CITY OF BROWNSVILLE

NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE FUNDS (CDBG-CV Round 3) AND

EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE FUNDS (ESG-CV Round 2)

In response to the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19), the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has notified the City of Brownsville that it will receive additional allocation of Community Development Block Grant Program - Coronavirus Response funds (CDBG-CV Round 3) - $1,454,166.00 and Emergency Solutions Grant - Coronavirus Response funds (ESG-CV Round 2) - $ 1,964,765.00 to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. Of that amount, up to 20% may be reserve by the City of Brownsville for the administration of the CDBG-CV Round 3 and up to 10% for the administration of the ESG- CV Round 2.  This allocation was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Public Law 116-136 to respond to the growing effects of this public health crisis.

City of Brownsville is soliciting requests for funding from qualified and capable organizations implementing programs in Brownsville, benefitting low- and moderate-income residents consistent with the objectives of the CARES Act. Applicants must be able to demonstrate the ability to successfully meet these objectives in compliance with all applicable federal and other requirements pursuant to the use of CDBG-CV and/or ESG-CV funds. 

 Organizations that have had or anticipate an increase in services directly related to the COVID-19 crisis or have a new project for directly addressing increased community needs related to the COVID-19 crisis, may be considered for funding. Applicants must demonstrate a direct link between the COVID-19 crisis and the increase in services.

 Eligible CDBG-CV activities include: 

• Food Vouchers/ Food Bank: Deliver meals on wheels to quarantined individuals and costs associated with the operation of food banks, community kitchen, and food pantries.
• Rental Assistance: One-time or short-term (no more than three months) emergency payments on behalf of individuals or families, generally for the purpose of preventing homelessness.  Examples include utility payments to prevent cutoff of service, and rent/mortgage payments to prevent eviction. Also, rental housing subsidies exclusively for rental payments for more than three months.
• Health Services: Provide testing, diagnosis or other services at a fixed or mobile location.  Also, to Increase the capacity and availability of targeted health services for infectious disease response within existing health facilities. 
• Small Business Assistance: To provide assistance to avoid job loss caused by business closures related to social distancing by providing short-term working capital assistance to small businesses to enable retention of jobs held by low- and moderate-income persons. To provide grants, loans, or other financial assistance to establish, stabilize, and expand microenterprises. A microenterprise is a business with five or fewer employees, including the owner(s).

Eligible ESG-CV activities include:

• Street Outreach: Is designed to meet the immediate needs of unsheltered homeless people by connecting them with emergency shelter, housing, and/or critical health services.
• Emergency Shelter: Is designed to increase the quantity and quality of temporary shelters provided to homeless people, through existing shelters or conversion of buildings to shelters, paying for the operating costs of shelters, and providing essential services.
• HMIS: Is designed to fund ESG recipients’ and subrecipients’ participation on in the HMIS collection and analyses of data on individuals and families who are homeless and at-risk of homelessness.
• Rapid Re-housing: Is designed to move homeless people quickly to permanent housing through housing relocation and stabilization services and short-and/or medium term rental assistance.

Application Information: Interested organizations wishing to submit an application may do so by downloading one at https://www.cob.us/2099/NOFA. The application will be available starting Monday, May 3, 2021. Deadline to submit a completed application is Monday, May 17, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. Applications must be sent via email at nalleli.trejo@brownsvilletx.gov or maryann.perez@bronsvilletx.gov. Failure to meet the submission deadline (no later than 5:00pm Central Time on May 17, 2021) will preclude a proposal from consideration by the City of Brownsville.

 Additionally, two technical assistance virtual meetings will be held via Webex. The first technical assistance meeting is for ESG-CV Round 2 and will be held Monday, May 10, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  The second technical assistance meeting is for CDBG-CV Round 3 will be held Monday, May 10, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to provide technical assistance and to answer general questions regarding the completion of the application.

 The following link is to access the HUD COVID-19 meeting for ESG CV- Round 2:   https://brownsville.webex.com/brownsville/j.php?MTID=m97674505bd59140d2a069db6c8b33c1f or by calling +1-844-992-4726 with access code 187 183 0601. Meeting password: EjSt3fquD32

 The following link is to access the HUD COVID-19 meeting for CDBG- CV Round 3: https://brownsville.webex.com/brownsville/j.php?MTID=me6f1e7db233c6364165b46a402e1384c   or by calling +1-844-992-4726 with access code 187 053 5801. Meeting password: kbRPX2gW4V7

For technical assistance and general questions, you can also email nalleli.trejo@brownsvilletx.gov or maryann.perez@bronsvilletx.gov.

 Selection of activities is based on a competitive process according to, but not limited to, the following criteria: conceptual soundness of the project; financial feasibility of the project; applicant’s demonstrated ability to implement and administer the project; applicant’s ability to meet and maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and/or local regulations; community development value (cost versus community impact); demonstrable link between the COVID-19 crisis and the increase in services.

 The City of Brownsville does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission of, access to, treatment of, or employment in its programs, activities, or public meetings. If language assistance is needed for Non-English speaking individuals please contact (956) 548-6167. Any individual with a disability in need of an accommodation is encouraged to contact the ADA Coordinator at (956) 548-6037. For telephone access for people with speech or hearing loss, please call 1-800-RELAY-TX. Please provide 2-3 days’ notice so that proper accommodations can be provided. If you have any questions regarding this publication, please call the Office of Strategic Initiatives at (956) 548-6167.