Columbia Standard

Richland County issued the following announcement on October 21.

Richland County will make more than $250,000 in grant funding available for a wide range of public service activities through the County’s allocation of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).

The grants are a percentage of the County’s total allotment of CDBG funding through the federal government and can be used for public services in unincorporated Richland County, or for activities that serve residents of the same area. These include but are not limited to:

• Public safety
• Child care
• Health services
• Educational programs
• Energy conservation
• Services for homeless

Some of the projects funded for the 2020-21 fiscal year included the United Way of the Midlands’ WellPartners program, which offers dental and vision services, and Epworth Children’s Home, which provides a range of child care, counseling and other programs for residents.

To assist those applying for the grants, which total $250,571, the County’s Office of Community Development is holding a pair of virtual workshops. Applicants must attend one of the two workshops to receive grant funding, though attendance does not guarantee funding. The workshops are set for:

• 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27 (register here)
• 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 29 (register here)

Participants must register online prior to the workshop they are attending. If more than one individual from an organization is attending, each individual must register separately. The workshops are free and are expected to take less than an hour.

“We are excited to hold CDBG workshops for interested organizations,” said Katie Hagan, Community Development coordinator. “Supporting nonprofits in our community through public services funding is the heart of what we do.”

The CDBG public services application will go live Oct. 27, and the deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Nov. 14. To learn more or to register, navigate to the Community Development webpage on Richland County’s website: www.richlandcountysc.gov.

Participants should review the County’s CDBG Public Services Guidelines, which will be posted to the Community Development webpage before Oct. 27. Funding will run for one year, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022. Funds are available for reimbursable expenses, and a 25 percent match is required for recipients.

For more information, email Hagan: hagan.katie@richlandcountysc.gov.

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Please note: Richland County will release an additional request for proposals for a separate means of funding, Community Development Block Grant CARES (CDBG-CV), in the coming months. CDBG-CV will provide grants to local nonprofit organizations and government entities to prevent, prepare for and respond to the spread of COVID-19 and to reimburse entities for new or increased public service activities administered because of coronavirus beginning in March 2020. The County’s available CDBG-CV funding is $500,000.

Original source can be found here.