Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Service Provider Sought for Milwaukee County

Overview

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) distributes Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding through grants to local and statewide community action agencies (CAAs) that seek to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty. CSBG funds can be used for a wide variety of services designed to assist low-income families and individuals, including:

  • Finding and retaining meaningful employment;
  • Achieving an adequate education;
  • Making better use of available income;
  • Securing and maintaining adequate housing;
  • Obtaining emergency assistance to meet urgent family needs; and, 
  • Achieving greater participation in the affairs of communities

DCF, in partnership with Milwaukee County, will be soliciting applications from a single entity (e.g., counties, non-profits, etc.) or from collaborating entities to be designated as the new CAA for Milwaukee County following the de-designation of the previous provider. 

Application Process Preview

Below is an overview of the application process; additional details will be outlined in the grant application, once opened.

Phase I 

Interested entities will be required to submit:

  1. Financial documentation demonstrating good financial standing and operations 
    1. This may be an entity’s most recent single audit or other documentation that meets federal and state requirements
  2. A written statement on how the entity currently meets CSBG tripartite board requirements OR a detailed plan outlining how it will meet CSBG tripartite board requirements (page 10) before the start of the contract.

Phase II 

Entities that are identified as meeting the criteria outlined in Phase I will be asked to submit a full CSBG Application for review by a scoring committee. Applications will include:

  1. A needs assessment of how the entity plans to create programming and allocate funding;
  2. An organizational budget;
  3. Tripartite board roster;
  4. Community coordination and linkages;
  5. Program summaries; and
  6. Other funding sources.

Anticipated Posting

Quarter 4 2026

Anticipated Posting Site 

DCF Grant Application Opportunities

References and Resources