Skip to main content

2026-2027 Salt Lake County Housing and Community Development Request for Applications (RFA)

The Salt Lake County Division of Housing and Community Development Office (HCD) is releasing a single Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2026-2027 program year. This consolidated RFA combines multiple funding opportunities, including: 

  • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
  • Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
  • HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME)
  • Socials Services Block Grant (SSBG)

Please note that this grant opportunity supports organizations and agencies, not individual requests.

As part of this RFA, Salt Lake County will prioritize funding for projects that align with the objectives identified in our 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan. This plan, approved in September 2025, reflects a careful assessment of community needs and establishes housing stability, economic mobility, and thriving neighborhoods as our guiding priorities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to design proposals that address these goals, including housing rehabilitation and development, rental assistance, small business and workforce support, ESL classes, infrastructure and public facility improvements, and youth-focused programs. Applicants that demonstrate clear alignment with these objectives will be given priority consideration for funding.  


2025-2029 Consolidated Plan Objectives are as follows:

  1. Improve Housing Stability
    • Housing Rehabilitation
    • New Development
    • Rental Rehabilitation
    • Rental Assistance
  2. Improve Economic Mobility
    • Small Business/business development
    • English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes
  3. Thriving Neighborhoods
    • Infrastructure Improvements
    • Public Facility Improvements
    • Afterschool Programs

Resources

RFA Timeline

All additional information will be updated on the table below in early November.

Date 
Activity 
Location 
October 30, 2025 Applications Available  SLCO Website-Smartsheet
November 6, 2025 In- Person Application Training 

Salt Lake County Government Center 

2001 S State Street, N2-800 


2:00pm-4:00pm

Watch the Recording Here
November 25, 2025 Final Day to Submit Questions  SLCO Website, Online form opens on October 30
December 4, 2025  Applications Due  Smartsheet 
January - February 2026  Application Reviews with board members 
Initial recommendations will be posted on Salt Lake County HCD website 		 TBA
March 2026  Public Hearing and public comment period 
 
Date & time will be announced two weeks before hearing date 		 TBA
April 2026  Final Funding Allocations Announced   TBA
June 2026 2026-2027 Grant Recipient Training  TBA
July 1, 2026 Start of 2026-2027 Program Year  N/A
Watch the November 6, 2025 Training
November 6, 2025 Training Slides

2026 -2027 Federal Grants: CDBG, ESG, HOME, AND SSBG Request for Applications (RFA)

RFA Document

There are three types of applications depending on the nature of your proposed project. Each is available in the links below

  1. If your project involves Community and Support Services (soft costs) funded by CDBG, SSBG, ESG, or HOME TBRA, please complete the Service Projects Smartsheet. 
  2. If your project focuses on Acquisition and Rehabilitation (such as single-family rehabilitation programs or public facility improvements) complete the Acquisition and Rehabilitation Smartsheet.
  3. For new development of affordable housing, complete the New Development Smartsheet.

If you have questions about the application process or your project type, you can submit them using the Question and Answer Form.

2026-2027 Request for Applications: CDBG, ESG, Home, SSBG
Service Projects Smartsheet
Acquisition and Rehabilitation Smartsheet
New Development Smartsheet

Required Documentation

Attachments provided by Applicant

  • Partnership Letters (If applicable)
  • Leverage award letters (If applicable)

Additional documents provided by applicant. Construction/Acquisition/Rehabilitation projects only:

  • Complete sources and uses statement with accompanying commitment letters from funding sources (Public facility and Affordable Housing)  
  • Project Schedule, including site acquisition, design, permitting, financing commitments, construction start and completion dates, zoning changes, and marketing & outreach (Public facility and Affordable Housing) 
  • Project Pro Forma for the Affordability Period (20 years), beginning at the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy, (Affordable Housing Only) 

Additional Resources

Questions and Answers

If you have any questions please submit them to our Question and Answer Form and we'll provide a public response below. 

That depends. ESG funds cannot be used as a match for other federal programs and HOME funds cannot be used as a match except in limited federally authorized cases. CDBG and SSBG potentially may be used as a match but you will need to verify with your other federal funding source.

Since this a combined RFA, the applications are not sorted by funding source. Applicants should submit only one application for the project that they are proposing and if the project is accepted for funding, then staff will determine to which funding source it will be assigned.

We do not have a State-defined age range for "youth" in regards to SSBG, but when in doubt we use the HUD definitions, which in this case is typically ages 0-24. "Children" would be considered 0-18.

Applicants that do not have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate can request the de minimus indirect cost rate in accordance with 2 CFR 200.414(f)

Eligible Activities for Case Management using SSBG could include most standard case management activities, including crisis intervention, housing, youth services, employment services, etc. The services that would be ineligible under case management are things like medical/inpatient care. The main eligibility issue with SSBG is that all clients served have to be legal citizens of the United States.

All the HUD approved methods for income verification work for SSBG income verification. You can refer to the HUD Income Calculator or the 24 CFR.

As long as all the individuals served are legal residents of Salt Lake County that would be eligible. It would need to be clearly and thoroughly documented.

Yes, only SSBG

A “qualified alien” is a non-citizen who is lawfully present in the United States in a status recognized as eligible for federal public benefits, such as lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, or certain individuals granted parole or withholding of deportation. This definition comes from 8 U.S.C. § 1641(b) and is used by the SAVE system to verify eligibility for federally funded programs.

Each ESG-funded decision-making body must include at least one person who is currently or formerly homeless. While community input is strongly encouraged, it does not replace this requirement. Someone with lived experience must hold a formal role in the major decision making for the organization. See ESG Rule (specifically 24 CFR 576.405) for further guidance. 

Because ESG funds are very limited and the same application is used for all funding sources, projects requesting funds for renovation would most likely be funded through CDBG rather than ESG. Since the application covers both programs, you don’t need to apply separately, just submit your application, and it will be evaluated for the most appropriate funding source.

In simple terms, general maintenance means routine work that keeps a building in good condition and keeps it from wearing out; for example: cleaning, painting, fixing leaks, changing air filters, etc. These activities are considered maintenance because they do not add value to the property, change how it's used, or significantly improve its condition. By contrast, repairs or rehabilitation involve more extensive work that restores or improves the property; for example: replacing an entire roof, rewiring electrical systems, remodeling kitchens or bathrooms, or installing new plumbing or HVAC systems. Those activities beyond basic upkeep and are not considered general maintenance under HUD guidance. For more information see the link below.

Yes, the match must consist entirely of non-federal funds. In the past, Salt Lake County has covered the match requirement. If the match were to be passed on to the applying organization, it would not be requested until the contract negotiation stage. At this stage of the process, you are only asked to provide information on any additional or leveraged funding available for your proposed project.

The Davis-Bacon Act applies to construction projects over $2,000 that are funded in whole or in part with federal funds. It requires that workers be paid at least the “prevailing wage,” meaning the typical hourly wage and benefits paid to workers in similar jobs in the same area. 

For small projects (like those under $30,000, where Build America, Buy America doesn’t apply), Davis-Bacon still applies if the work involves construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings or public works using federal money. It doesn’t affect materials or purchasing; it’s only about wages and job classifications. HUD will look to make sure the correct prevailing wage rate is being paid for the type of construction based on U.S. Department of Labor wage determinations. 

There are no exceptions under CDBG funds for projects over $2,000. Under HOME projects that are over $2,000 but under 12 HOME-assisted units, Davis Bacon would not apply.

The following amounts were awarded for PY25: CDBG: $4,633,311; HOME: $2,144,790; ESG: $227,884; SSBG: $372,221

Urban County and HOME Consortium municipalities are cities and towns that do not receive CDBG or HOME funds directly from HUD. Instead, their allocations flow through Salt Lake County, which serves as the lead entity and administers those funds on their behalf. After the County sets aside the municipal allocations, the remaining funds are distributed to eligible nonprofit projects through the County’s annual RFA process. If you’re interested in accessing funds that a specific city/town receives through the Urban County or HOME Consortium, you’ll need to contact that municipality directly to see if they’re willing to partner or subgrant a portion of their funds. You can also view the map of CDBG-eligible areas on our website to see which communities participate in the Urban County program.

There is no limit to the number of applications an organization may submit. However, do not submit multiple applications for the same project. If an organization submits multiple applications for different projects, please note that those projects may end up competing against one another for funding.

Very little has changed from last year’s application. A few minor edits were made, and an additional question was added in regard to the project’s adherences to the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan. 

Yes, all funding sources have a minimum request of $100,000

Based on the referenced application question of: If project is a CDBG Public Service, provide justification of how this request is a quantifiable increase in the level of service previously delivered. If project is not a CDBG Public service, please indicate with "N/A,” you would answer this question only if your project could be eligible for a CDBG Public Service Award which would be determined after applications are submitted and reviewed. 

The HOME-TBRA reporting form collects basic information about each household served, including client demographics, income eligibility, unit details, rent amounts, utility allowances, monthly subsidy paid, and the total amount of assistance provided. It also includes fields for move-in and move-out dates, household status changes, and any supportive services offered. The form helps ensure compliance with HOME rules and accurate tracking of rental assistance. Organizations awarded HOME-TBRA funds will receive full training on how to complete this report at a later date.

Yes, applicants that do not have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate can request the de minimus indirect cost rate (up to 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs) in accordance with 2 CFR 400.414(f). 

Yes, the application with all accompanying forms needs to be submitted by December 4th at 3:00 pm.

For CDBG-funded projects, please refer to 24 CFR 570.201 for basic eligible activities. For HOME-funded projects, please refer to 24 CFR 92.206 for eligible project costs. While there is no maximum funding request, applicants should ensure that their requests are thoughtful, well-supported, and proportionate to the needs of the project.

There is no required formula for balancing program costs and staffing costs. However, the screening committee will review the overall budget to ensure that the funding request reflects a reasonable proportion of resources going toward direct services compared to the amount allocated for program administration.