The City of Hopewell, Virginia is accepting applications for its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for the 2025-2026 funding cycle. This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended. The primary objective of this grant is to support projects that benefit low- and moderate-income residents, eliminate slums and blight, or address urgent community needs resulting from natural disasters or other emergencies. The grant program offers funding to public and private non-profit entities, Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs), city departments, other public agencies, and for-profit entities, as long as their projects benefit residents of Hopewell, Virginia.

The CDBG application process includes an orientation session on February 26, 2025, to familiarize applicants with the requirements, federal guidelines, and submission process. Applications must be submitted by March 15, 2025, at 4:30 PM. Applicants may submit their materials via mail to the Department of Development at Municipal Hall or electronically to the provided email contact. Faxed applications will not be accepted. Applications postmarked by the deadline are considered on time, but those received in person after 4:30 PM will not be considered. Pre-application consultations are available for potential applicants to discuss eligibility, project ideas, and other application requirements.

The application requires several components, including a completed application form, project budget summary, activity budget sheet, and a variety of supporting documents such as tax-exempt status documentation (for non-profits), articles of incorporation, by-laws, personnel and procedural manuals, and a list of board members. Each application must detail the proposed project’s location, scope, community impact, eligibility determination methods, and prior funding history. Applicants must also describe their organizational capacity and ability to implement the project, including staff qualifications, financial management systems, and past performance.

Applications will be evaluated by City of Hopewell staff using criteria aligned with the city’s Consolidated Plan, organizational capacity, project feasibility, and community impact. The staff’s recommendations will be reviewed by the CDBG Committee, which will present final recommendations to City Council. The City Council will then hold a public hearing before adopting the funding allocations in the Annual Action Plan, which is anticipated to occur in Spring 2025. Successful applicants will be required to attend a sub-recipient workshop where they will receive further guidance on federal compliance, reporting requirements, and contract terms.

Eligible activities for CDBG funding include, but are not limited to, public facilities improvements, housing rehabilitation, public services such as health or employment programs, economic development initiatives, and planning efforts. All activities must align with HUD national objectives and the City’s Consolidated Plan priorities, which focus on housing stabilization, assistance for unsheltered individuals, public services, public facilities improvements, and economic development. Applicants must identify the specific activities they propose and provide detailed budgets for each.

Contact information for key personnel involved in the application process includes Kelly Davis (kdavis@hopewellva.gov) for workshop RSVPs, Kim Kinker (kkinker@hopewellva.gov) for electronic submissions, and Chris Ward (cward@hopewellva.gov) for pre-application consultations. The program year for funded projects begins July 1, 2025, and projects must be completed within the year. Specific expenditure guidelines require that 80% of funds be spent by the end of the third quarter, with all funds fully expended by the end of the fourth quarter.