Downtown Revitalization and Main Street Programs 

The Texas Community Development Block Grant Program (TxCDBG), administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), is a federally funded initiative designed to enhance the quality of life in rural Texas communities. Rooted in Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and regulated under 24 CFR 570, Subpart I, the program aims to provide decent housing, develop suitable living environments, and expand economic opportunities for individuals of low- to moderate-income. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocates funds to the state, which then redistributes them through TDA to non-entitlement cities and counties. These are defined as cities with populations under 50,000 and counties with non-metropolitan populations under 200,000 that are not eligible for direct HUD funding. TxCDBG achieves its mission through a variety of fund categories, including the Community Development Fund, Colonia Funds, Downtown Revitalization Program, and State Urgent Need Fund. These funds support public facilities, infrastructure development, economic revitalization, and urgent community needs. Eligible activities must meet one of three National Objectives: benefiting low- and moderate-income persons, eliminating slums or blight, or addressing urgent threats to health and safety. Projects that fail to meet at least one of these objectives are ineligible for funding. For 2025-2026, the Community Development Fund remains the largest category, supporting a broad range of public facility and housing activities, with a maximum award of $750,000 and a deadline of December 9, 2024. The Colonia Fund targets communities within 150 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, also with a December 9, 2024, deadline and a $1,000,000 ceiling. The Downtown Revitalization Program, which encourages economic development in rural and historic downtown areas, has an anticipated deadline in March 2025 and offers up to $1,000,000. The State Urgent Need Fund provides aid for disaster-impacted communities on an as-needed basis with awards up to $500,000 or $1,000,000 for multi-jurisdictional projects. Eligibility for TxCDBG funding is limited to non-entitlement units of general local government. These include small cities and rural counties not directly funded by HUD. Applicants must provide documentation showing how their projects meet the National Objectives. Most funded projects benefit at least 51% low- to moderate-income persons, as determined by HUD income limits. Applications undergo a competitive review and scoring process defined in the state's annually submitted and HUD-approved Action Plan, which then becomes part of the Texas Administrative Code. Applications are submitted through TDA’s online grant system, TDA-GO. Support is available through CDBGApps@TexasAgriculture.gov for application-specific inquiries and CDBGReporting@TexasAgriculture.gov for reporting-related questions. The program is not offered on a rolling basis but is recurring annually with defined application windows based on each funding category. All recipients must adhere to the CDBG Project Implementation Manual to ensure compliance with post-award administrative and reporting requirements.

Applicants should consult the TxCDBG Project Implementation Manual and Income Limits documentation for compliance and eligibility guidance