DUE DATE = April 8, 2019 (or earlier)
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
While the county can give the subrecipient permission to enter much of the application information, the county must conduct the public hearing and complete the documents requiring formal action. The county is responsible for reviewing for approval the proposed use of funds and any information provided by the subrecipient. The county is responsible for submitting the application through ZoomGrants.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Eligible CDBG public services activities are in the HUD regulations. Specific guidance on housing-related services are located here: Eligible and Ineligible housing related services
To be CDBG eligible, the service must meet the following five criteria:
1. Be on HUD’s list of public services, or be a substantially similar service and not on the list of ineligible public services.
2. Be identified as a new service or an increased/improved level of service. See instructions to this application’s Project Description and LMI Benefit Table for definitions.
3. Be directly linked to delivery of a specific service to a client.
4. Principally benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons. See instructions to this application’s Project Description and LMI Benefit Table for more information. The current Income Limits chart is on the CDBG website under Guidance Materials and LMI is up to 80% of median household income by family size.
5. Target residents of CDBG non-entitlement areas (outside of CDBG entitlement cities). The state CDBG program cannot fund activities that benefit residents in CDBG entitlement cities, since these cities receive CDBG funds directly from HUD. The ineligible CDBG entitlement cities, located in eligible state CDBG counties are:
Anacortes
Bellingham
East Wenatchee
Kennewick Longview
Mount Vernon
Pasco
Richland
Walla Walla
Wenatchee
Yakima
INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
In general, any activity not described above is not eligible. Specifically, Public Services Grants cannot fund:
1. Activities and administrative costs eligible under another CDBG fund, such as:
• Planning and community organization activities, not directly linked to the delivery of an eligible public service to a client. Unlike CSBG, CDBG cannot fund general outreach activities or partnership building activities, unless you can count and report on the clients receiving a direct service from those activities.
• Housing rehabilitation, including weatherization
• Facility acquisition, construction or renovation
2. Administrative costs for the general management of the organization
3. Lobbying and political activities
4. Direct payments to individuals for their food, clothing, utilities or other income payments. (Income payments or emergency vouchers paid to a third party for no more than three consecutive months may be eligible.)
5. New housing construction costs, including administration of new housing development programs

AWARD AND CONTRACTING TIMELINE
Once Commerce receives and approves the county’s application for a CDBG Public Services Grant, it will send an award letter and two copies of the grant contract for county signature. A fully executed grant contract between Commerce and the county, and an executed subrecipient agreement between the county and the subrecipient are required before the release 2019 CDBG funds. This timeline and funding are contingent upon the state’s receipt of 2019 CDBG funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).