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Enterprise Fund
Community Development Block Grant Program
Links to program publications are shown following the program description.
Purpose
Create or preserve jobs for low-income and very low-income persons.
Assistance Type
Grants
Terms
Grants of up to $500,000 to provide loans to businesses, grants for publicly owned infrastructure, and microenterprise assistance. Individual project funding decisions are made by the jurisdiction. Businesses receiving loans must create or retain private sector jobs principally for low-income and very low-income persons.
Eligible Activities
CDBG funds may be lent to businesses for working capital, land acquisition, equipment purchase, inventory purchase, debt restructuring, and other direct assistance. Local grants may support businesses by providing water and sewer services, access roads, and other public facilities. Microenterprise funds may provide credit or technical assistance for persons developing micro enterprises.
Eligible Applicants
Counties with fewer than 200,000 residents in unincorporated areas and cities with fewer than 50,000 residents that are not participants in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement program.
Application Procedures
Applications for annual competitive funding rounds are invited by a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). The NOFA is typically released each summer. Applications are evaluated and scored on a variety of factors, which may include need, capacity, prior CDBG grant performance, and poverty in the applicant community.
Contact
Program Administration, (916) 552-9398