2021 CDBG Public Services and Emergency Solutions Grant Application Guide
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2021 CDBG Public Services
and
Emergency Solutions Grant
Application Guide
2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
CITY OF COLORADO
SPRINGS
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
The Community Development Division manages the City of Colorado Springs Entitlement funds
from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Our mission is to create
strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all people in Colorado
Springs.
At this time, the division is please to announce the Start of the 2021 application period for CDBG
Public Services and ESG funds. For this program year, the following grant funding is available:
2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Services
$490,000 funds available
2021 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
$240,000 funds available
Nonprofit organizations, faith based organizations, and public agencies are invited to apply,
provided they meet federal eligibility requirements.
It is important to note: Both CDBG and ESG funds are reimbursement grants. Organizations
must be able to properly document all work done and expenses paid prior to receiving payment. All
awarded applicants will have until March 31, 2022 to expend their award funds.
2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Before you begin
Every year the City of Colorado Springs
aims to forge new collaborations and
deepen existing partnerships with
organizations who are investing in our
wonderful community and its citizens.
Before moving forward with submitting and
application, we ask applicants to evaluate
and consider the following:
Considerations:
Has our organization applied for funding
before? what were some of the challenges
and triumphs in the administration of
those funds?
Are we prepared internally to handle
reporting, audit, fiscal, and monitoring
requirements for utilizing federal funds?
If we were to lose support staff, do we
have a backup plan for staying
compliant?
If awarded, is our organization ready to
carry out our proposed work? Can we hit
the ground running?
Is this financially feasible? Have we
explored all of our options for funding
outside of HUD grant programs? If we
are not approved for grant funding how
will we fill the gap?
Is our board supportive of the grant
application and subsequent
requirements? How informed and
involved will they be in the overall
process?
2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Before you begin
Considerations:
Do our organizations services fit into the
landscape of area service providers? How
do we ensure we are not duplicating
services?
Has any of our administrative and/or
program staff had grant management
experience? If not, are we prepared to
take advantage of and provide our staff
with the support they need to administer
the grant?
Will we be able to gather the required
documentation to not only meet
application deadlines, but also meet
reporting deadlines in the future?
Important: Award of grant funds will be
based in part upon the factors listed here.
It is important for applicants to consider
these factors, along with eligibility and
grant administrative requirements.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK
GRANT (CDBG)PUBLIC SERVICES:
FUNDING PRIORITIES
For the current round of CDBG funding the City has outlined the following
funding priorities for awarding:
Housing Stability
These are programs that serve households who
have lost their income and seek to keep safe and
stable housing. Eligible activities include but are
not limited to:
Rental housing subsidies
Subsistence payments
Security deposits
Whole Family Health and Safety
These are programs that address the physical and
mental health of all generations. Eligible activities
include but are not limited to:
Senior services
Services for persons with disabilities
Youth services
Childcare services
Substance abuse services
Services for victims of domestic violence,
dating violence, sexual assault or stalking
Mental health services
Food banks
Health services
Resilience
This would include programs that help
individuals and families emerge from incidents
of crisis stronger. Eligible activities include but
are not limited to:
Legal services
Transportation services
Employment training2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) Public Services
The Community Development Block Program (CDBG) was authorized under Title I of the
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The program was established to provide
annual grants on a formula basis to entitlement communities and cities. The focus of the
program is to help develop viable urban communities, provide decent and suitable housing,
and expand economic opportunities to principally low and moderate income communities.
Administration
Facilities/Infrastructure 20%
25%
Economic development
5%
Public Services
15%
Housing Programs
35%
By law, Public Services activities are capped at 15% of a jurisdictions total CDBG budget.
On average, the City typically receives funding requests exceeding four times the available
funding.
This year we anticipate making $490,000 of CDBG Public Services funds available for
qualified applicants.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT
(CDBG) PUBLIC SERVICES :
GRANT ELIGIBILITY BASICS
CDBG is a reimbursement grant program, and as such the funds generally support
service delivery costs for organizations serving low in populations. It is important to
note that CDBG Public Services grants must specifically go towards expanding
existing services or creating new services to serve those populations.
In general, organizations that provide social services and/or other types of direct
assistance to individuals or households are eligible to apply for funds. So what is types
of activities/services are eligible?
CDBG eligible activities can be broken into two categories:
Eligible service delivery costs and Eligible program types
Service delivery costs
General service delivery costs can include items such as:
Supplies
Salary and benefits
Overhead(utilities, maintenance, etc.)
Transportation/mileage
Eligible program types
General program types can include:
Nutrition, recreation, childcare and education services
Programs for victims of domestic violence
Housing Counseling services or fair housing activities etc.
What is NOT eligible?
General government activities
Political or religious activities
Direct income payments (Direct cash payments to clients are not an eligible activity)
Operating/maintenance expenses for facilities/improvements
New housing construction
For more information, visit the HUD CDBG Public Services basic information
overview
WWW.COLORADOSPRINGS.GOV/COMMUNITY-DEVELOPMENT PAGE 52021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BLOCK GRANT (CDBG)
PUBLIC SERVICES :
GRANT ELIGIBILITY BASICS
DOCUMENTING ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Providing detailed accurate documentation to support any request for an CDBG eligible activity is
critical. Every activity must be tied to eligible beneficiaries. In other words, how does this work directly
enable your organization to serve its clients? As this is the case, lets look at a few examples:
Example 1:
ABC Housing Inc.
Application request: Salary and benefits for their newly hired employee Jenny.
Potential documentation that could be submitted for reimbursement:
Timesheets
Mileage reimbursement documentation
Payroll journal
Benefits statement
Job description
Eligible beneficiaries served with demographic breakdown, both unduplicated and cumulative (year-
to-date).
Client intake forms
What questions should ABC Housing Inc. consider before submitting an application for
CDBG funds?
1. How accurate and detailed is our record keeping in relation to Jenny's documentable time?
2. Can we track beneficiaries and capture income and demographics?
3. Do we have the templates and/or software in place to be able to keep track of Jenny's time
accurately and in a timely manner?
Note: This example would be classified as a eligible service delivery cost in the CDBG
program.
WWW.COLORADOSPRINGS.GOV/COMMUNITY-DEVELOPMENT PAGE 82021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BLOCK GRANT (CDBG)
PUBLIC SERVICES :
GRANT ELIGIBILITY BASICS
DOCUMENTING ELIGIBLE
ACTIVITIES
Providing detailed accurate documentation to
support any request for an CDBG eligible activity is
critical. In other words, how does this work directly
enable your organization to serve its clients? Lets
take a look at the next example:
Example 2:
Family services, Inc.
Application request: Rental Assistance
Potential documentation that could be submitted
for reimbursement:
Copy of payments to property owner
Client intake forms with income verification
Copy of lease and past payment history etc.
What questions should Family Services Inc. consider before submitting an application for
CDBG funds?
1. Do we have a case management model that can gather all of the required documents and
manage correspondence with the property owner?
2. How detailed are our client intake forms?
3. How do we document that a case activity is specifically related to CDBG? How do we
document CDBG related case management to non CDBG case management?
Note: This example would be classified as an eligible program type within the CDBG
program.
PAGE 82021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK
GRANT (CDBG) PUBLIC SERVICES:
GRANT ELIGIBILITY BASICS
Overview for Grantees
All awardees are required to adhere to the code of
federal regulations that specifically outline the
uniform administrative requirements, cost
principles, and audit requirements for receiving a
federal award. This regulation is known as the
Overview for Grantees and/or 2 CFR part 200.
This regulations covers the following areas of
federal grant management:
Internal Controls
Procurement Standards
Conflicts of interest
Program income
Direct and Indirect costs
Cost principles
Standards for financial management
Audit requirements
All applicants are required to review and adhere to
these outlined federal requirements.
For more information please see HUD
guidelines on 2 CFR part 200.
ODDBALL IMAGING STUDIO PAGE 62021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK
GRANT (CDBG) PUBLIC SERVICES
Grant Eligibility Basics
MEETING A NATIONAL OBJECTIVE
The CDBG program’s entire mission is to serve
low-income communities. All CDBG Public
Services funding requests received by the City
must meet the objective of benefitting low to
moderate income (LMI) persons.
There are different standards by which
jurisdictions and their subrecipients can meet
this, depending on the program and activity
types.
In the application, we’ll ask you to choose which
benefit your program fits:
Which National Objective standard does your project meet?
Low-moderate income clientele (LMC) benefit: Can be defined as activities that benefit a specific group
of LMI residents regardless of their address. At least 51% of the beneficiaries of the activity and/or program
must be low to moderate income persons.
Examples of low to moderate clientele benefit activities/programs include:
Rental Assistance
Food pantries
Domestic Violence Shelters and services
Most public services for vulnerable populations
How would an organization document this objective?
Client intake forms that capture total income and household size
documentation that shows the organizations serves a population presumed to be LMI( victims of
domestic violence, homeless, developmentally disabled adults, elderly, migrant farm works, etc.)
IMPORTANT: Most public services programs/projects will fall under the LMC national objective.
PAGE 72021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK
GRANT (CDBG) PUBLIC SERVICES
Grant Eligibility Basics
MEETING A NATIONAL OBJECTIVE
As advised the CDBG program's mission is to serve low income communities. As such we
will look at the second national objective applicants may choose for their program or project:
Which National Objective standard does your project meet?
Low-moderate income Area (LMA) benefit: Can be defined as activities or programs that
benefits all residents in a defined geographic area (within city limits) that has a majority of Low to
moderate income residents. Low to moderate income activities/programs serve whole areas that
are a majority (51% or more) low to moderate income.
Examples of low to moderate area benefit activities/programs include:
Park accessibility
Community centers
Neighborhood based transit service improvements
How would an organization document this objective?
Providing the address of service with current census tract income data.
Surveys conducted within the designated service area
IMPORTANT: This is a very rare public service objective of choice.
Applicants who will be selecting this objective need to contact the Community
Development Division first before submitting their fully completed application.
ODDBALL IMAGING STUDIO PAGE 72021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Emergency Solutions
Grant(ESG):
Grant Eligibility Basics
The Emergency Solutions Grant
(ESG) program was a result of a The ESG program
revised program from the Homeless 5 eligible components:
Emergency Assistance and Rapid
Transition to Housing Act of 2009. Street outreach
The ESG interim rule took effect on Emergency Shelter
January 4th 2012 and reflected the
change in the programs focus to Homelessness prevention
assisting people to
quickly regain stability in permanent Rapid Re-Housing
housing after experiencing a housing
crisis and/or homelessness. This year Data collection via the homeless
we are making $240,000 available in management information system
ESG funds. (HMIS)
Written Standards
The City of Colorado Springs has developed written standards for the use of
ESG funds by service providers. These standards were created in
coordination with the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care (PPCoC) and were
formulated to:
Establish community wide expectations on the operations
of projects within the community
Ensure a system that is transparent to users and
operators
Establish a minimum set of standards
Organizations who apply for and are awarded ESG grant funds must certify
that they have reviewed these standards, and understand they are expected
to meet or exceed these standards upon award.
Please visit the ESG information page on the Community Development
Division website for more details.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG):
Funding Priorities
For the current round of ESG funding the City has outlined the following
funding priorities for awarding:
Street Outreach
Activities that are designed to meet the immediate needs of the unsheltered homeless population by
connecting them with emergency shelter, housing, and/or critical health services. Eligible activities include:
·Engagement
·Case management
·Emergency health services
·Transportation
·Services for special populations
Homelessness Prevention
Housing relocation and stabilization services and short-and/or medium-term rental assistance as
necessary to prevent the individual or family from moving to an emergency shelter, a place not meant
for human habitation, or another place described in paragraph (1) of the homeless definition. The costs
of homelessness prevention are only eligible to the extent that the assistance is necessary to help the
program participant regain stability in their current housing or move into other permanent housing
and achieve stability in that housing.
Rapid Re-Housing
Housing relocation and stabilization services and/or short-and/or medium-term rental assistance as
necessary to help individuals or families living in shelters or in places not meant for human habitation
move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing
Eligible costs for both Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing include:
· Rental Assistance: rental assistance and rental arrears
· Financial Assistance: rental application fees, security and utility deposits, utility payments, last month's
rent, moving costs
· Services: housing search and placement, housing stability case management, landlord-tenant mediation,
tenant legal services, credit repair2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG):
Funding Priorities
For the current round of ESG funding the City has outlined the following
funding priorities for awarding:
Emergency Shelter
Funds operations for low-barrier, emergency shelters facing extra operational costs. Eligible expenses
include:
· Case management
· Essential services (such as patient health services)
· Renovations (rehab or conversion)
· Maintenance
· Security
· Insurance
· Food
· Supplies
· Motel vouchers (only with documentation that shelter system cannot safely accommodate families)
· Operations (utilities/janitorial)
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
ESG funds may be used to pay for the costs of contributing data to the HMIS lead designated by the Pikes
Peak Continuum of Care. Only the HMIS lead is eligible to apply for this program component. The 2020
program year will run from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. All projects must comply with federal
regulations applicable to individual projects. These regulations include, but are not limited to:
· Federal procurement standards
· Copeland Act (Anti-kickback)
· Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity regulations
· Federal fiscal/audit standards
· Conflict of interest standards2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG):
Grant Eligibility Basics
Coordinated Entry
All ESG subrecipients with the Pikes Peak
Continuum of Care (PPCoC) service area must
coordinate and integrate, to the maximum
extent practicable, ESG-funded activities with
other programs targeted to people experiencing
homelessness in the PPCoC are to provide a
strategic community wide system to prevent
and end homelessness.
This requirement is in compliance with section
576.400(b) of the ESG interim rule. In addition,
the City requires that all awarded subrecipient
service providers :
Participate in the Coordinated assessment
system
Attend all coordinated training for case
managers within the homeless provider
system
Establish a staff member as a point of
contact for other case managers and
members of the PPCoC.
The exceptions to the coordinated entry
requirement are:
Domestic violence service providers
Homelessness prevention programs
It is important to note that updates to the
written standards are subject to change at any
time. If awarded, subrecipients will be expected
to adhere to any updated requirements.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG):
Grant Eligibility Basics
Coordinated Entry Continued:
Determining Client Eligibility
Coordinated entry is designed around placing clients who are currently experiencing
homelessness into housing. As such, all ESG award applicants will be responsible for
demonstrating that they have clear policies and procedures for determining and documenting
client eligibility. The aim being that service providers record their outcomes and have clear
benchmarks they are working to achieve.
Within two weeks of working with a client, the expectation is that a service provider will close
out a clients file by either serving that client, referring them, or notifying the client that they
are not eligible for ESG funded assistance. Additionally, it is the expectation of the City that
any service provider receiving ESG program funds cannot discriminate againgst a group of
people presenting as a family (e.g., adults and children or just adults), the age of any members
family, the disability status of any members of the family, marital status, actual or perceived
sexual orientation, or gender identity.
What else do I need to know about the process of Coordinated Entry?
All awarded applicants will be expected to adhere to the HUD outlines requirements to
administer ESG program funds. In addition the City will expect:
Awarded applicants to be responsible for determining and clearly documenting client
eligibility.
That applicants understand that the City of Colorado Springs will not reimburse an agency
for funds expended on clients that are found to be ineligible for ESG and;
Awarded applicants will be expected to adhere to the reporting, performance, and outcome
evaluations standards as outlined in the City of Colorado Springs written standards.
For more information, please review the City of Colorado Springs Written Standards
information page.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS
GRANT (ESG)
Administrative Requirements:
Match
In addition to basic eligibility requirements, awarded applicants will be required to adhere to and
implement a series of administrative requirements in the management of ESG program funds. One
of those administrative requirements is match.
What is a Match?
Per the City of Colorado Springs Written standards awarded subrecipients are required to make a
matching contribution in the amount that equals (100%) of the amount of ESG funds allocated by the
city.
WHAT CAN BE USED AS A MATCH?
Matching contributions can be obtained from any source including any federal (non ESG) source, as well
as state, local and private sources. Possible sources of match include:
Cash
The value or fair rental value of any donated material or building
The value of any lease on a building
Any salary paid to staff to carry out the program of the recipient
The value of the time and services contributed by volunteers
FEDERAL MATCH SOURCES
Federal sources are not prohibited from being used as an ESG match so long as that source is not and has
not been previously used as a matching fund. It is important that if awarded, subrecipients ensure the laws
governing any of those federally funded sources used as a match does not prohibit their use as a matching
fund.
DOCUMENTATION
If awarded, subrecipients must establish and maintain sufficient records to enable the city and HUD to
determine whether ESG requirements are being met. Documentation must show that ESG grant funds
were spent on allowable costs in accordance with the requirements for eligible activities and must
maintain all the case file records. This includes records for persons seeking assistance determined to be
ineligible.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS
GRANT (ESG)
Administrative Requirements:
Match
It is important that applicants who intend to apply for ESG funds understand the details and
requirements of matching funds for the program. For more information please visit the City
of Colorado Springs written standards information page for more details.
City of Colorado Springs Written Standards .
Double Dipping
If ESG funds are used to satisfy matching requirements of another federal program, funding from that
program cannot be used to satisfy the matching requirements of ESG.
Contributions that have been or will be counted as satisfying a match requirement of other federal funds
may not be used as match for ESG funding.
Additional Match Requirements
Some additional things to mention about the match requirement:
Must be a 1 to 1 match
Match must be for the same time period and same project
Match can be made of of a variety of sources
Matching funds must be used for ESG eligible clients and/or activities
When Must Matching Funds be spent by?
All matching funds must be expended by the end of the program year (March 31st 2022).
As advised previously, this administrative requirement is outlined in the City of Colorado Springs written
standards.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS
GRANT (ESG)
Administrative Requirements
Termination, Grievance and Conflict of Interest Policy
Organizations must have a written denial, termination and grievance policies and procedures for review.
This policy should should be readily available to their program participants either in writing or by being
posted in a public space. When a denial, termination, or other action affects the clients ability to receive
assistance, a copy and explanation of the policies and procedures must be directly provided to the client.
The notice must provide a specific reason(s) for the action and provide a process the client can follow to
request a review of the decision.
Fair Housing and Equal Access Policies
Organizations must communicate or make known that the use of grant funded assistance or services are
available on a non discriminatory basis. So this means without regard to a clients race, color, ethnicity,
religion, sex, age, national origin, familiar status, or gender identity or disability.
As an example, any individuals that present together for assistance and identify themselves as a family,
regardless of age or relationship or other factors are considered to be a family and must be served
together.
IMPORTANT: If an organization does not provide direct housing services they will need to submit a
simple explanation (signed by the executive director and/or board chair) advising that your scope of
services does not encompass providing housing.
For more information please visit HUD's office of Community Planning and Development information
page.
Habitability Standards
All housing units supported by HUD funds must met the HUD habitability standards that are addressed in
appendix J of the written standards. Housing must also be compliant with local housing codes related to
occupancy, health, and safety standards.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
EMERGENCY
SOLUTIONS GRANT
(ESG)
Administrative
Requirements
Lead Based Paint
Federal lead-based paint requirements apply anytime federal funds are used for housing assistance and the
living space or unit was built prior to 1978. this applies to apply to all shelters assisted with ESG funding and
all housing occupied by program participants.
For more information please visit HUD's Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint
Hazards in Housing.
Environmental Reviews
Recipients and subrecipients and their contractors shall not rehabilitate, convert, or renovate a shelter or
prospective shelter until the City has performed an environmental review and you have received HUD
approval to continue. For more information on the environmental review process please visit the
Community Development Division information page on environmental reviews for more information.
Please note: If your organizations is looking to perform a construction/renovation
project, please contact the Community Development Division before submitting an
application. 99% of infrastructure projects utilizes CDBG Public Facility funds and
applicants should not be submitting these types of requests under this application.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Funding Expectations
ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF
COLORADO SPRINGS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
ARE EXPECTED TO FULLFILL AND UPHOLD THE FOLLOWING
IF AWARDED GRANT FUNDS:
Notify the City of Colorado Springs of significant changes in any of the following:
Outcomes, policies or programs delivery structure, facilities, and/or organizational
program. It is the expectation that any such changes will be discussed with the City
of Colorado Springs to resolve problems that may arise.
Accept and expend the grant funds provided by the City of Colorado Springs for the
program year covered as indicated in the application agreement.
Provide monthly/quarterly/yearly reporting as outlined in the written agreement
and/or as requested during the compliance monitoring by the City of Colorado
Springs.
Establish and maintain a system for measuring client outcomes which will reflect
the programs effectiveness as stated in its objective.
Achieve compliance and remain prepared for periodic on site monitoring visits.
City requests for documentation should be submitted by Subrecipient in a
complete, accurate, and timely manner.
Maintain records of client level demographics and outcome achievement on a
monthly/annual basis.
Maintain systems of organization and operate according to clear lines of
responsibility and authority.
The organization is compliant with all state and federal laws and regulations and
upholds 501(c)3 tax exempt status (if applicable).
Keep complete and accurate records in accordance with the Financial Accounting
Standards Board (FASB).
Ensure that services funded by these grant funds are provided to all persons
without regard to age, gender, race. religion, national origin, disability, sexual
orientation or any other barriers to participation.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Funding Expectations:
Record Keeping and Reporting
Record Keeping
HUD requires that the City of Colorado Springs keep records on file that are accurate, complete, and
orderly. As such, all awarded organizations are responsible for maintaining their records in the same
accurate, complete, and orderly fashion. Subrecipients are responsible for maintaining records in at least 3
major categories:
Financial records
Financial records
Project/Case files
In addition to program goals and project eligibility, it is important that applicants evaluate with their
organizations and consider:
How are our records maintained? Electronic? Manual?
Are our records easily accessible?
How do we maintain and provide our backup documentation for grant reimbursement?
How do we keep our records secure?
Does more than one grant administrative staff member in our office have access to our records?
Would our records/documentation be clear, concise, and easy to decipher for audit purposes?
Would we be able to provide backup documentation or beneficiary data (depending on the program) to
support our requests for grant reimbursement?
Record Keeping Standards
As advised, if requested the City may ask to review any and all documents related to the administration of
the HUD funded grant. As such, applicants should be aware that the City's expectations are as follows in
regards to records:
Records are accurate
Records are legible (Ex. documents are not blurry or hard to decipher visually. Faint photo copies, cell
phone pictures, dark photo scans, etc. would be examples of documents that are illegible )
Records are complete and;
Records are detailed
CDD staff should be able to easily determine if back up documentation is eligible, accurate, concise, and
complete upon submission. It is also important to note that all records must be maintained for the duration
of the awarded grant plus 6 years.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Funding Expectations:
Record Keeping and Reporting
Reporting
In addition to maintaining recordkeeping requirements, organizations will be expected to report on
program outcomes. These reports can be monthly, quarterly, or upon request by the City. Applicants
should consider the following:
Do we have staff with more than 1 year of grant management experience? If not, are we open to
providing our grant management staff with the training and skills needed to properly manage a federal
award?
How well does our grant management staff communicate with our program staff? Would it be effortless
for our program, financial, and grant administrative staff to work together to gather data and meet
monthly/quarterly reporting requirements in a timely manner?
Reporting Periods
For CDBG awarded applicants reports will be due on a monthly basis. The close of the reporting period is
the end of each month with the report being due the 15th of the next month after the period close.
For ESG awarded applicants reports will be due on a quarterly basis ( June, September, December, March)
with the report being due on the 15th of the next month after the period close.
Reporting Data
Reporting data for HUD funded grants typically fall within two categories: Expense Data and Beneficiary
Data. For each, awarded applicants should expect they may need to provide the following:
Expense Data
Payroll registers /Pay Stubs
Time sheets/Timecards
Copies of checks
Invoices
Receipts, etc.
Beneficiary Data
Case management records
Specific Data on unduplicated race/ethnicity of served clients
Information on monthly performance issues and resolutions
Information on client income broken down by AMI, etc.
CDD staff should be able to easily decipher and calculate beneficiary data. Additionally, expense data
should be clear, concise, and accurate so that CDD staff may calculate expenses accurately and timely.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Getting Prepared:
Completing Your
Registration and Gathering
Your Documents
1. Complete your registration
Neighborly: All applicants must register through the City's online grant application platform Neighborly
Software. Please Visit the neighborly software portal to register for your online profile and complete the
grant application. IMPORTANT: All grant application must be submitted through the online portal. NO
paper applications accepted.
Sam Registration: All applicants must be registered under the system for award management to do
business with the U.S. government. Please visit the SAM webpage to register your organization.
DUNS#: All applicants must have a registered DUNS number to be a grant awardee. Please visit the
DUNS webpage to check or receive your DUNS number. IMPORTANT: Due to the pandemic, delays to
new registrations have occurred.
HMIS/VSPID: Please contact your HMIS administrator at CHP to obtain and/or for assistance:
ppchp.org/contact-us/
2. Review Additional Materials
Review a copy of the City of Colorado Springs Written Standards.
Review Frequently asked questions
Review additional information on HUD funded grant programs and projects by visiting HUD Training
website.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Getting Prepared:
Completing Your
Registration and Gathering
Your Documents
3. Gather your documents
Financial Policies and Procedures: Document that outlines the rules that govern the financial activities
within an organization and outlines how certain tasks are done and the policies are adhered to. (REQ*)
Financial audit, Financial review or single audit: Document/Statement that shows an objective
examination and evaluation of the financial statements or an organization to make sure that the financial
records are a fair and accurate representation of the transaction the organization claims to represent.
(REQ*)
Balance sheet: A financial statement that reports a companys assets, liabilities and shareholders equity at
a specific point in time, and provides a basis for computing rates of return and evaluating it capital
structure. (REQ*)
Client Intake Form: A sample intake form which will demonstrate exactly what information, questions,
and/or certifications an organization gathers from the client at the time of intake. (REQ*)
Conflict of Interest Policy: Document that details the organizations policy when it is contemplating
entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an director, officer,
or board members of the organization that might result in a possible excess benefit transaction. (REQ*)
Current Budget: Document that outlines the costs your organization will incur and the revenue you
expect to receive over a set period of time. (REQ*)
Current Organizational Chart: Document that details the organizations internal structure by detailing
the roles, responsibilities, and relationships between individuals within your organization. (REQ*)
Fair Housing and Equal Access Policies: On September 21, 2016, HUD published a final rule in the
Federal Register entitled "Equal Access in Accordance with an Individual's Gender Identity in
Community Planning and Development Programs." Through this final rule, HUD ensures equal access
to individuals in accordance with their gender identity in programs and shelter funded under programs
administered by HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD). For more information,
go to https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/1991/equal-access-to-housing-final-rule/. For shelter
providers, the best practice would be to comply with state and federal fair housing laws to mitigate
claims of fair housing discrimination. As a general rule, the Fair Housing Act does apply to homeless
shelters and transitional housing. (REQ*)2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Getting Prepared:
Completing Your
Registration and Gathering
Your Documents
3. Gather your documents
Grievance and Termination Policy: Document that outlines the process by which a client may raise a
concern and/or complaint in regards to an organization services and/or programs. This policy must also
detail the process in which a client is informed of this policy, and if a service/program is terminated, the
process by which the client is notified and given the opportunity to review and/or appeal the decision.
(REQ*)
List of Board of Directors (REQ*)
Mission/Vision Statement (REQ*)
Most recent IRS form 990 (REQ*)
Non-Discrimination Policy: Document that outlines the organizations policies/procedures in regards to
providing services to clients on a non discriminatory basis. (REQ*)
Roster of Staff, pay schedules, and job descriptions for staff you are seeking reimbursement (REQ*)
Most recent 501(c)3 determination letter (REQ*)
Other award/commitment letters for the proposed project
Any other policies related to eligibility, prioritization, and service provision
Signatory Authority & Delegation Authorization: Document and/or general statement that advises who
at the organization is the official signatory authority (this would be for signing legal documentation, and
making decisions on behalf of the organization) and what staff at the organization is authorized on
behalf of the signatory authority to work with the city to administer the awarded grant funds. (REQ*)
All documents marked (REQ*) are required documents that must be submitted for the
application to be considered. NO EXCEPTIONS.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Getting Prepared
SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
Application Portal access begins- April 16th 2021
The Notice of Funding Availability and Neighborly portal access will begin. For more details and
to access the application portal please visit the Community Development Division webpage for
details.
Submission Deadline- May 7th 2021
Applications for the ESG-CV2 grant funding are due by 11:59pm MST. NO exceptions.
Application Review- May 8th 2021
Grant application review by internal city staff and external community reviewers will begin. This
process will last approximately 4-7 weeks. After completion, grant applicants will be notified of
their approval or denial status.
Questions?
For grant application questions and information, please contact Naomi Clark at
naomi.clark@coloradosprings.gov or 719-385-6609. For general information about the
Community Development Division and our current activities please visit our webpage at
coloradosprings.gov/community-development. You can sign up for division updates,
information, and upcoming events by utilizing our stay informed sign up, located in the upper
right hand corner of the Community Development Division Homepage.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Getting Prepared
SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
The 2021 CDBG Public Services and ESG Application guide will be made available online on the
CDD webpage. In addition CDD staff will host digital office hours to offer technical assistance and
answer questions from applicants on the following dates:
Digital Workshop Session #1: April 28th 2021
1PM-2PM
MS TEAMS LINK
Or call in (audio only)
+1 720-617-3426,,731198231# United States, Denver
Phone Conference ID: 731 198 231#Find a local number | Reset PIN
Digital Workshop Session #2: April 29th 2021
2PM-3PM
MS TEAMS LINK
Or call in (audio only)
+1 720-617-3426,,367670361# United States, Denver
Phone Conference ID: 367 670 361#Find a local number | Reset PIN
Digital Workshop Session #3: April 30th 2021
10AM-11AM
MS TEAMS LINK
Or call in (audio only)
+1 720-617-3426,,969134335# United States, Denver
Phone Conference ID: 969 134 335#Find a local number | Reset PIN
Before attending the digital office hours workshop please have the representative your
organizations plans to have attend view the associated materials. It is highly recommended that at
least 1 representative (Preferably the grant administrator) attend a workshop session to ask
questions before an organization invests time and resources necessary to submit a grant
application.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Frequently Asked Questions
Coronavirus Information and Resources
Where can I find additional information about HUD grant programs and details on their
efforts to combat the coronavirus?
For more information about HUD sponsored programs and updates from HUD on the
coronavirus, please visit the HUD Coronavirus information page for details and updates.
Application Requirements and Resources
Are there grant writing resources available?
The Pikes Peak Library District offers training, writing, and funding resources on obtaining grant
funding. For more information please visit www.research.ppld.org/grants for more details.
Additionally the Colorado Non-Profit Association offers training, resources, and information on
both grant writing and additional resources for organizations assisting in the efforts to address
the coronavirus. For more details please visit www.coloradononprofits.org .
We’re a new organization and don’t have some of the items in the gathering documents
section. Can we still apply?
All documents listed as required will be requested and expected in the Neighborly application
portal. You can save your progress if you need additional time to gather documentation, however
incomplete applications will not be accepted and/or reviewed.
One of the application requirements is to provide a copy of our most recent financial audit,
however our organizations did not make more than the $750,000 expense threshold as
outlined in 2 CFR 200 Part F the Overview for Federal Grantees. Are we still required to
submit documentation for this requirement?
Yes. To be eligible for grant funds all organizations must meet the requirements outlined in 2
CFR 200 Part F. If an applicant does not meet the $750,000 threshold they are still required to
submit the most recent Fiscal review and/or independent accountant’s review in lieu of audit
documentation.
What is the minimum award for grant funding?
The minimum award amount for the current grant cycle is $25,000.
Whom do we contact for technical support for the Neighborly Software portal?
Please email support@neighborlysoftware.com for technical issues.
Our organization has more than one project we would like to apply for HUD funding, is this
possible?
Yes. Each project must be submitted as its own application in the Neighborly software system.
Please be advised that approval of on application does not guarantee approval of another.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Frequently Asked Questions
Application Requirements and Resources
Our organization has more than one project we would like to apply for HUD funding, is this
possible?
Yes. Each project must be submitted as its own application in the Neighborly software system.
Please be advised that approval of on application does not guarantee approval of another.
When are applications due?
Applications are due May 7th 2021 by 11:59pm MST. Partial applications will not be accepted.
My organization helps families at risk of homelessness, but we don’t participate in coordinated
entry. Can we still apply for ESG funding?
Yes. However, the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care and City are working on CE standards for
homeless prevention activities. Once those are approved and in place, ESG Homelessness
Prevention subrecipients will be expected to participate in CE. For more information please see
HUD's coordinated entry core elements.
Organizations are required to submit a copy of the Fair Housing and Equal Access Policy. If we
are not a housing provider do we still need to submit this documentation?
If you are not a provider of shelter, housing, or do not facilitate housing transactions (e.g., housing
counseling, credit repair, housing navigation, or rental assistance), then you do not need a Fair
Housing or Equal Access policy. If you provide any of the services above, your organization needs
to adopt a Fair Housing and Equal Access policy. Please upload a brief statement explaining why
your organization does not meet the standards to submit this policy.
Additional Information
How soon will I know if my application is approved?
Typically, after the application period has concluded, letters of approval/denial are sent to
applicants within 4-7 weeks.
If we are awarded, how soon can we start spending grant funds?
Once given the notice to proceed letter from city staff, organizations can start submitting requests
for eligible costs back dated as of April 1st 2021.
We were awarded grant funds from Community Development last year and still haven’t finished
spending it. Can we add it to this year’s request?
No. Awarded grant funds must be spent during and by the end of the program year as agreed upon.
If an organization experienced a significant setback through no fault of their own, those requests
for extension will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
We need grant funds to hire a new staff member to carry out proposed work. Does the contract
clock start when the new staff member is hired?
No. Proposed work must be completed no earlier than April 1st 2021, through the end of the CDD
program year, March 31st, 2022.2021 CDBG PUBLIC SERVICES AND ESG APPLICATION GUIDE
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional Information
Can we use grant funds to pay for indirect costs associated with program operations?
Yes, as long as those costs fall within the OMB regulations. Subrecipients will need to submit an
indirect cost plan at the time of drafting the agreement. You can find more information at:
https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/16-04CPDN.PDF
The Community Development Division greatly appreciates
the efforts and impact our community partners have on the
citizens of Colorado Springs. Please feel free to reach out to
naomi.clark@coloradosprings.gov with any grant application
inquiries.You can also read
