Program Overview
The Planning & Development Division collaborates with many community organizations to meet the needs and assist low and moderate income individuals and the neighborhoods in which they live. This includes improving housing stock, increasing economic self-sufficiency, and support social programs in the city.
The Consolidated Plan is a five year planning document. It lays out the goals for the City of Duluth’s Community Development program. Based on a collaborative process involving community members and local organizations, the City establishes a unified vision for effective, coordinated neighborhood and community development strategies. The current Consolidated Plan outlines the community’s goals and objectives for 2025 through 2029. Each year the City’s Action Plan shows how it will pursue these goals for all community development and housing programs. The City submits the annual Action Plan to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of the monitoring process for HUD funds.
Major community needs addressed by the goals and objectives in the Action Plan include decent, affordable housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economic opportunities for all community members. The projects funded through the Community Development Program address these community needs by creating and maintaining affordable housing, providing economic opportunities, offering public services to community members in need, and providing access to quality public facilities.
The City of Duluth expects to receive almost $3,000,000 per year in funds from HUD. The City disperses these funds to meet the goals and objectives in the Consolidated Plan. HUD provides three types of funds: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). CDBG funds support community development projects including affordable housing, public services, public facilities, and economic development. HOME funds support programs that create affordable housing for low-income households. ESG funds support projects that offer basic needs and housing stabilization services to community members experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Local organizations apply to the Community Development Program requesting these HUD funds for their projects.
The Community Development (CD) Committee reviews applications for Community Development Program funding and makes funding recommendations to the City Council. Learn more about the CD Committee. The CD Committee sets funding priorities based on input from the community.
What federal funds does the city receive for low income and revitalization efforts?
The City of Duluth is an Entitlement Community as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which means that the city annually receives about $3 million in community development funds to provide decent housing, a suitable living environment, and opportunities to expand economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons. Annual funding sources include Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership Program, and Emergency Solutions Grant Program. To receive these funds, HUD requires the City to create a Consolidated Plan every five years that lays out how the City of Duluth and its partners will use the HUD funds. Click here to view the Consolidated Plan, information about the community outreach process, and the analysis of fair housing the City conducted to develop the Consolidated Plan.
What does the city fund?
With guidance from the Community Development Committee the city develops priorities, reviews funding applications, and awards funds to programs and agencies that strive to serve and improve people who are low--moderate income, with a focus on housing, public facilities, public services, homeless services, and economic development.
What does the Community Development Committee do?
The Community Development Committee oversees the community development program by developing priorities, reviewing application, making funding recommendations and reviewing performance. The committee members are appointed by the mayor. The committee’s mission is to invest in community programs that help low and moderate income people by addressing basic needs, providing affordable housing, and increasing economic self-sufficiency. If you are interested in serving on this committee you can fill out an application.
The meeting calendar for 2026 is available for your reference. Please check back as the dates may change in advance of the meetings.
How to apply for funds?
Community Development Funding is available annually. Applications are typically available in late summer and due in September. The applications are vetted for eligibility by City staff and then reviewed and scored by the CD Committee. The public is asked to offer input before the CD Committee makes its final funding recommendations to the City Council in the winter. Annual fiscal years for Community Development funds run from April 1 - March 31.
The city does not make grants or loans to individuals directly, but works with a variety of local partners. Each year the city conducts a funding process that includes public hearings and opportunities for input from interested residents. Each year a funding timeline is set that includes deadlines, hearings, and other details of the process. The funding timeline lays out the funding process and when public input and hearing sessions will be held. Community Planning staff can be reached with questions at 218-730-5580. Find more about the application process.
