................................................... 3 II.

FUNDING LIMITS ............................................................................................................................................... 3 III. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS .....................................................................................................................................

3 IV. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................................. 3 V.

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................................................ 4 A. Public Facility ..................................................................................................................................................

4 B. Community Planning........................................................................................................................................ 4 C.

Economic Development .................................................................................................................................. 5 D. Imminent Threat ..............................................................................................................................................

6 E. Administrative Funds and Project Delivery ....................................................................................................... 7 F.

Ineligible Activities ........................................................................................................................................... 7 VI. APPLICATION PROCESS & SUBMISSION ........................................................................................................

8 A. Application Deadline ....................................................................................................................................... 8 How to Apply ..........................................................................................................................................................

8 B. Public Hearing Pre-application Requirement .................................................................................................... 8 C.

Technical Assistance ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Pre-Application Submission Instructions................................................................................................................. 9 VIII.

APPLICATION REVIEW ................................................................................................................................... 11 A. Application Review Process ..........................................................................................................................

11 B. Threshold Eligibility Review Criteria .............................................................................................................. 11 C.

Application Review Criteria ........................................................................................................................... 12 D. Additional Application Review Criteria – By Activity .......................................................................................

13 IX. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................ 15 A.

Meeting National Objective ............................................................................................................................ 15 B. HUD Income Limits .......................................................................................................................................

16 C. Contract Term and Timeliness ...................................................................................................................... 16 D.

Procurement .................................................................................................................................................. 16 E. Environmental Review ...................................................................................................................................

16 F. Monitoring ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 G.

Smart Growth ................................................................................................................................................ 17 H. Program Income ............................................................................................................................................

17 I. Lead Based Paint Regulations ....................................................................................................................... 17 J.

Davis Bacon Related Acts ............................................................................................................................. 17 K. Section 3 Compliance ....................................................................................................................................

17 M. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing ............................................................................................................. 18 N.

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) ........................................................................................................... 19 O. Build America Buy America (BABA) ..............................................................................................................

19 P. Unique Entity ID (UEI) and the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) ................... 19 X.

APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 A. LOW MOD AREA (LMA) NATIONAL OBJECTIVE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTATION ................................

20 B. HUD INCOME LIMITS................................................................................................................................... 20 C.

DEFINITIONS OF ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME .................................................................................... 21 D. APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS ..................................................................................................

23 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 3 The NYS CDBG Program is administered by the Housing Trust Fund Corporation’s (HTFC) Office of Community Renewal (OCR) and funds a variety of activities across the State to develop viable communities. CDBG Program funds are allocated to New York State by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the NYS CDBG Program.

HTFC will make available approximately $20 million in NYS Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds through this Request for Applications (RFA). This RFA is limited to the activities listed below. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Funding for CDBG public infrastructure and housing activities will be announced separately and subject to a future Request for Applications.

Activity Type Minimum Maximum Public Facilities $1,000,000 Community Planning $50,000 Stand-Alone Business Assistance $25,000 $750,000 Microenterprise Assistance $100,000 $300,000 Imminent Threat $1,000,000 Eligible applicants are non-entitlement units of general local government (county, town, city, or village), excluding metropolitan cities, urban counties, and Indian Tribes that are designated Entitlement Communities.

Non-entitlement areas are defined as cities, towns, and villages with populations of less than 50,000 except those designated principal cities of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, and counties with populations of less than 200,000. A list of eligible communities is available on the OCR website under Program Guidelines.

OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRAM As set forth in the Federal Housing and Community Development Act, the primary objective of the CDBG program is the development of viable communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income (LMI).

In support of New York’s community development goals, the NYS CDBG Program will: 1. Encourage investment in communities by assisting local governments in devising and implementing economic development strategies to revitalize viable communities and provide economic opportunities that principally benefit LMI persons. 2.

Revitalize the vibrancy of New York’s communities and enhance the quality of life through improvements to public infrastructure and public facilities. I. FUNDS AVAILABLE 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 4 3.

Develop and implement strategies that facilitate the coordination of NYS CDBG funding with other Federal, State, and local community development resources. CDBG funding may be used for eligible activities as outlined below. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of eligible activities and applicants are encouraged to develop projects in response to local need that may not fit neatly in any one category.

In these cases, applicants are encouraged to contact OCR for additional guidance prior to applying. All activities must comply with all CDBG regulations and other requirements set forth in this RFA and Section 105(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended and 24 CFR 570. 482-Eligible Activities.

Additional information on eligible activities can be found on the HUD Exchange. NYS CDBG funds support a variety of public facility and public improvement projects, such as the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or installation of public facilities.

Examples include, but are not limited to: • Accessibility modifications for the removal of architectural barriers • Neighborhood facilities, including but not limited to, libraries, childcare centers, recreational facilities, parks, playgrounds • Facilities for persons with special needs such as facilities for the homeless or domestic violence shelters, nursing homes, or group homes for the disabled • Infrastructure improvements including construction and installation of streets, curbs, lighting and broadband • Emergency facilities and equipment In general, public facilities and public improvements include all facilities and improvements that are publicly owned, or that are owned by a nonprofit and open to the public.

Eligible costs associated with Public Facility activities may include energy efficiency improvements, and accessibility modifications to comply with the Americans with Disability Act (including improvements to buildings used for general conduct of government). Accessibility modifications are strictly limited to the removal of architectural barriers, such as installing lifts, automatic doors, or ramps.

Projects that are applying for accessibility modifications for new construction are not eligible. To qualify, applications for public facility projects must include a preliminary conditions analysis and third-party cost estimate.

While final plans and specifications are not required at the time of application, needs assessments must be detailed enough to support the need for the request, demonstrate that funding is in place to complete the project, and to support the sustainability of the facility moving forward. Note that eligibility for assistance for public facilities may vary based on use and local demographic information.

Refer to Program Administrative Requirements section for details. CDBG Community Planning grants enable communities to conduct assessments and develop clearly articulated strategies for addressing local community development issues. The study, analysis and planning of any community planning activity should identify eligible projects for subsequent CBDG funding.

There are two categories of planning grants: • Community Needs Assessments: A community needs assessment is a crucial step for communities seeking grants, as it establishes a clear understanding of the community’s needs and how to address them. Funding may be used for housing needs assessments, market analysis, or similar assessments. V.

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 5 • Project Readiness Plans: Project driven planning activities are directly tied to a potential project and are to increase a project’s readiness. Funding may be used for preliminary architectural and engineering design, and cost estimates.

Community Planning funding is not intended to result in a final/complete project design or bid package, but to support submission of a future CDBG application through the identification of a CDBG-eligible activity. The final report or work product will constitute third-party evidence of need (including cost estimates, if appropriate) that could be submitted as part of a future CDBG funding application.

Plan documents must be prepared by third-party professional service provider. While planning grants allow a small set-aside for grant administration, municipal staff time associated with preparation of the plan will not be reimbursed.

While community planning activities are not required to meet a CDBG National Objective, HUD does require that at least 51 percent of the persons who would benefit from implementation of the plan are L/M income persons or that the plan addresses a slum or blighted area of the community.

Applicants should focus on plans that address one or more of the following: public infrastructure, public facilities, housing and/or economic development. CDBG funds may be used to assist a specific, stand-alone business or to assist a community to establish a microenterprise assistance program to support multiple businesses.

Stand-Alone Business Assistance Funding is provided to eligible communities to provide financial assistance to for-profit businesses for an identified CDBG eligible activity which will result in the creation or retention of permanent, private sector job opportunities, principally for persons from low-moderate income families.

This category may also include the improvement of publicly owned infrastructure necessary to stimulate business expansion and job creation. • acquisition of real property • financing of machinery, furniture, fixtures and equipment • working capital, including payroll • employee training expenses • building construction and renovation.

Note that the use of CDBG funds toward construction and renovation costs may trigger Davis Bacon Wage Rate requirements. This includes the cost of equipment that requires installation as well as the purchase of materials used for construction activities.

• Maximum award amount of $750,000 (minimum $25,000) • Business with more than 25 employees at the time of application may be eligible for up to $15,000 for each Full Time Equivalent (FTE) job created or retained as a result of the CDBG assisted project • Businesses with 25 employees or less at the time of application may be eligible for up to $25,000 for each (FTE) job created or retained, up to a maximum of $100,000 in CDBG assistance • NYS CDBG funds are capped at 40% of total project costs, not to exceed the maximum award amount.

Applicants may request up to 50% for projects where cash equity meets or exceeds 20% of the total project costs • NYS CDBG funds must be used as gap funding to induce the project Applicants must perform thorough underwriting of the need to assist the business based on HUD’s underwriting criteria.

Detailed information related to methodology and submission requirements can be found in Chapter 5, Eligible Activities, of the NYS CDBG Grant Administration Manual.

Microenterprise Assistance Funding is provided to eligible communities to provide entrepreneurial training and financial assistance to for-profit businesses with five (5) or fewer employees, including the owner(s), for an identified CDBG eligible activity which will result in the creation or retention of permanent, private sector job opportunities, principally for persons from low-moderate income families.

Businesses under this category may also meet HUD 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 6 requirements if owned by a documented low to moderate income person.

• Technical assistance and the cost to attend the required entrepreneurial training • Procurement of machinery, furniture, fixtures and equipment • Microenterprise owner(s) must complete an OCR approved entrepreneurial or small business training program prior to receiving CDBG Microenterprise grant funds.

• Maximum award amount of $300,000 (minimum $100,000) to support several microenterprises • NYS CDBG Microenterprise funds must be allocated as a grant to each microenterprise • Grant assistance to an individual microenterprise must be between $5,000 and $35,000 • Grants may not exceed 90% of the total project cost • A minimum amount of 10% owner equity contribution OCR provides a toolkit and form/template index for the Microenterprise Program.

This toolkit provides all the resources needed to implement a successful local program of microenterprise assistance. This toolkit and all referenced materials can be found on the CDBG website here .

Funds may be requested to provide eligible municipal applicants financial support for activities that alleviate existing conditions that have a blighting influence or pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community. Applicants will be required to demonstrate a compelling need for public investment and document that no other funding sources are available.

CDBG Imminent Threat funds may be used to cover costs associated with: • Repairs or improvements to water/sewer systems, storm sewer drainage, flood walls, roads, sidewalks and culverts • Demolition and/or clearance of damaged structures including environmental assessments and mitigation, site work, architectural, and engineering fees • Public services required as a result of disaster Imminent Threat projects typically meet HUD’s (national objective) requirements in one of two ways: Projects undertaken in response to immediate dangerous conditions, or because of a state or local disaster declaration must meet the following criteria: • The existing conditions must pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community; and # • The existing conditions are of recent origin or recently became urgent within 18 months of the disaster or event that caused the need.

The Applicants certifies and OCR determines that:  The Applicant is unable to finance the activity on its own, and no other funding is available to address the problem; and  The CDBG funding will be directly targeted toward alleviation of the threatening condition(s).

Note that deteriorated properties experiencing recent decline, but that have been vacant, abandoned, or suffering from deferred maintenance for greater than 18 months from the date of application, do not constitute evidence of urgent need. Properties with a history of deterioration may better qualify under Slum/Blight, described below.

2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 7 Projects may be undertaken in an area meeting the conditions of “blighted” and formally designated as such by the municipal applicant. Applicants may also propose projects impacting individual sites on a “spot” basis. For a full definition of Slum/Blight and required documentation to support this designation, refer to Chapter 5 of the CDBG Grant Administration Manual: https://hcr.

ny. gov/community-development-block-grant#program- CDBG assistance will generally not be made available to projects with public facility failures resulting from neglected maintenance by a locality. E.

Administrative Funds and Project Delivery In addition to activity specific costs, CDBG funds can be used toward (1) general program administrative costs, as related to overall program planning and CDBG grant administration; and (2) activity delivery costs, as related to implementing and carrying out specific CDBG- eligible activities.

Generally, administrative costs are salaries, wages and related costs of the grant recipient’s staff, the staff of local public agencies, or other staff including consultants and subrecipients engaged in managing the CDBG program.

Program delivery costs are those that can be attributed directly to implementation of the CDBG program, such as marketing, verifying eligibility, environmental review, legal expenses, and labor standards compliance. For Public Facilities, and Imminent Threat projects, applicants may request up to 20% of the CDBG award in program delivery, administration, and engineering costs combined.

Of the 20%, administration must not exceed more than 5% of the total CDBG award. For Microenterprise activities, applicants may request up to 20% of the CDBG award in program delivery and administration combined. Of the 20%, neither administration nor program delivery can exceed 10% of the CDBG award amount.

For Community Planning, applicants may request up to 5% of the CDBG award in administrative costs. For stand-alone Economic Development activities, NYS CDBG funds for program delivery and grant administration costs combined cannot exceed $16,000. Upon completion of environmental review requirements, Recipients may request up to 30% of the Program Delivery, Administration and Engineering budget.

Subsequent requests for these costs must be proportional to, and not exceed, disbursements for primary project activities. • Assistance to buildings, or portions thereof, used for the general conduct of government. This prohibition extends to the administrative areas of buildings used for local government services, such as offices for fire chief or other staff.

However, the removal of architectural barriers within public buildings to make them more accessible to the elderly and persons with disabilities is an eligible activity. Facilities such as neighborhood service centers or special purpose buildings that may house services provided by government at decentralized locations may be eligible. • Expenses for the general conduct of government.

However, costs directly attributable to administration of a local CDBG grant program may be considered for reimbursement. • Purchase of equipment for local government with CDBG funds. An exception is that compensation for the use of construction equipment through leasing, depreciation, or use allowances pursuant to 2 CFR Part 200, as applicable, for an otherwise eligible activity is an eligible use of CDBG funds.

• Operating and maintenance expenses • The replacement of existing debt with CDBG funds • Political or religious activities • Lobbying activities 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 8 • Advancement (or escrow) of CDBG funds prior to local approval • For Economic Development only, assistance to a nonprofit is ineligible • NYS CDBG funds may not be used to pay for costs related to the preparation of an application Prior to submitting an application CDBG applicants should be aware of the program requirements throughout the grant lifecycle.

Applicants should review relevant sections of the CDBG Grant Administration Manual for specific guidance and requirements. The CDBG Grant Administration Manual can be found under Program Guidelines on the CDBG website: Community Development Block Grant | Homes and Community Renewal Applications will be reviewed and funding decisions made on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.

Application Open Date: Friday, March 20, 2026 Application Submission Ends: Thursday, December 31, 2026 Funding round materials will be available on the Funding Round Materials page of the NYS Homes and Community Renewal Funding Opportunity website ( here ) and the NYS CDBG website ( here ) beginning Applications for the following funding activities will be accepted through the Consolidated Funding Application All CDBG-specific application forms, including application checklists, can be found here: https://hcr.

ny. gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials . Applications for public infrastructure and housing related activities will be subject to a future Request for Applications (RFA).

B. Public Hearing Pre-application Requirement Prior to submitting an application, Applicants must comply with public participation requirements including conducting a public hearing before a quorum of the full legislative body. Guidance specific to 24 CFR 570.

486 and NYS Citizen Participation requirements is outlined in a Citizen Participation toolkit online with the funding round materials: https://hcr. ny. gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials .

Applications are strongly encouraged to use the model hearing materials provided. Failure to meet all citizen participation requirements will require holding additional hearings, leading to delays in application submission and may impact OCR’s review and scoring OCR will provide technical assistance regarding the application, proposed projects, and program regulations to applicants upon request.

Applicants applying in the open funding round should reach out to OCR for technical assistance throughout the application process. Applicants can contact OCR staff at HCR_CFA@hcr. ny.

gov or 518-474-2057 for assistance. VI. APPLICATION PROCESS & SUBMISSION 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 9 Application Submission Process The program follows a two-step application process that is initiated with submission of a pre-application to determine basic eligibility, and applicants are then invited to submit a full application where the balance of information is provided.

Although OCR utilizes the CFA application portal, the CDBG application process does not share the annual CFA deadline. Open Round applications may be submitted any time after March 20, 2026 and before December 31, 2026, as projects are deemed ready. Please note that submission of the full application constitutes formal consideration of the use of federal funds toward an activity.

For that reason, it is critical that neither the recipient nor any related organizations or business(es) proposed to be assisted commit or incur costs related to the project, regardless of funding source. This includes entering into contracts and acquiring property.

Pre-Application Submission Instructions The Pre-Application is the first of two steps required to submit an application under the CDBG open round funding opportunity for activities related to public facilities, community planning, economic development, and imminent threat. The Pre-Application phase provides OCR with an introduction to the proposed project including key elements such as eligibility, scope and feasibility.

Pre-applications do not result in an award. The Pre-Application is comprised of a series of questions in the CFA and forms that can be found on the CDBG website ( Funding Round Materials ) and uploaded to the CFA portal.

Pre-Application forms include: • Pre-Submission Certification • Job Creation Table (for Economic Development) After answering all questions within the Pre-Submission part of the CFA application and uploading the relevant forms the applicant clicks ‘Submit’.

Following OCR review of the Pre-Application, the applicant will receive one of three notifications from the CFA portal via email: Accept - The Pre-Submission has been approved and the applicant can proceed to the full application within the CFA portal. Reject - The Pre-Submission form has not been approved. The applicant will not be able to proceed to the full application within the CFA Portal.

Needs More Information - OCR has determined that additional information is required before the application can be approved to proceed to a full application. For all the above, OCR staff will be in contact with the applicant to discuss the next steps. Once accepted, the applicant has 60 days to complete a full application within the CFA portal.

Full Application Submission Instructions Applicants are strongly advised to thoroughly read the application, review the requirements of the NYS CDBG program and observe all the application requirements. Applicants seeking consideration for funding must comply with all requests for information including completion of all required forms, providing descriptions, narratives and exhibits.

All parts of the application and required exhibits must be completed in full for the application to be successfully evaluated. Required information that is not provided in the application will have a negative impact on the evaluation of the application. It is the Applicant’s responsibility to provide OCR with an application that is clear, concise, well-organized and that provides all the information requested.

The Full Application is comprised of the balance of required attachments and the remaining required questions within the CFA itself.

Standard required forms include: • Applicant Certification • Citizen participation documentation • CDBG National Objective documentation • Project Schedule 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 10 • CDBG Program Income Report • Civil Rights Documentation (Fair Housing, Section 3, etc.) • Environmental Review Record • Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire (VRQ) (if applicable) • Smart Growth compliance form (if applicable) • Structural Assessment/Cost Estimates • Evidence of funding commitments Additional forms and attachments will be required based on activity type.

Users will be prompted in the system and OCR maintains an application checklist for each activity type on the CDBG website. Following submission of the full application and all requested items, applicants will be notified once the application is deemed complete and ready to advance for funding. D.

Funding considerations and allocation priorities : # • HTFC reserves the right to communicate with an applicant for the purpose of addressing clerical and mathematical errors in applications. • HTFC reserves the right not to issue an award or contract to any applicant if it has been determined that the applicant is not in compliance with existing contracts and has not taken satisfactory steps to remedy such non-compliance.

Activities that commence prior to contract execution and environmental review will not be eligible for reimbursement.

• HTFC reserves the right to award all, more than identified, a portion of, or none of the available funds based upon funding availability, feasibility of the applications received, the competitiveness of the applications, an applicant's ability to meet HTFC criteria for funding, the applicant’s ability to advance the State’s housing goals, and HTFC’s assessment of cost reasonableness.

• HTFC reserves the right to award all, a portion of, or none of the application’s requested amount, and further reserves the right to review an application requesting funds as an application for funding under other programs for which the proposed activity is eligible, and to change or disallow aspects of the applications received. • HTFC reserves the right to waive any requirement contained in this RFA or revise the terms as needed.

• Award of funds does not confirm eligibility of all activities included in an application proposal, and HTFC reserves the right to change or disallow aspects of the applications received and may make such changes an expressed condition of its commitment to provide funding for proposed activities. A Recipient cannot expend or encumber CDBG funds for any activity, except those listed as exempt under 24 CFR 58.

34, or which fall under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (“NEPA”) categorical exclusions set forth in 24 CFR 58. 35(b), until a Recipient has completed the environmental and historic requirements.

If any project costs, regardless of their funding source, are incurred prior to the CDBG award date and the approval of the Request for Release of Funds by the Office of Community Renewal, the entire project may be deemed ineligible for NYS CDBG funds. This includes phasing projects with the intent to avoid compliance with federal requirements such as National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or Davis-Bacon.

Recipients may incur certain administrative costs after award and contract, but prior to release of funds, if those costs are related to program set up and completing the environmental review documents. In addition to NEPA, projects are also subject to review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) Classification. Information related to SEQR can be found at: http://www.

dec. ny. gov/permits/6191.

html . For information about compliance with NEPA, please contact program staff or reference Chapter 2 of the CDBG Grant Administration Manual here . 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 11 Note that following award, successful grant recipients may request CDBG funds for eligible activity costs incurred but not yet paid AND/OR for reimbursement of expenses already paid by the recipient or its subrecipient.

Some examples of costs incurred include, but are not limited to, purchase orders, vouchers, and bills or invoices for verifiably completed work items. A.

Application Review Process The review process for the NYS CDBG Program is designed to ensure that the limited NYS CDBG funds available are awarded to communities that meet the following CDBG federal requirements and program priorities: • There is significant need for the proposed activity; • Project is financially feasible; • There are significant positive impacts on the community; • Project can be implemented immediately upon award; • CDBG funding is necessary to induce the project Applicants are encouraged to consider the status of any open CDBG contracts as well as resolve all outstanding administrative issues prior to the submission of an application for funding.

OCR staff are available at any time to provide technical assistance and feedback on current or proposed projects. All applications are evaluated based on threshold and review criteria established in this RFA and program guidelines in the NYS Grant Administration Manual and related materials.

Activities offered through an open round process may not be advanced for funding until all requirements have been met and the project is deemed ready to implement immediately upon award. B. Threshold Eligibility Review Criteria Applications must pass an initial threshold review based on the criteria summarized below.

Applications that fail to meet all the threshold criteria will not be reviewed further and be deemed ineligible. To achieve basic eligibility, all CDBG applications must: o Be submitted by an eligible unit of general local government. For a list of eligible local governments, see here: https://hcr.

ny. gov/community-development-block-grant#program-guidelines . o Propose an activity/project that meets a CDBG National Objective.

o Demonstrate compliance with NYS Citizen Participation requirements. o Request funding within the activity funding limits. o Propose an activity and/or project that can be completed within the contract term listed below.

 Public Facilities, Economic Development, and Imminent Threat: 25 months from award  Community Planning: 13 months from award. o Propose and activity/project that has not yet started, and the budget does not include reimbursement of costs incurred prior to award of NYS CDBG funds and OCR approval of release of funds.

o Applicants that are 1) not up to date with charities bureau registration or other required filings, 2) on a funds suspended or debarment list or 3) in default or non-compliant with existing state contracts are not eligible to apply. VIII. APPLICATION REVIEW 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 12 C.

Application Review Criteria Review criteria are derived from statutory, regulatory, and policy considerations of the CDBG program and based on the application materials received as part of the submittal. Below are the four criteria and overall priority: Administrative Capacity……...

30% Commitment and Readiness…20% Applications must generally score a minimum of 60% within the Administrative Capacity category and a total score of at least 65% to be considered for funding. The needs described in the application must correspond to the proposed activities and the extent to which the activity resolves or addresses the identified need.

The application must clearly articulate and demonstrate the need for public investment in the proposed area and specific need for CDBG funds. A strong application will include: • Data and a relevant examination of that data used to demonstrate the severity of the need for the proposed project and the CDBG funds.

• Documentation demonstrating other funding sources were pursued and/or other efforts taken to address the problem and that CDBG funds are necessary to induce the project. Including evidence that CDBG funds are not substituted for non-federal financial support. • Third-party cost estimates and/or a solid methodology for cost-estimation has been used.

• Demonstrated broad local support and linkages between the proposed project and local planning and development efforts. Applications will be evaluated based on the impact the proposed project and CDBG funds will have on the community. Evaluates how the project delivers positive, sustainable benefits to the community and surrounding area.

An applicant’s prior use of CDBG funds will be considered, including the type of project(s) funded and the outcome(s). A strong application will include: • Clear evidence to support a HUD national objective. • Clearly defined long-term benefits, or outcomes of the project including qualitative community improvements, and proposed accomplishments (jobs, units, people, etc.) that are reasonable, achievable and not overstated.

• Coordination with other state and federal funding programs, where necessary. • Project benefits a NYS Pro Housing community or partner, engages minority and women owned businesses and serviced disabled veteran owned businesses, where appropriate. • Project incorporates NYS Smart Growth principles, addresses accessibility modifications in public spaces, where appropriate.

• Consideration to applicants that prioritize M/WBE participation in the proposed project. 2026 CDBG Open Round - Request for Applications Page 13 Applications will be evaluated based on the