Two Community Grants Open for Applications

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ Community Development Block Grant Owner Occupied Rehabilitation program and Planning Grant program are now open for applications.

First cycle applications for both grant programs will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET, on Sunday, March 1, via the Indiana electronic Grants Management System, found here. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications prior to 3 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 27, as technical assistance will not be available after that time.

Owner Occupied Rehabilitation program

The OOR program aims to help low-income homeowners to age in place, have greater mobility and make necessary repairs for their comfort and safety. Additionally, the OOR program supports communities in improving their existing housing stock and empowers them to establish local home repair programs.

Eligible OOR applicants are legally recognized non-entitlement local units of government with the legal capacity to implement the OOR program. Applicants may partner with a non-profit to conduct eligible project activities.

Awarded communities will administer programs that directly fund repairs on owner-occupied residential properties, such as:

• Roof replacements or repairs
• Heating, cooling and water heater replacement
• Select lighting and electrical upgrades
• ADA accessibility modifications up to the threshold of the home

Applicants are required to use the Homeowner Application Packet provided by OCRA for the implementation of local home repair programs. Submissions that contain forms from any other agency will not be accepted. The forms are available on the CDBG Resources page.

Planning Grants

The following plan types will be open as part of the first cycle:

• Comprehensive Plan
• Water Utility Study
• Broadband Readiness Plan
• Economic Development Plan
• Downtown Revitalization Plan
• Environmental Assessment Plan
• Historic Preservation Plan
• COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan
• Public Facilities Feasibility Study 

Three cycles of planning grants are expected per year until funds have been exhausted. This is a change to the prior format of grants being awarded quarterly.

Important Notes:

• The deadline for bonus points submission has changed to the application due date. Requests for bonus points should be uploaded with the application on eGMS no later than Sunday, March 1, at 11:59 p.m. ET. 
• A new form, MSR-006-Disaster Designation Bonus Points Form, is now available and must be used to request disaster designation bonus points.
• The In-Kind Contribution Policy went into effect Jan. 12, 2026. All in-kind requests must now be submitted using the In-Kind Contribution Request Form. 
• All income survey documentation should be submitted for final approval in eGMS by Feb. 13 to ensure OCRA has 10 days to complete a review. Final income survey results must be approved by OCRA in eGMS ahead of the application due date on March 1.

Funding for all CDBG programs, such as OOR and Planning Grants, comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is administered by OCRA. For further information on these programs, contact the assigned regional OCRA community liaison.