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Texas Department of Agriculture Grants and Services
The Texas Department of Agriculture offers grants and services on production agriculture, health and nutrition, rural health, and economic development. View Texas Department of Agriculture Open Grants.
Current and Upcoming Application Opportunities
2025-2026 Community Development Fund
Now accepting applications for the Community Development Fund. Deadline is December 9, 2024.
The primary objective of the Community Development Block Grant program is to develop viable communities by providing decent housing and suitable living environments and expanding economic opportunities principally for persons of low- to moderate-income. Eligible Texas CDBG applicants are non-entitlement cities under 50,000 in population* and non-entitlement counties that have a non-metropolitan population under 200,000 and are not eligible for direct CDBG funding from HUD.
*Check with your jurisdiction’s county to determine eligibility based on cooperation agreements.
- Application Method: Two Phase Application
- Community Application open to all eligible local governments
- Project Application subsequently required for applicants whose scores place them in funding range
- Maximum Grant Request: $750,000
- Project Priorities: See Regional Priorities
- Application Schedule:
- Community Application Guide and application documents available in TDA-GO – September 2024
- Community Application due – December 9, 2024
- Applicants in first year funding range invited to begin the Project Application – approx. January 2025
- Project Application due – approx. June 2025
- Grant Awards for first year recipients – Fall 2025
Webinars and Technical Assistance
A webinars, events and technical assistance information to assist applicants with applications is posted on the TxCDBG Training webpage.
TDA is hosting a webinar opportunity related to the upcoming grant application deadlines, as noted in the Application Guides, at 2 p.m. Tuesday, November 19, the link to the webinar is posted on the TxCDBG Training webpage.
This webinar will cover the same material presented in October. This will be a great opportunity to ask any questions about the process prior to the Community Application deadline for the Community Development Fund and Colonia Fund Construction Program.
Past Meetings
Kickoff Meeting in the H-GAC Region - In Person
TDA, in coordination with H-GAC, hosted a stakeholder feedback session in the H-GAC region to accept public comment for consideration during development of the 2025 One Year Action Plan (OYAP) and 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan. The OYAP identifies the intended use of funds received by the TxCDBG program for Program Year 2025. The Consolidated Plan illustrates the state’s strategies in addressing the priority needs and specific goals and objectives that the state aims to accomplish throughout the 2025-2029 Plan. TDA staff will also provide a summary of TxCDBG program updates and upcoming funding opportunities.
Regional Project Priorities
H-GAC, in conjunction with the Texas Department of Agriculture, established Regional Project Priorities for the 2025-2026 Community Development (CD) application cycle.
The Community Development Fund is the largest fund category in the Texas Community Development Block Grant (TxCDBG) Program. This fund is available on a biennial basis for funding through a competition in each of the 24 state planning regions, including the H-GAC region. Eligible applicants are rural cities under 50,000 in population, and counties that have a non-metropolitan population under 200,000 and are not eligible for direct CDBG funding from US Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The next funding cycle is anticipated to be released in 2025.
For more information on the grant program, please visit Community Development Fund Application & Guide (texasagriculture.gov).
Although most funds are used for Public Facilities (water/wastewater infrastructure, street and drainage improvements and housing activities), there are numerous other activities for which these funds may be used. As part of this process, H-GAC sought input on the establishment of regional project priorities. Input was solicited through a survey and a public meeting. The H-GAC Board of Directors approved the Regional Project Priorities during a regular Board meeting on April 16, 2024, and H-GAC shared the regional priorities with the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Regional Project Priorities will account for 25% of total points in scoring 2025-2026 Community Development applications. The priority categories are grouped by tier (importance to the region) and assigned points for each tier Tier 1 - 50 points, Tier 2 - 40 points, and Tier 3 - 30 points.
Tier 1 (50 Points)
- Flood Drainage Improvements
- Other Housing Rehab, Relocation, and/or Homeownership Services
- Parks, Recreational Facilities
- Planning
- Sidewalks
- Street Improvements
- Water/Sewer Improvements
Tier 2 (40 points)
- Economic Development – Assistance to Not-for-Profit Organizations
- Facility for Persons with Disabilities
- Fire Station/Equipment
- Health Facilities
- Neighborhood Facilities
- Solid Waste Disposal Improvements
- Youth Centers
Tier 3 (30 Points)
- Child Care
- Clearance and Demolition
- Code Enforcement
- Construction of New Housing (via community development organizations)
- Economic Development – Assistance to For-Profits
- Homeless Facilities
- Micro-Enterprise Assistance
- Non-Residential Historic Preservation
- Other Eligible CDBG Public Improvements
- Parking Facilities
- Public Housing Modernization
- Public Services
- Rehab; Multi-Unit Residential
- Rehab; Single-Unit Residential
- Rehab; Single-Unit Residential, Utility Connections
- Residential Historic Preservation
- Senior Centers
Developing Regional Project Priorities
Regional Project Priorities Survey
The public was invited to complete an online survey to help establish Regional Priority Projects by ranking a list of suggested priorities based on importance and providing comments. The survey was available online from March 11, 2024, to March 21, 2024.
Regional Project Priorities Public Meeting
The public was invited to attend a public meeting to see the results of a priority projects survey and recommended Regional Project Priorities and to provide input. The hybrid meeting was from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. March 25, 2024, at the H-GAC offices, 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, Texas, Second Floor, and on Zoom.