CEDF Small Grants: $1,000 to $5,000

CEDF small grants serve as seed money to start community development planning efforts and seed small projects. CEDF supports neighborhood economic development planning activities and more specific studies in small business development, retail market analysis, brownfield redevelopment, commercial district revitalization, and commercial real estate studies. These grants are available throughout the year.

CEDF Grants $5,000 - $20,000

Larger grants are made to help communities develop projects that have real economic or market potential. Through these grants, CEDF hopes to leverage investments from other funders or private sector interests. CEDF has funded many commercial district revitalization studies as well as supported feasibility and business plan analysis.

CEDF does not fund affordable housing studies, social service, or workforce development projects since these activities are supported by many other public and private grant sources.

In all cases CEDF grants are for consulting assistance and are not to be used to pay for organizational staff or overhead costs.

Review process:

When a grant application is received it is first reviewed by the Community Development staff and then forwarded to the Community Development committee for review. The CD committee at its regular bi-monthly meetings makes Grant decisions. To be considered by the committee, grants must be received two weeks before the date of the committees next meeting. It is recommended that applicants discuss the grant proposal with the CD Staff well before the two-week deadline.

If approved, CEDF enters into a contract with the organization and recommends consultants to do the work. CEDF reserves the right to choose the consultant. With the larger grants (over $5,000), the grant recipient may offer suggestions for the consultant and offer credentials to show professional experience. In all cases CEDF enters into a contract with and handles all disbursements to the consultant. CEDF only pays for consulting fees and expenses. No CEDF funds may be used for organization staff time or operational expenses.

Grant Program Application:

Please answer the following questions and submit with supporting materials to CEDF at the address below.

• Tell us about your organization:
  (Provide a brief description of the organization's history, its' mission statement, tax-exempt status, and the type of the projects it has accomplished in the past. Attach a list of your articles of incorporation, IRS letter, and Board of Directors.)
   
• Tell us about the project:
  (Please describe the project in detail, including its target audience, economic development benefits, and expected outcomes. Describe the neighborhood in which it is located as well as other funding sources. Tell us what has been accomplished to date on the project and what you are looking for CEDF to fund.)
   
• Tell us the community benefits of the undertaking:
  (What jobs will be created, blighted conditions removed, and/or economic development or services generated to the community? Where possible, quantify these benefits with numbers and statistics)
   
• Tell us about your community partners:
  (Who is partnering with you and what type of assistance or expertise do they provide? What kind of support do you have in the neighborhood, from local elected officials, institutional partners, or from the business community)?
   
• Tell us about the budget for the project:
  (List the sources of funds and the uses of funds. Describe the status of the funding commitment).
   
• Tell us about the key personnel involved in this project. (What staff resources do you have? Who is managing the project?)
   
• Tell us the measurable outcomes you expect from this endeavor.
   
• Describe the timetable and schedule for the project.

For more information, contact Donna Wertenbach at CEDF, 860.249.3800.