Community Development & Employment Grants
Last updated October 27, 2026
Grantable tracks 3,255 active community development & employment grants in its free grants database, drawn from state and foundation sources and updated daily. 74 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 1,480 list an award amount, with a median of $30K.
- Grants tracked
- 3,255
- from 1,982 funders
- Median award
- $30K
- middle half $10K–$150K
- Total listed funding
- $515.9M
- across 1,480 grants that list an amount
- Rolling deadlines
- 130
- 148 with a published date
On this page: State Foundation · Updated daily
Find the community development grants matched to your org
Free, no account to start — Grantable's AI ranks all 3,223 on mission, geography, and award size in a few minutes.
| ★ | Grant |
|---|---|
| Spring Grant Cycle Chiefs Ambassadors Charitable Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Every spring, the Chiefs and the Hunt Family Foundation give grants to various local organizations making Kansas City a better place to live for children and families. | |
| Arkansas Urban and Community Forestry Grants Dept of Agriculture · State Not published · Varies Fund community projects that develop, improve, and/or promote urban and community trees and forests. Administered by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and made available through federal grant funds from the U.S. Forest Service. | |
| Ignite Fund Ignite Capital Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Fuel the growth of social enterprises in Baltimore—especially those led by historically marginalized populations. Designed to close the wealth gap by investing in people, enterprises, and ideas too often overlooked by traditional capital. | |
| Cooperative Competes Cooperative Energy · Foundation Not published · $25K The Cooperative Competes initiative, unveiled in early 2019, is aimed at increasing product and community competitiveness. | |
| Community Development Block Grant Disaster Response Program (IL) Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) · Foundation Not published · Up to $250K The Community Development Block Grant Disaster Response Program in Illinois provides vital funding to assist communities facing urgent threats to public health and safety due to disasters. | |
| Small Business Support Hubs (SBSH) Program - Great Lakes Bay Small Business Hub Central Michigan University Research Corporation · Foundation Not published · $2.7M | |
| Eagle Fund - Ontario County Small Business Loan Program Greater Rochester Enterprise Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies A new low-interest loan program designed to support small businesses in Ontario County, with a focus on placemaking and Main Street development. |
Showing 3217–3223 of 3,223
About community development grants
Community development grants fund efforts to revitalize neighborhoods through affordable housing, public facilities, infrastructure, business assistance, and services for low- and moderate-income residents. HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, authorized under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, is the flagship federal source, providing formula grants to states, cities, and counties. National intermediaries like LISC and Enterprise Community Partners, plus the Treasury's CDFI Fund, channel additional capital into community development.
A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow community development & employment grants down to the funders most likely to say yes, using their giving records.
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This page is a snapshot. Funders change, and a list stops being true the day it's made. A grants department keeps looking for you, and tells you when it finds something that fits — with the grant history it reasoned from attached.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money do community development & employment grants award?
Of the 3,255 community development & employment grants Grantable lists as of October 27, 2026, 1,480 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $30K, and the middle half fall between $10K and $150K. The largest is $10M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.
Which funders offer the most community development & employment grants?
By number of active listings, the leading funders are Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (23), Economic Development Authority (22), Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (21), Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) (17), and Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (16). In all, 1,982 funders have at least one active grant in this category.
When are community development & employment grants due?
Of 3,255 grants listed, 130 accept applications on a rolling basis, 148 have a published upcoming deadline, 427 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 2,550 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 49% fall in October–December.
What community development grants are available?
Eligible community development activities include housing rehabilitation and development, micro-enterprise and business assistance, infrastructure, public facilities, planning, public services, and removal of architectural barriers. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is the primary federal program, supplemented by funding from intermediaries and foundations. Projects generally must benefit low- and moderate-income communities.
Who funds community development?
HUD administers the Community Development Block Grant program, distributing formula grants to states, cities, and counties that then fund local projects. National community development intermediaries such as LISC and Enterprise Community Partners, along with the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund and local community foundations, provide loans and grants. Most CDBG funds reach nonprofits through their local or state government.
How does a nonprofit access CDBG funds?
CDBG dollars flow from HUD to your city, county, or state, which run their own application cycles and consolidated planning processes; nonprofits apply to that local jurisdiction rather than directly to HUD. Identify whether your community is an "entitlement" city or county or is served through the state program, then track that jurisdiction's annual action plan and application timeline. Aligning your project with the jurisdiction's stated priorities is essential.
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