Residents of Grants Pass have an opportunity to help shape how federal community development funding is spent during the coming year as the city moves forward with its annual planning process for Community Development Block Grant funding.
City officials have released the draft 2026-2027 Year 2 Annual Action Plan, a document that outlines proposed projects and funding priorities tied to the city’s broader 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan. The plan serves as a roadmap for how Grants Pass intends to invest federal dollars into programs and projects designed to improve neighborhoods, support community needs, and assist low- to moderate-income residents.
The draft plan is now available for public review and comment through July 14, giving residents, organizations, and community stakeholders several weeks to examine the proposals and provide feedback before the document moves to the next stage of the approval process.
Community Development Block Grant funding, commonly known as CDBG funding, is distributed through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is intended to support local projects that primarily benefit low- and moderate-income households, address deteriorating conditions within neighborhoods, or respond to urgent community needs that affect public health, safety, and welfare.
For Grants Pass, the annual action plan represents more than a budget document. It serves as the yearly implementation guide for priorities identified through the city’s five-year planning process. Every five years, the city develops a Consolidated Plan that identifies long-term housing, infrastructure, economic development, and community service needs. Annual Action Plans then determine how available grant dollars will be allocated to address those priorities on a year-by-year basis.
The current planning cycle represents the second year of the city’s 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan, making this year’s document an important step in carrying out projects and initiatives identified during the broader planning effort.
Public participation has played a significant role in shaping the draft plan. Earlier this year, the city conducted a community survey seeking feedback on local needs and priorities. The survey was made available beginning February 9 and invited residents to identify areas they believed deserved the greatest attention and investment.
Results from that outreach effort were reviewed by the Grants Pass City Council during a public hearing held April 15. During the meeting, council members considered public comments, survey findings, and community suggestions regarding the most pressing needs facing local neighborhoods and residents. City officials have indicated that the feedback gathered through both the survey and public hearing process has been incorporated into the draft annual action plan.
The planning process follows requirements outlined in the city’s Citizen Participation Plan as well as federal regulations governing the use of Community Development Block Grant funds. Those rules are designed to ensure transparency, public involvement, and accountability before federal funding decisions are finalized.
The next major milestone will occur on August 5, when the Grants Pass City Council is scheduled to conduct another public hearing and consider additional testimony regarding the draft plan. Following that review, council members will determine whether to adopt the final version of the 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan.
Once adopted, the plan is scheduled to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by August 15 for federal review and approval. HUD will evaluate the city’s proposed projects and funding allocations before issuing its final approval.
While much of the process takes place through planning documents and public hearings, the decisions made through the Annual Action Plan can have lasting impacts throughout the community. Federal grant dollars may support neighborhood improvements, housing-related initiatives, infrastructure projects, public services, and other efforts intended to strengthen quality of life for residents.
With the public comment period now underway, city leaders are encouraging residents to review the draft document and participate in the process. The feedback received over the coming weeks will help guide how federal community development resources are invested across Grants Pass during the upcoming program year, ensuring local priorities remain at the center of future community improvements.