On March 30, 2020 the Federal CARES Act was signed to provide states with some relief to aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. The State of Vermont received $8,880,293 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV1, CDBG-CV2 and CDBG-CV3) funds through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal CARES Act which is administered by the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Department of Housing and Community Development - Vermont Community Development Program. 70% of the CDBG-CV funding is required to serve low- and moderate-income persons. For more information about how the funding has been used thus far review the CARES Act 4th Amendment for 2019 Action Plan, CARES Act 5th, 6th, and 7th Administrative Amendments.
Currently VCDP will use CDBG-CV funds to assist municipal public facilities and service projects through its Municipal Public Facility and Service Program.
PLEASE NOTE: The Federal Register allowed the state flexibility to assist entitlements with their CDBG-CV funding; however, the full amount of the first allocation mst go to non entitlement communities. The states only entitlement the City of Burlington was eligible to apply for up to $400,000 of the states funding for the Municipal Public Facility and Service Program to assist the City with municipal and public service projects. Please contact Community Economic Development Office (CEDO) if you are located in the City for potential assistance.
VCDP used CDBG-CV funds for projects/individuals impacted by COVID19 through the following programs:
- Housing Stabilization Program ($2,000,000): VCDP collaborated with Champlain Housing Trust, NeighborWorks of Western Vermont, Rural Edge, and Windham, Windsor Housing Trust to administer the program which provides assistance with housing-related financial counseling and emergency payments for housing related costs in the form of mortgage, rental, and utility payment assistance to individuals impacted by COVID19. For more information on assistance please contact the homeownership center in your local area.
- Municipal Public Facility and Service program ($2,669,284): VCDP assisted municipal public facilities and service projects impacted by COVID19 (see FY2020 CDBG-CV Award List). This program is no longer accepting applications.
- Sole Proprietor Program ($3,589,388): VCDP collaborated with Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) and Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC) to administer this program. BDCC is administering funds for Addison, Bennington, Lamoille, Rutland, Washington and Windham counties. TRORC is administering funds for Caledonia, Chittenden (including the City of Burlington), Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Orange, Orleans, and Windsor counties. Currently TRORC and BDCC are providing technical assistance to help small businesses respond to and prevent future impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
CDBG-CV Awards
A list of all projects funded using CDBG-CV dollars can be found here.