The Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, as it is familiarly known, originated in the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. This federal law, among other provisions, amended the Housing Act of 1937 (created during the Great Depression during the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt to improve housing conditions for low-income families). Its implementation provided local governments with additional funding to support community development projects that benefited low to moderate-income individuals, including anti-poverty programs, infrastructure improvements, and affordable and subsidized housing. CDBG funding allowed states and localities to develop programs that supported their specific needs. Today, the CDBG program remains one of HUD’s most established initiatives, widely recognized for its adaptability and significant role in bolstering community resilience and driving economic revitalization across diverse regions.

In Boston, the funds received by the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) are used primarily for affordable housing and economic development. HUD allows cities to use up to 15% of the funding received for human services programming. Each year, MOH partners with OWD to manage this portion of CDBG funding.

CDBG funding has a crucial impact on empowering Boston communities, enabling them to address community needs, foster economic growth, and improve quality of life through essential services. In FY25, OWD awarded $2.2 million to more than 40 community-centric organizations whose funding provided programming focused on adult literacy, youth advancement, job training, career readiness, economic stability, education advancement, and support services. Of the 40 awardees, 10 were youth programs, 10 were job training programs, 8 were economic stability programs, and 12 provided support services. In total, they served 3,437 low to moderate-income residents, majority of whom were BIPOC.

The organizations in successfully helped 1,840 participants with completing their programs and 1,124 Boston residents were assisted in finding employment. Securing employment allowed many beneficiaries to increase their incomes which in turn gives them more spending power, providing economic growth in our community. The programs assisted 707 beneficiaries with obtaining public benefits, helping many participants gain access to health care, food, cash benefits, housing vouchers, and more.

See the full list of FY25 awardees here.

Read the entire blog post on the City of Boston website here.