Asheville Reporter

The City of Asheville's Community and Economic Development Department has opened the application process for the 2025-26 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Applications will be accepted until February 7, 2025, with an expected $1,000,000 in awards to be distributed.

This CDBG initiative is distinct from the recently received $225,010,000 CDBG-Disaster Recovery grant. Details on the latter are yet to be announced.

The CDBG program is a federal initiative under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It aims to fund projects that create affordable housing for low-income households and support community development activities. The City’s Community and Economic Development Department oversees this program in Asheville.

Interested applicants can find instructions and slides for the application process online. Applications must be submitted through the Neighborly software portal by February 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET. Inquiries regarding the application process can be directed to HUDFundingQuestions@ashevillenc.gov.

In previous years, CDBG-funded projects have significantly impacted low to moderate-income households in Asheville. For instance:

- Helpmate, Inc.'s Emergency Shelter for Domestic Violence Survivors Program received $23,736 in fiscal year 2023-24. This funding supported services for survivors of domestic violence, sheltering 235 individuals fleeing such situations.

- Pisgah Legal Services was awarded $35,750 for its Homelessness Prevention Program during the same period. The program provided legal assistance to help prevent evictions and foreclosures for 1,157 residents.

- Mountain BizWorks received $162,500 for its Opportunity Asheville: Expanding Access to Small Business Program. This initiative offered business training to entrepreneurs and resulted in creating or expanding 68 microenterprises and generating 260 jobs.

These examples illustrate how CDBG funds contribute to community resilience and economic development in Asheville.