National Community Development Week 2025

Time to celebrate! It’s nearly National Community Development Week! Celebrated in April each year, this year’s festivities start, April 21st, and run through the week.

Ok, you may not break out the fireworks and make it a holiday, but this is something worth celebrating. But don’t mistake the purpose of the week. It is not directed at overall community development. It is a week that points out the importance of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to communities throughout the nation.

The Council of State Community Development Agencies typically leads the way each year. Their website is packed with information, videos, templates, and more to help make your celebration of Community Development and CDBG a success.

The National Community Development Week Tool Kit

But COSCDA isn’t the only entity celebrating. The National Community Development Association’s Facebook page also provides a full tool kit for those who want to bring attention to Community Development that week. There is a myriad of facts, sample proclamations, and social media campaigns that your community can use to celebrate the week. The full toolkit for 2025 is available here:

National Community Development Week Toolkit

Not a One Trick Pony

In the past, I’ve discussed how CDBGs can Help Maintain Affordable Housing. This federal funding source was also utilized by the City of Clarinda, Iowa, to help with downtown revitalization. But there’s a variety of unique ways to use CBDG.

Check out this video below from HUD that depicts a myriad of ways that communities in states throughout the country have effectively utilized CDBG funding:

Start Thinking About How You’ll Use CDBG

National Community Development Week is a great time to think about your next CDBG project. It is an ideal time to prioritize those projects that may be eligible to receive CDBG funding and to start down the path toward applying for funding.

Whatever the project, utilize the week to start the momentum toward your next CDBG-funded project to help your community.