Code of Maine Rules
19 - DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
498 - OFFICE OF TOURISM AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 14 - ADMINISTRATION OF 1995 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT SMALL CITIES PROGRAM
Section 498-14-4 - PLANNING METHODS OF DISTRIBUTION
Universal Citation: 19 ME Code Rules ยง 498-14-4
Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024
A. PHASE II PLANNING GRANTS
The purpose of the Phase II Planning Grant is to enable communities to gather, analyze, and provide information required by the Phase II Project Development process.
1.
Threshold criteria: The State will distribute Phase II funds to communities or
community partnerships, provided they meet the following threshold criteria:
(a) Eligible Applicants: Only communities
invited into Phase II of the Housing Assistance, Public
Facilities/Infrastructure, Economic Development Infrastructure, and Micro-Loan
Programs are eligible to apply for and receive Phase II Planning Grants from
the State.
(b) Eligible Activities:
Phase II Planning funds may be used for planning activities necessary to
complete Phase II requirements as described in applicable funding programs
listed in l(a) above.
(c) Need and
Capacity: Applicants must demonstrate a need for financial assistance and the
means to execute the Phase II Planning grant award.
(d) Federal and State Certifications for
Local Governments: All communities applying for Phase II Planning Grants must
certify they will:
2.
Special Program Requirements: Not applicable.
3. Selection Process: Communities will submit
a Phase II Planning Grant Proposal that demonstrates need for financial
assistance to complete applicable Phase II requirements and will describe how
the funds will be used to complete Phase II tasks.
4. Approval Process: OCD staff will review
threshold criteria and the applicant's proposal. Phase II Planning Grants will
be awarded on a competitive and as-needed basis.
B. GENERAL PURPOSE PLANNING GRANTS
The purpose of the General Purpose Planning Grant. (GPPG) program is to provide financial assistance to communities or community partnerships that have clearly identified a local community or economic development problem and lack the resources to develop a strategy for solving that problem.
1. Threshold Criteria
and Certifications: The State will distribute GPPG funds to local governments,
through the annual General Purpose Planning Grant Application Selection
Process. The threshold criteria and certifications for the process are listed
below:
(a) Eligible Applicants: All units of
general local government in Maine, including plantations, are eligible to apply
for and receive GPPG funds. County governments may apply on behalf of
unorganized territories. Counties may make more than one application on behalf
of distinct unorganized territories. Groups of local governments my apply for
multi-jurisdictional or joint projects. Multi-jurisdictional applications
require designation of one local government as the lead applicant and
documentation of the consent for that designation by each participating local
government.
(b) Ineligible
Applicants: The entitlement communities of Portland, Bangor, Lewiston and
Auburn, are not eligible to receive State GPPG program funds. Except as
described in 1(a) above, County governments are not eligible
applicants.
(c) Eligible
Activities: GPPG funds may be used for planning only activities that include
studies, analyses, data gathering, preparation of plans and maps, and
identification of actions that will implement plans. Engineering, architectural
and design costs related to specific activities are not eligible.
(d) Project Eligibility: All activities
undertaken with GPPG funds must be eligible under
24 CFR, Part
570.482. All applications containing proposed
ineligible or non-planning activities will be judged not to have met the
project eligibility criteria. In all cases the applicant will be notified in
writing of the determination made by OCD.
(e) Project Benefit: The proposed activities
must meet one of the national objectives pursuant to
24 CFR, Part
570.483, (b) (5), (c) (3) or (d), of either
providing direct benefit to low and moderate income persons, removing slum or
blighting influences within that community, or meeting community development
needs having a particular urgency.
2. Special Program Requirements: GPPG
applicants must also comply with the following:
(a) Past Performance: In order to be eligible
to apply for the 1995 General Purpose Planning Grant program, communities that
received Community Revitalization (CR) grants in 1990 must have conditionally
closed their grants by February 16, 1995. Communities that received CR grants
in 1991 must have expended 100% of their benefit activity funds by February 16,
1995 . Communities that received CR grants in 1992 must have obligated 100% of
their benefit activity funds by February 16, 1995.
(b) Exceptions: Grant recipients may request
a waiver of this special requirement under the following circumstances:
1) program delays have occurred that are
beyond the control of the grantee due to acts of nature or unforeseen changes
in availability of leveraged funds or
2) unanticipated program income has been
received and the grantee is unable to meet the above performance
requirements.
(c)
Maximum GPPG award amount: The maximum award is $10, 000.
(d) Benefit of Planning: Communities must
describe how the project assisted with GPPG funds, if implemented, would meet
one of the national objectives of the CDBG program as described in 1(e)
above.
3. Selection
Process: Applications for GPPG's will be accepted February 16, 1995 . Prior to
consideration of a grant award, the proposals must meet the threshold criteria
and the special program requirements. Applications will then be reviewed based
an the following criteria:
(a) Description of
Problem (40 points): A description of the problems the community wants to
resolve, how the problems were identified, and the impact of the problems on
the community.
(b) Development of
Strategy (40 points): A description of how the GPPG program will work with
local government, citizens groups, agencies, and local businesses towards the
development of strategies that work towards common goals. This strategy should
identify the most effective solution to the problems and bow GPPG binds will be
used in the formulation of this solution. An estimate of the amount of GPPG
funds needed and itemized breakdown of the proposed planning budget must be
included.
(c) Project Leverage (20
points): A description of other resources (local, state, federal, private) that
will be contributed to the project. These may include commitments obtained or
sought to date.
4. Phase
II Project Development: Applicants will be placed in rank order from highest to
lowest according to the scores determined by the scoring team. Starting at the
top of the scoring list, applicants will be awarded funds until the funding
available in the GPPG program is exhausted. A community will receive the amount
necessary to complete its project, up to the maximum, provided it completes a
contract with DECD.
5. Approval
Process: The emphasis during Phase II will be to finalize project development.
The goal is to develop a local-multi-jurisdictional-State partnership that will
facilitate project development that best meets the community's identified
needs, supports multi-jurisdictional development, and is in accordance with
State goals. A community liaison will be assigned to your community to work
closely with you to finalize your project. Successful completion of Phase II
criteria will allow the applicant to contract with DECD become eligible to
receive CDBG funds. Communities not having a signed contract within six months
of receipt of a Phase II invitation will forfeit said invitation. The Director
of OCD reserves the right to waive this requirement in light of extenuating
circumstances.
Project implementation shall begin upon execution of all activities must be cleared through an environmental review process prior to obligating CDBG funds. OCD staff will remain involved with the community through the end of the project.
C. QUALITY MAIN STREET STRATEGY GRANTS
The purpose of the Quality Main Street Strategy (QMS) program is to provide financial assistance to communities for the development of Strategies to revitalize main streets and downtowns.
1. Threshold Criteria and Certifications: The
State will award QM funds for up to one community in each of Maine's sixteen
counties, provided they meet the following threshold criteria and
certifications:
(a) Eligible Applicants: All
omits of general local government in Maine, including plantations, are eligible
to apply for and receive QMS funds. County governments may apply on behalf of
unorganized territories.
(b)
Ineligible Applicants: The entitlement communities of Portland, Bangor,
Lewiston and Auburn, are not eligible to receive QMS funds. Except as described
in 1(a) above, County governments not eligible applicants.
(c) Eligible activities: QMS funds may be
used for planning only activities related to the economic revitalization of a
main street that include studies, analyses, data gathering, preparation of
plans and maps, and identification of actions that will implement plans.
Engineering, architectural and design costs related to specific activities are
not eligible.
(d) Project Benefit:
The proposed activities must meet one of the national objectives pursuant to
24 CFR, Part
570.483, (b) (5), (c) (3) or (d), of either
providing direct benefit_ to low and moderate income persons, removing slum or
blighting influences within that community, or meeting community development
needs having a particular urgency.
2. Special Program Requirements: QMS
applicants must also comply with the following:
(a) Past Performance: In order to be eligible
to apply for the 1995 Quality Main Street Strategy Grant program, communities
that have received CDBG funding since 1982 for downtown revitalization must
describe changes in economic conditions, infrastructure capacity or other
circumstances that demonstrate the necessity of QMS assistance.
(b) Growth Management or Community Planning
Program: Applicants for QMS must define their status within Maine's Growth
management Program. Communities that have accepted planning assistance funds,
have a consistent comprehensive plan, and/or have accepted implementation funds
must conduct their QMS planning in accordance with their growth management
policies or with the community Planning Program"
(c) Maximum QMS award amount: The maximum
award is $25, 000.
(d) Benefit of
Planning: Communities must describe how the project assisted with QMS funds, if
implemented, would meet one of the national objectives of the CDBG program as
described in 1(e) above.
3. Selection Process: The selection process
will consist of two phases: an application phase (Phase I), and a project
development phase (Phase II).
(a) Phase I
Application: The maximum length of an application is ten pages. It is designed
to be a description of a community's Main Street and Downtown problems that it
would like to address with Quality Main Street Planning Grant Funds. The
applications deadline for QMS is February 16, 1995. Prior to consideration of a
grant award, the proposals must meet the threshold criteria and the special
program requirements. A minimum score of 85 will be required for funding. The
applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria.
(i) Description of Problem (35 points):: A
description of the problem(s) the community wants to resolve including the
economic condition of the main street, how the problem(s) was identified
including the events leading to the present situation, and the impact of the
problem(s) on the community.
(ii)
Development of Strategy (35 points): A description of how the QMS program will
work with local government, citizens groups, agencies, and local businesses
toward the development of strategies that work toward common goals for
revitalizing the main street. This strategy should identify effective solutions
to the problems and how QMS funds will be used in the formulation of this
solution. An estimate of the amount of QMS funds needed and an itemized
breakdown of the proposed planning budget must be included.
(iii) Project Leverage (30 points) : A
description of other resources (local, state, federal, private) that will be
contributed to the project. These nay include commitments obtained or sought to
date.
4.
Phase II Project Development: Applicants will be placed in rank order from
highest to lowest by county according to the scares determined by the scoring
team. The highest scoring applicant in each county, provided that the 85 point
minimum scoring requirement is met, will receive a QMS award. A. community will
receive the amount necessary to complete its project, up to the maximum,
provided it completes a contract with DECD.
5. Approval Process: The emphasis during
Phase II will be to finalize project development. The goal is to develop a
local/state partnership that will facilitate project development that best
meets the community's identified needs, and is in accordance with State goals.
A program representative will be assigned to your community to work closely
with you to finalize your project. Successful completion of Phase II criteria
mill allow the applicant to contract with DECD and become eligible to receive
QMS funds. Communities not having a signed contract within six months of
receipt of a Phase II invitation will forfeit said invitation. The Director of
OCD reserves the right to waive this requirement in light of extenuating
circumstances.
Project implementation shall begin upon execution of a contract. All activities must be cleared through an environmental review process prior to obligating QMS funds. OCD staff will remain involved with the community through the end of the project.
D. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS
The purpose of the Technical Assistance Grant Program is to provide grant funding to the following lead communities to act on behalf of communities within Regional Council planning districts.
The lead communities have been selected on the basis of their willingness to assume the responsibility of administering this grant. These communities will assume certain administrative work, but will not receive any greater program benefit than neighboring communities that receive technical assistance for the Community Development Block Grant Program.
The following lead communities will contract with a Regional Council to provide information about the Community Development Block Grant Program to communities in their region. They will assist interested communities in preparing grant applications in the program categories.
Caribou
Dresden
Ellsworth
Freeport
Kittery
Mechanic Falls
Orono
Winslow
The following communities will issue Request for Proposals and select technical assistance providers:
Bath
Eastport
Rockland
Any contracts for services provided hereunder shall be subject to all applicable requirements to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. If any lead community is unable to undertake and complete its responsibilities under this program, the Department of Economic and Community Development reserves the right to remove said community and name a replacement.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maine may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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