Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Stuart McWhorter recently approved $36.6 million in grants that will be distributed across 78 communities in the Volunteer State.
Congrats to the 78 communities receiving $36M+ in funding through the latest round of Community Development Block (CDBG) Grants.
The CDBG program assists cities and towns across Tennessee with local infrastructure, safety and other community improvements. https://t.co/NIj1pnDjet pic.twitter.com/rTqNvgik6D
— TNECD (@TNECD) December 20, 2023
The distribution of the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) will “assist communities with infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitations and health and safety initiatives,” according to a press release by TNECD.
“Congratulations to the 78 communities receiving funding through the latest round of Community Development Block Grants,” Lee said in a statement. “What happens in rural Tennessee matters to all Tennesseans, and these infrastructure improvements will be key in preparing communities for future economic development opportunities and continued growth.
The grant funds are meant to “enhance the quality of life in Tennessee’s rural communities” by contributing to the costs of water and sewer improvements, housing rehabilitation, health and safety projects, and other improvements.
This year and last year’s rounds of funding were also made available for “community development projects, such as sidewalk and walking trail improvements, street paving and community centers.”
The grant program is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and administered in Tennessee by TNECD. Each community grant application, according to TNECD, was supported by the area’s senator and representatives in the Tennessee General Assembly.
This round of funding saw 28 communities receive the maximum amount distributed per project, valued at $630,000 each. The lowest amount of funding granted was $110,565, which went to the town of Lynnville for street improvements.
“Recruiting companies to Tennessee and supporting our state’s existing business is a small part of our role at TNECD. Before we can land a new project, celebrate an expansion or provide support to small businesses, we have to ensure that our communities have the infrastructure and quality of life to support and attract these economic development opportunities,” McWhorter said. “The latest round of Community Development Block Grants is assisting 78 of Tennessee’s communities with needed updates that will boost their quality of life for years to come.”
For the full list of communities that received CDBG funding and how the total amount of $36.6 million was distributed, please visit: https://tnecd.com/news/governor-lee-commissioner-mcwhorter-announce-78-communities-to-receive-community-development-block-grants/.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Is this the Build Back Better Grants of the Justice40 climate goals?
I am sure that “rural Tennessee” is elated to get money for sidewalks!
And the TNECD bureaucrats once again give away millions of tax dollars without any direct accountability to the taxpayers. Not sure whose bright idea it was to establish this bureaucracy but they sure have a lot of unelected authority. Sort of smells of socialism.
The General Assembly needs to cut their slush fund by 50% for the next fiscal year. I am not so sure that Tennessee can continue to afford such “developmental” success.
Yeah and what strings are attached to that money. Sadly most people could care less the strings attached they just want the money no matter what it costs in loss of freedom and liberty. They give us nothing without strings attached. Understand they give you nothing. This is YOUR money they just gave away.