ACCD warns federal funding is flattening; seeks spending authority for CDBG‑DR and flags brownfields gap
Loading...
Summary
ACCD told the Appropriations Committee that federal funds make up a large share of its budget—driven by CDBG‑DR disaster recovery awards—and requested spending authority to issue roughly $18.9–20 million in grants while noting expiration of a DOD diversification grant and missed brownfields awards shrink federal receipts.
Agency of Commerce and Community Development Director Dan Dickerson told the House Appropriations Committee that federal funds account for roughly 43% of ACCD’s overall budget this year, though much of that share is driven by a one‑time CDBG‑DR (Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery) award tied to 2023 flooding.
"If you look on that, the federal fund share is about 43% of our overall budget," Dickerson said, adding that without the CDBG‑DR award the federal share would be closer to the low‑20s. He said ACCD has authorized roughly $50 million in CDBG‑DR grant awards and is seeking approximately $18,900,000–$20,000,000 of spending authority in FY27 to issue another tranche of grants expected this spring.
Dickerson also outlined two federal reductions that affect the FY27 construct: a long‑standing Department of Defense subgrant that supported company diversification has expired (reducing spending authority), and ACCD did not secure a new competitive brownfields grant this cycle, trimming an anticipated $2.6 million in federal support. "The grant has expired," he said of the DOD funding, and later noted the brownfields competitive program outcome.
Committee members asked about cash timing and reimbursement mechanics; Dickerson explained that many federal programs are reimbursement‑driven and that ACCD has drawn down and been reimbursed in prior years, though there can be delays tied to federal processes. He said ACCD is working to obligate carry‑forward funds and stack multiple funding sources to finalize remediation grant agreements when developers assemble other financing.
ACCD emphasized that the federal funding picture creates pressure on general‑fund appropriations and helped shape the agency’s conservative 3–3.5% general‑fund growth in the FY27 request.
