TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Thirty-nine Kansas communities received over $17 million in Community Development Block Grants on Thursday.
These grants will be used for critical infrastructure needs such as fire stations, senior centers, libraries, sidewalks and streets.
“We believe very much that quality of life is essential to economic development,” said Kansas Dept. of Commerce Secretary David Toland. “What these grants do is fund quality of life projects that make a difference in a community.”
In order for a community to receive one of these grants, they must provide some amount of matching funds.
The city of Fort Scott has been working toward this since April 2019.
“This is a 25-year purchase for Fort Scott and we’re just really excited,” Rachel Pruitt, with Fort Scott Economic Development, said. “This is going to be a lifesaving opportunity for us.”
Fort Scott will be using the $665,303 grant to go toward purchasing a new firetruck with a 100 ft. platform ladder. This will replace their current truck, which they have had for 27 years, according to Fort Scott Fire Chief Dave Bruner.
“As a fire chief your main goal is that your firefighters want to come home at the end of their shift,” Bruner said. “We want to make sure that they have the equipment that’s safe and easy for them to use.”
The grants are funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Kansas Dept. of Commerce provides the grants to communities under 50,000 people.
The grants are annually distributed, and Toland said he is pleased with the number of grants given for 2020.
The full list of recipients is below, according to the Kansas Dept. of Commerce:
| COUNTY | CITY |
| Bourbon | The City of Fort Scott will receive $665,303 in CDBG grant funds to purchase a new 100’ Platform Ladder truck for the city. The city will contribute $665,303 in local city matching funds. |
| Butler | The City of Rose Hill will receive $144,000 in CDBG funds to complete a street project in the city. The city will contribute $604,890 in local city matching funds. |
| Cherokee | The City of Columbus will receive $600,000 in CDBG grant funds to complete a street project in the city. The city will contribute $600,000 in local city matching funds. |
| Cheyenne | The City of St. Francis will receive $600,000 in CDBG grant funds to complete a street project in the city. The city will contribute $812,110 in local city matching funds. |
| Clark | The City of Ashland will receive $421,303 in CDBG funds to make water system improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $421,303 in matching funds it secured through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. |
| Cloud | The City of Concordia will receive $561,660 in CDBG funds to make sanitary sewer and storm sewer improvements in the city. The city has local funds of $561,661 to contribute to matching funds. |
| Cloud | The City of Miltonvale will receive $35,212 in CDBG funds to complete a demolition project. The city will contribute a total of $35,213 through local city funds, force account construction and Landfill Fees. |
| Cowley | The City of Cambridge will receive $182,000 in CDBG funds to make water system improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $738,200 in matching funds it secured through USDA Rural Development. |
| Cowley | The City of Udall will receive $494,360 in CDBG grant funds to complete a Library and Wellness Center project in the city. The city will contribute $474,360 which they secured through USDA Rural Development. |
| Decatur | The City of Oberlin will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make water distribution improvements throughout the city. The city has local funds of $662,700 to contribute to matching funds. |
| Dickinson | The City of Chapman will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to build a non-discharging wastewater treatment facility to serve the city. The city will provide $3,535,794 in matching funds it secured through USDA Rural Development. |
| Dickinson | The City of Solomon will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make water distribution system improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $1,416,424 in matching funds they have secured through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. |
| Ellis | The City of Ellis will receive $412,113 in CDBG funds to make improvements to its water distribution system. The city will provide all matching funds themselves in the amount of $412,112. |
| Franklin | The City of Williamsburg will receive $421,230 in CDBG grant funds to complete a street project in the city. The city will contribute $421,230 in local city matching funds. |
| Labette | The City of Parsons will receive $272,500 in CDBG grant funds to complete a storm sewer project in the city. The city will contribute $272,500 in local stormwater funds as a local match. |
| Lincoln | The City of Lincoln Center will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make water distribution system improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $605,961 in matching funds they have secured through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. |
| Lyon | The City of Emporia will receive $300,000 in CDBG Funds and pledged $88,400 in matching funds. This grant will rehabilitate 14 homes for owned and rental units. |
| Marion | The City of Marion will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make water distribution improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $3,334,478 in matching funds they have secured through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. |
| Marshall | The City of Marysville will receive $600,000 in CDBG grant funds to build a new fire station for the city. The city will contribute $938,448 in local city matching funds. |
| McPherson | The City of McPherson will receive $300,000 in CDBG funds to rehabilitate approximately 13 homes for low-to-moderate-income families. The city will provide $72,710 in local matching funds. |
| Montgomery | The City of Coffeyville will receive $268,500 in CDBG grant funds to complete an ADA sidewalk project. The city will contribute $268,500 in local city matching funds. |
| Nemaha | The City of Centralia will receive $535,423 in CDBG grant funds to complete an electrical distribution system improvement throughout the city. The city will contribute $535,423 in local city matching funds. |
| Osage | The City of Osage City will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make sanitary sewer improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $979,000 in matching funds they have secured through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. |
| Osage | The City of Overbrook will receive $600,000 in CDBG grant funds to make improvements to its water treatment facility and distribution system. The city will provide $5,575,300 in matching funds they have secured through USDA Rural Development. |
| Osborne | Osborne County will receive $60,350 in CDBG grant funds to purchase a new brush fire truck for the county. The county will contribute $60,350 through funds secured through the Osborne County RFD #3. |
| Ottawa | The City of Minneapolis will receive $300,000 in CDBG funds to rehabilitate eight homes for owner-occupied and rental residents and demolish one unoccupied dilapidated housing unit. The city will provide $13,700 in local matching funds. |
| Pawnee | The City of Larned will receive $598,497 in CDBG funds to make water distribution system improvements throughout the city. The city has local funds of $598,497 to contribute to matching funds. |
| Reno | The City of Arlington will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make wastewater improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $670,000 in matching funds it secured from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. |
| Reno | The City of Hutchinson will receive $256,500 in CDBG funds to rehabilitate approximately ten homes for low-to-moderate income families. The CDBG funds will be matched with $75,130 in local funds. |
| Republic | The City of Belleville will receive $175,000 in CDBG grant funds to purchase a new Standard Pumper Fire Truck. The city will contribute $175,000 in local city matching funds. |
| Riley | The City of Riley will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make sanitary sewer improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $729,200 in matching funds they have secured through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. |
| Rush | The City of Liebenthal will receive $220,850 in CDBG grant funds to make improvements to their sanitary sewer treatment facility and install a new pump station. The city will contribute $220,850 in matching funds they have secured through the USDA Rural Development. |
| Russell | The City of Lucas will receive $264,852 in CDBG grant funds to complete a Community Center and Library project. The city will contribute $264,853 which they secured through USDA Rural Development. |
| Russell | The City of Russell will receive $600,000 in CDBG grant funds to complete a street project in the city. The city will contribute $992,800 in local city matching funds. |
| Sumner | The City of Conway Springs will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make wastewater improvements for the city. The city will provide $2,977,275 in matching funds it secured through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. |
| Washington | The City of Hanover will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to make water distribution system improvements throughout the city. The city will provide $3,730,247 in matching funds they have secured through the USDA Rural Development. |
| Wichita | The City of Leoti will receive $596,450 in CDBG grant funds to complete a street project in the city. The city will contribute $596,450 in local city matching funds. |
| Wilson | The City of Fredonia will receive $600,000 in CDBG funds to create a wastewater treatment facility. The city will provide $2,219,400 in matching funds they have secured through USDA Rural Development. |
| Woodson | The City of Yates Center will receive $400,000 in CDBG grant funds to purchase a new Quint Fire Truck for the city. The city will contribute $400,000 in local city matching funds. |