The Tulsa City Council is inviting interested Tulsans to express their desires about funding of local programs through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) which bring federal money into the community to fund programs approved by the Council each year.

A public hearing, giving citizens their opportunity to comment, will be a part of the Thursday, March 11, 2010 City Council Meeting. 

That meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall at
One Technology Center, 175 E. 2nd Street.

The hearing is not  for the purpose of soliciting grant applications, but for gathering public input on priorities for the program. The hearing process is different this year because of new procedures required by a Mayor-Council Resolution governing the CDBG process.  The City of Tulsa now has a Grants Administration Department that oversees handling of grant funds.

CDBG is a program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities, urban counties and states to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.

Public agencies and non-profit entities may apply for CDBG funds which are typically awarded as grants or loans to programs providing social services or assistance to Tulsans.  The City administered more than $4 million in CDBG funding this fiscal year.

Information about the CDBG program is available online, click here for more.