CDA Announces 2024 Neighborhood Transformation Grants

The Community Development Administration (CDA) of the City of St. Louis announced today the launch of the 2024 Neighborhood Transformation Grants (NTG) funding cycle aimed at empowering communities to drive local development initiatives. The Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and RFPs seek project proposals across the City of St. Louis, with a particular focus on projects serving communities in Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs) and Economic Justice Index priority areas within the city.

Now in its second year, Neighborhood Transformation Grants continue to empower St. Louis communities through grassroots development initiatives. Last year, CDA awarded $10,225,270 in NTG awards to neighborhood development, home repair programs, non-profit capacity building, and beautification projects and $18 million towards the production of 952 affordable housing units.

"Last year, the CDA made significant strides in bolstering our neighborhoods through the Neighborhood Transformation Grants program," said Mayor Tishaura Jones. "Now, with this final round of awards, we continue our commitment to revitalizing communities across St. Louis, ensuring that every resident benefits from our city's progress and prosperity."

“ARPA funds are fueling a dramatic expansion to the City's affordable housing production pipeline, which has more than doubled in the last two and a half years,” said Nahuel Fefer, CDA Executive Director. “This round of funds will allow us to continue investing in housing as diverse and innovative as our city, from permanent supportive and manufactured housing, to affordable rental rehabs and for sale homes."

Funding for Neighborhood Transformation Grants comes from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), HUD’s Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program, HUD’s HOME Investment Partnership, and the City of St. Louis’ one-half cent Economic Development Sales Tax established in 2017.

All grant information and a link to the application portal can be found at www.stlouis-mo.gov/cda/neighborhood-nofa

Due to changes in HUD regulations and CDA's submission process, all interested Housing Production applicants are strongly encouraged to participate in the Public Hearing/Workshop Friday, Feb 02, 2024 at 1pm.

Funding Opportunities and Priorities
Neighborhood Transformation Grants allocate funds across various categories to address critical community needs and promote equitable development. Priorities in the 2024 Neighborhood Transformation Grants cycle were identified from needs found in the 2023 City of St. Louis Housing Report, Economic Justice Action Plan, and City of St. Louis’ ARPA Community Needs Survey.

Funding priorities for 2024 include ($20,668,557 total):

• HOME-ARP Permanent Supportive Housing: $9,668,557 available for affordable housing initiatives and supportive services targeting low-income individuals and families. Part of the American Rescue Plan, this funding cycle specifically targets the creation of permanent supportive housing for unhoused individuals, victims of domestic violence, and other qualifying families. By addressing housing affordability challenges and promoting inclusive communities, this program aims to provide long-term stability for vulnerable populations.

• Affordable Housing Production: $6 million allocated for the rehabilitation of vacant properties and construction of affordable housing units citywide. Funded by CDBG and HOME funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, this program aims to expand homeownership opportunities and promote economic stability.

• Affordable Housing Production Vacant Unit Turns: $2.5 million available to fund the repair, maintenance, and update of vacant rental units to bring these units online to rent to low to moderate-income tenants (50% AMI or less). This NOFA is funded by State and Local Fiscal Relief Funds (SLFRF) and is intended to stabilize rental portfolios caught in a vicious cycle between falling occupancy rates and insufficient revenue to make necessary repairs.

• Neighborhood Plan Implementation: $1,600,000 allocated to support the realization of neighborhood plans adopted by the City of St. Louis Planning Commission. Each funded proposal will have a large-scale, lasting impact on its respective neighborhood, driving meaningful and sustainable revitalization efforts.

• Neighborhood Capacity Building: $400,000 dedicated to enhancing the capacity of neighborhood associations and non-profit organizations. CDA is seeking a nonprofit partner to operate a grant program for neighborhood organizations, increasing their capacity to serve residents, prepare for neighborhood planning, and foster grassroots initiatives that strengthen community engagement.

• Community Development Grants Program Administration: $500,000 aimed at addressing vacancy and blight through a comprehensive grant program. CDA seeks support from an interdisciplinary team to implement and administer a grant program addressing vacancy, blight, and vacant lot activation. This initiative empowers stakeholders to combat community challenges and revitalize neighborhoods.

 

Enhanced Application Portal
In tandem with the launch of the 2024 Neighborhood Transformation Grants launch, CDA is excited to introduce a new, user-friendly application portal. Designed in partnership with World Wide Technologies and Coastal Cloud and powered by Salesforce technology, the portal offers the following features:

• Multiple Applications: Applicants can now submit and track multiple applications from one login.
• Team Collaboration: Soon, applicants will have the ability to add team members to applications for streamlined collaboration.
• Mobile-Friendly: The portal is optimized for mobile devices, allowing for easy access and document scanning via mobile device cameras.

The new CDA Grants Application Portal is open now at https://cdagrants.stlouis-mo.gov/.

Organizations that already receive CDA funding should note they will continue to use the City’s EGRAMS system for prior grants while CDA transitions all grant management activities to the new portal.

Eligible Geographies and Priority Criteria
All funded activities must be located within the City of St. Louis, with priority given to projects serving communities in Qualified Census Tracts and Economic Justice Index areas. Projects located near community assets such as schools and transit will receive bonus points during evaluation.

About CDA:
The Community Development Administration (CDA) serves as the City of St. Louis’ clearinghouse for federal, state, and local funds. CDA works to implement the Mayor's economic justice agenda by funding a wide range of public and nonprofit entities to provide public services, build affordable housing, combat blight, and conduct various other community development activities.