CDBG funds for conferences

[MD Planner]

Anybody ever used CDBG funds to attend the APA Conference? Obviously not directly CDBG but certainly APA involves community development and planning. Anybody ever had a definitive ruling if that is an allowable cost?

 

[Suburb Repairman]

Never a formal ruling, but I have.

State of Texas: used CDBG-DR to attend APA National in New Orleans, although it had a really solid nexus to disaster recovery so there wasn't much question.

Prior entitlement city: My salary/benefits was funded 50% from CDBG. I routinely attended state APA conferences.

I have seen individuals from City of San Antonio at the Texas APA Conference that I know are 100% funded through CDBG/HOME, which typically means their travel, training & dues are also funded from CDBG/HOME.

 

[MD Planner]

Interesting. I finally heard back from our CPD director and he said "no go".

Ah well.

 

[luckless pedestrian]

My past CDBG handler wouldn't let me either - had to be directly related more than that he had said

 

[Masswich]

Wrestled with several CD administrators about these sorts of things. I always felt that under the 20% cap you have a lot of flexibility to do "general planning" which can include training. I may not fund a full national APA trip with it, but I'd fund part of a trip like the registration. We certainly fund training more directly related to CD work with our admin $$$. May get dinged by HUD (and I am not surprised that if you ask, they would say "no") but not significantly.