Opportunity Overview
The Kansas Department of Commerce is accepting applications for the 2026 Community Facilities: Large Grants category of the State Community Development Block Grant program. This is a Kansas-administered federal pass-through opportunity for substantial public-facility and infrastructure projects that improve community services, health, safety, accessibility and long-term quality of life.
Funding and Deadline
Community Facilities Large awards range from $210,001 to $1,500,000. The 2026 guidelines state that communities with populations below 2,500 have a maximum award of $650,000, while communities above 2,500 may receive up to $1,500,000. The combined 2026 funding pool for Community Facilities Large and Small is $7.6 million, and the Large program expects approximately 10 awards. The guidelines also apply a $2,000-per-beneficiary funding ceiling.
The required local match is 20% of the CDBG grant request. Applications are due October 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT through the Kansas Commerce Salesforce Grants Portal. Applications submitted after that time are not accepted.
Eligible Applicants
Only eligible Kansas cities and counties may apply directly. State CDBG entitlement communities are not eligible: Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan, Overland Park, Topeka, Wichita and all of Johnson County. Counties may submit eligible on-behalf-of applications for certain cities, townships or subrecipients, including nonprofits, when the required agreements are in place.
All Community Facilities Large projects must meet the CDBG national objective of benefiting Low- and Moderate-Income persons, generally with at least 51% LMI beneficiaries, using approved census data, an approved income survey or an applicable Limited Clientele method.
Eligible Project Types
Current Kansas Commerce guidance identifies eligible uses including construction, major renovation or expansion of senior centers, libraries and nonprofit childcare centers; park and recreation facilities; renovation or expansion of existing community centers; streets, sidewalks, storm drains, curb cuts and ADA accessibility improvements; public fire stations, fire trucks and public storm shelters; and eligible post-award administrative, engineering and architectural services. New community-center construction belongs under the separate Blueprint to Build program.
School or institutional facilities are generally ineligible unless Commerce determines a specific project otherwise qualifies under CDBG rules. Atlas therefore treats this opportunity primarily as community infrastructure, early-childhood, public-safety and accessibility funding rather than a general K-12 school facilities grant.
Match and Readiness Requirements
Matching funds must be firmly committed and documented. At least 10% of the required match must be cash from a local source, and in-kind contributions may not make up more than 10% of the local match. The pre-application deadline was September 15, 2026, and only applicants with an approved pre-application may submit a full application. As of September 22, 2026, the opportunity therefore remains actionable only for communities that already cleared that gate. The local government must also complete the required public-hearing process, with the initial public hearing held at least 15 full days before submission.
Required Application Materials
The current upload checklist includes the Project Budget Form, Statement of Assurances and Certifications, governing-body resolution, Maintenance and Operation Resolution, commitments from other funding sources, public-hearing affidavit, environmental level-of-review determination, letters of support, project-area map, Disclosure Report, Anti-Displacement Plan, BABA Status Worksheet and a Preliminary Engineering or Architectural Report. Nonprofit certification, interlocal or subrecipient agreements and income-survey documentation are required when applicable.
Atlas Strategic Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 76/100. This is a material Kansas infrastructure opportunity with a large award ceiling and explicit health, accessibility, early-childhood and public-safety relevance. Its strongest Atlas use cases are city or county projects involving nonprofit childcare facilities, senior/community facilities, ADA access, fire and emergency-response infrastructure or other qualifying facilities serving LMI populations.
N9+ Direct Vendor Fit: 0/100. The controlling guidance does not establish telehealth, remote-examination systems or clinical equipment as a direct purchasing priority. N9+ should not be introduced in ordinary outreach for this opportunity. QC Healthcare fit is low and conditional because any healthcare role would need to arise from a specific eligible community-facility project and comply with CDBG procurement, beneficiary, public-purpose and cost rules.
Next Steps
Only communities that already received CDBG approval of their pre-application remain eligible to proceed in this 2026 cycle. Those applicants should confirm direct applicant eligibility, document the LMI national objective, lock the required match, complete the public-hearing timeline, prepare the required engineering or architectural documentation, and submit the full application through the Kansas Commerce Grants Portal by October 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT. Atlas should not initiate new cold outreach to a community unless its approved pre-application can be authoritatively verified.
Verified sources: Kansas Department of Commerce Community Facilities: Large Grants and the official 2026 Community Facilities: Large Grants Guidelines.