CFDA 14.218: Community Development Block Grants — Entitlement Grants (CDBG)
Federal block grants to entitlement cities (population 50K+) and urban counties to fund community development activities benefiting low-and-moderate-income residents. The single largest federal community-development funding stream.
What this CFDA funds
Affordable housing development and rehabilitation, public services (up to 15% cap), economic development (job creation/retention), public facilities (infrastructure, community centers), planning/admin (up to 20% cap). Each entitlement jurisdiction develops a Consolidated Plan defining how it will spend its allocation.
What winning applicants look like
501(c)(3) housing developers, CDFIs, public-housing authorities, and community-action agencies typically dominate sub-recipient awards. Standing relationships with city/county Community Development departments are decisive.
Common pitfalls + things to know
CDBG is governed by 24 CFR Part 570 — environmental review (NEPA/HUD), Davis-Bacon prevailing wages on construction, Section 3 hiring requirements, low-and-moderate-income (LMI) benefit documentation. National-objective compliance is non-negotiable. Many smaller nonprofits underestimate the compliance burden.
Related CFDAs to also explore
- CFDA 14.241 — Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
- CFDA 14.231 — Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
- CFDA 14.235 — Continuum of Care (CoC)
Reference guides
Evergreen explainers for nonprofit grant offices and federal grant seekers.
- Federal Grants for Nonprofits: A 2026 Guide for 501(c)(3) Organizations — CFDA prefixes, applicant-type code 12, forecasts, the deadline trap.
- The Grants.gov Search Guide: How to Actually Find Federal Grants in 2026 — practical filter walkthrough, native-vs-paid tool comparison.
- → All Grant Wire articles
Audiences who use this CFDA
If you fall into one of these audience groups, the audience guide gives you the broader picture of all federal funding streams you qualify for — not just CFDA 14.218.
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Always verify in the official source. CFDA program details, eligibility, and award ranges change with each annual NOFO cycle. Confirm at sam.gov/content/assistance-listings or the agency's program office before you build an application strategy. This page is editorial reference, not an official agency notice.