RioCOG operates community and economic development programs on behalf of its region.
RioCOG provides administrative and technical assistance services on behalf of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Texas Community Development Block Grant Program (TXCDBG).
The primary objective of the Community Development Block Grant program is to develop viable communities by providing decent housing and suitable living environments and expanding economic opportunities principally for persons of low- to moderate-income. Eligible Texas CDBG applicants are non-entitlement cities with a population under 50,000 and non-entitlement counties with a non-metropolitan population under 200,000 that are not eligible for direct CDBG funding from HUD.
As a condition of funding, the Texas Department of Agriculture must comply with Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968. To the greatest extent feasible, grant recipients must direct economic opportunities generated by CDBG funds to low-and very low-income persons. To ensure compliance with its policies, grantees are encouraged to visit Section 3 – HUD Exchange.
To learn more about the TXCDBG program, its application cycles, meetings, workshops, hearings, or other similar activities, visit their website. Texas Community Development Block Grant Program (TXCDBG)
LG administers the Economic Development Administration (EDA) economic development district program, known as the West Texas Economic Development District (WTEDD). The WTEDD is comprised of Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, and Presidio. The District’s purpose is to help lead a locally-based, regionally driven economic development planning process that leverages the involvement of the public, private, and non-profit sectors to establish a strategic blueprint (i.e., an economic development roadmap) for regional collaboration.
The West Texas Economic Development District, through the Rio Grande Council of Governments, is proud to announce that our 2021 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is now ready for final review and comment from the public.
Through partnerships and the direction of the CEDS Strategy Committee, a comprehensive survey of the public in the region was conducted to formulate and implement programs needed in our region.
Please click here to see our 2021-2025 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Document