Wyoming community and economic development funding in 2026: BRC, CDBG and SLIB, by who can apply
Wyoming splits local development money across the Business Council, a housing authority and a state investment board, and a business cannot apply to the biggest programs alone. The schedule, drawn to scale.
Short answer: Wyoming's development money for towns, counties and tribes comes from three desks: the Wyoming Business Council's Building Resilient Communities (BRC, formerly Business Ready Community) grants and loans, the Wyoming Community Development Authority's CDBG round, and the State Loan and Investment Board's grants through the Office of State Lands and Investments. The next BRC deadline is 1 November 2026, the CDBG round closed on 30 September, and a business cannot apply to BRC or CDBG itself: it needs a public applicant.
To use Wyoming development funding this season:
- Decide who the applicant is. Cities, towns, counties and joint powers boards file for BRC; tribes can enter cooperative agreements; a business needs one of them to carry its project.
- Name the barrier to economic growth your project removes and gather data for it. The new BRC rules require it, and it must be in your public notices.
- Count your match: the Council calls a 25% match the biggest change in the new rules, so line up federal, local, private or in-kind sources before you file.
- Call your Business Council Regional Director before 1 November 2026, the next deadline, or plan for 1 February 2027, which votes at SLIB in June.
- For an emergency repair or a required upgrade, ask the Office of State Lands and Investments about a Mineral Royalty Grant, and for a new CDBG round watch WCDA, not the Business Council.
Who funds economic development in Wyoming?
Wyoming splits local development money across three agencies, and the split changed. The Wyoming Business Council still runs BRC, but its CDBG page now says the Community Development Block Grant is administered by the Wyoming Community Development Authority (WCDA) and that the Council no longer administers it. The State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB), staffed by the Office of State Lands and Investments, runs a separate family of state-funded grants and loans. A town with a project often needs to ask all three.
That makes the first question "who is the applicant?" and not "how much is available?". The figure below draws who each program names, and the page's finding is clearest here: a business is an applicant in only two of the five programs we read, and neither is a development grant.
Program comparison: who can apply, match and cycle
| Program | Run by | Who applies | Match or cost | Cycle, 26 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Resilient Communities (BRC) | Wyoming Business Council, final vote SLIB | Cities, towns, counties, joint powers boards; tribes by agreement | 25% match; planning grants 25% cash | Open 1 Nov 2026, then 1 Feb 2027 |
| BRC loans | Wyoming Business Council | Same public applicants | 0% floor if no revenue, 1% if revenue-generating; $125 yearly fee | Open with BRC |
| CDBG | WCDA | Local governments | Environmental review before committing funds | Closed 30 Sep 2026, awards Jan 2027 |
| Mineral Royalty Grants | SLIB, OSLI | Not stated on the page read | Not stated | Board meetings July 2026 approvals |
| Countywide Consensus Grants | SLIB, OSLI | Not stated on the page read | Not stated | Rule Chapter 32 |
| Unmet Housing Grants | SLIB, OSLI | Cities, towns, counties, tribal governments | $5M appropriated | Closed 30 Jan 2026 |
| Joint Powers Act loans | SLIB, OSLI | Local governments | n/a | No authority to issue |
| Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan | SLIB, via lenders | Small business in a declared disaster county | Loan | Disaster only |
| Wyoming SBDC Network | Wyoming SBDC Network | Wyoming businesses | No-cost, confidential | Year round |
#1 Building Resilient Communities (BRC): the rules that took effect in 2026
The Business Ready Community program has a new name and a narrower purpose. The Wyoming Business Council's program page says Building Resilient Communities (BRC), formerly the Business Ready Community program, provides financing for publicly owned infrastructure that unlocks growth and supports community planning, with the aim of identifying and addressing barriers to economic growth. Eligible applicants are cities, towns, counties, joint powers boards and the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes. The Council's BRC FAQ says the new rules were approved by Governor Gordon on 2 February 2026 and came with a rebuilt online application portal and about 50 new template documents.
- 25% match
- 1 Nov 2026 next deadline
- 4 to 6 months filing to final vote
- $100,000 top planning grant
- Funds
- Water, sewer, roads, land, spec buildings, business or industrial parks, recreation and educational facilities and other physical projects that unlock barriers to growth, and planning
- The new test
- An application must identify the barrier to economic growth, which must appear in public notices, and each application needs a clear plan and economic impact to count as complete and eligible
- Planning grants
- Economic development plans up to $100,000, feasibility studies up to $50,000 and regional targeted industry plans up to $100,000, each with a 25% cash match; one planning project per applicant per calendar year, due 1 February
- Loans
- Non-recourse, secured by collateral (typically real property), with a 0% floor for projects that earn no revenue and 1% for revenue-generating ones, a $125 yearly servicing fee and terms up to the asset's useful life, not past 30 years
- Data center sub-program
- Managed Data Center Cost Reduction helps a local government buy down broadband and electricity costs for a data center business, which must match at least 125% of the grant in payroll and capital spending with half of that match in payroll
The drawing makes the wait concrete. A town that files on 1 November 2026 will be in front of the Council's board in February and the State Loan and Investment Board in April 2027, five months after filing. The Council says in its published comment responses that it is "a recommending body" and that SLIB makes the final determination, so a board recommendation in February is not an award.
Rather than choosing between deadlines, work backwards from the project. The Council says applicants present to both boards, so a project that needs a construction season in 2027 should aim at the 1 August or 1 November cycle, while a project with a data gap should use the next deadline to finish its evidence. The Council's 2025 comment responses acknowledged that the new rules raise the bar for small towns and promised data guides and information sessions; ask your Regional Director whether those are posted yet.
Best for a town, county or joint powers board with an infrastructure project that removes a documented barrier and a 25% match already identified.
#2 CDBG: now run by the Wyoming Community Development Authority
Wyoming's Community Development Block Grant changed hands. The Wyoming Business Council's page says the Council no longer administers CDBG and points applicants to WCDA. WCDA's notice of funding availability, posted in June 2026, announces funding under four sources and lists approximately $5.3 million under CDBG, subject to final allocation from HUD, with letters of intent due by 5:00 p.m. on 31 August 2026 and applications due through WCDA's online portal by 5:00 p.m. on 30 September 2026. Late applications will not be ranked, and WCDA anticipates awards in January 2027.
- $5.3M available
- 30 Sep 2026 closed
- Jan 2027 awards expected
- Categories
- The Business Council's archived CDBG page lists economic development (infrastructure and downtown development grants, most requiring job creation), community development and housing (public infrastructure, access for the disabled, community facilities) and planning grants and loans
- Before you spend
- WCDA says a recipient may not commit HUD funds until an environmental review is done and HUD approves the request for release of funds
- Letter of intent
- WCDA's form asks for the local government applying, any nonprofit sub-recipient, the project name, the CDBG amount requested, total project cost, the national and state objective, an activity description, whether a Phase I environmental assessment is done, your grant management experience and your planned public hearing and start dates
- Catch
- The Business Council's CDBG page still carries archived plan documents; use WCDA's own pages, and call WCDA at 307-265-0603 for the next cycle
The practical lesson is lead time. CDBG's letter of intent was due a month before the application and awards take about four months after that, so a town planning for the next round should begin its environmental work and public hearing the winter before. Federal HUD funding also reaches Wyoming through other desks; our guide to HUD Section 4 community development grants explains the national picture.
Best for a town or county with a public infrastructure, facility or planning need that fits a HUD national objective and can start an environmental review early.
#3 State Loan and Investment Board grants: Mineral Royalty, Countywide Consensus and Unmet Housing
The State Loan and Investment Board runs a separate set of grants through the Office of State Lands and Investments. Its grants and loans page lists Countywide Consensus Grants, Mineral Royalty Grants, the Municipal Solid Waste Facilities Cease and Transfer Program, Transportation Enterprise Account grants and loans, Unmet Housing Grants, the Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, state revolving funds and ARPA grants, and names the State Funded Grants and Loans line as 307-777-6373. The pages we could read state purposes and rule chapters but not amounts or dates, so call before you plan around them.
- Chapter 3 Mineral Royalty rule
- Chapter 32 Countywide Consensus rule
- ~$3.7M approved, July 2026
- Mineral Royalty Grants
- Awarded to alleviate an emergency that poses a direct and immediate threat to public health, safety or welfare, to comply with federal or state mandates, or to provide an essential public service. KOTA reported on 2 July 2026 that the board approved nearly $3.7 million for 11 communities, including a culvert replacement in Sundance, a backup generator in Pine Haven and sewer work in Moorcroft
- Countywide Consensus Grants
- Awarded to construct, replace or improve a fixed asset or public service facility and for major building and facility repair and replacement; routine maintenance and repair does not count as a capital project
- Unmet Housing Grants
- $5 million appropriated for grants to cities, towns, counties and tribal governments for projects that support housing development, including land acquisition and water, sewer and utility infrastructure; applications ran through 30 January 2026, and we found no newer window
- Joint Powers Act loans
- The page states the Board no longer has authority to issue them, which matters because older guides still list them
Wyoming also sends formula money to local governments that is not an application program. The Sheridan Press reported on 5 March 2026 that House Bill 107 would codify the longstanding direct distribution to cities, towns and counties at about $75 million a year; we did not confirm that the bill became law, and the Office of State Lands and Investments page lists FY27 direct distribution dates of 15 October 2026 and 15 March 2027.
#4 Wyoming SBDC Network: no-cost help for the businesses a project serves
If a project exists to serve a business, the business owner can get help without waiting for a public applicant. The Wyoming SBDC Network says it offers no-cost, confidential business services for entrepreneurs across Wyoming, serves more than 1,000 businesses a year and has served the state for more than 31 years. It reports an average client sales growth of 34% and average client job growth of 16%, which are its own figures from its clients. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., by appointment.
For a town building a BRC case, the SBDC is the fastest way to find the business side: a committed business needs a business plan, hiring plan and financials, which the Council's FAQ lists among the documents required when a business is involved. For the national version of this help, read our guide to free business training programs.
#5 Federal layers: USDA Rural Development and EDA
Two federal agencies also fund public infrastructure in Wyoming towns: USDA Rural Development, through its Wyoming state office, and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Both agencies' websites refused our automated reads on 25 and 26 October 2026, so we state no program terms, amounts or deadlines for either; check the USDA Rural Development Wyoming office and EDA directly. Our guide to USDA rural business grants covers the national programs, and GrantProbe's Wyoming state grants directory is the reference page for the state's grant agencies.
What changed in 2025 and 2026, and why it matters to a small town
Four changes matter, and each raises the preparation a small town needs before it files. First, BRC's focus moved from community and amenity projects to barriers to economic growth, and the Council's own comment responses say the change narrows public investment to projects more focused on economic development. Second, the 25% match is now the headline requirement, and the Council's responses acknowledge commenters' concern that it may fall hardest on small and rural communities. Third, CDBG moved to WCDA, so a town that bookmarked the Business Council's page is looking at the wrong desk. Fourth, Joint Powers Act loans are gone.
The Council's answers to commenters also describe a draft rule that allowed a waiver of the 25% match in extraordinary circumstances, with only half of the match required in cash, a 50% limit on BRC loans counting toward match, and a proposal to remove maximum award limits. We read the Council's page and FAQ but not the final rule text, so confirm each of those with the Council before you rely on it. The Council's older BRC page, which still loads, lists maximum awards of $5 million for Business Committed, Community Readiness and loans, $500,000 and $750,000 for Community Project tiers and $2.25 million for Managed Data Center Cost Reduction; whether the 2026 rules replaced those maximums is unconfirmed.
If you are a business leader in a town with a project, treat these facts as your agenda for the first meeting with the town clerk or county commission. They hold the application, and your job is to bring the evidence: payroll and capital plans, three years of financials and a letter of commitment.
Which applicant are you
- If you areA town with a water, sewer or road projectFile for BRC, and confirm your barrier data and 25% match first, because the new rules require both and a vote is four to six months out.
- If you needA plan or feasibility studyUse a BRC planning grant before 1 February 2027, because they cap at $100,000 or $50,000 with a 25% cash match and one per applicant per year.
- If you faceAn emergency repair or a required upgradeAsk the Office of State Lands and Investments about a Mineral Royalty Grant, because it funds emergencies, mandates and essential services; recent awards went to culverts, generators and sewer work.
- If you buildA public facilityLook at Countywide Consensus Grants, which fund fixed assets and major repair, not routine maintenance.
- If you areA business ownerDo not file for BRC or CDBG yourself; take your project to your town or county, and use the Wyoming SBDC's no-cost help to prepare.
- If you areA tribal governmentAsk the Council about a BRC cooperative agreement, and read the Unmet Housing Grants page, which names tribal governments.
PRE-CALL BRIEF: WYOMING BRC / CDBG / SLIB (checked against agency pages, October 2026) Applicant (city, town, county, joint powers board, tribe): ____________ Project (one sentence): ____________ Barrier to economic growth it removes (one sentence): ____________ Data that proves the barrier (quantitative, not anecdotal; source and year): ____________ Has the barrier been named in a public notice? yes / no / date: ____________ Total project cost: $________ 25% match needed: $________ Match sources (federal, local reserve, private, in-kind, land): ____________ Is a business involved? yes / no. If yes: payroll plan, capital plan, 3 years of financials, business plan ready? yes / no Planning grant instead? Economic development plan (to $100,000), feasibility study (to $50,000), regional targeted industry plan (to $100,000); each 25% cash match FILING PATH 1 Nov 2026: Council board Feb 2027, SLIB vote Apr 2027 1 Feb 2027: Council board May 2027, SLIB vote Jun 2027 1 Aug 2027: Council board Dec 2027, SLIB vote Feb 2028 Documents to gather: project narrative, project budget with match information, elected official certification, images and renderings, revenue recapture plan, resolution of support, public hearing notice and minutes, stamped cost estimates, attorney letter if requesting a loan QUESTIONS FOR THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR 1. Does my project fit the new "barrier to growth" test, and what data will the Council accept? 2. What is the final cash share of the 25% match for my project type under the rules effective in 2026? 3. Is there a maximum award for my project type under the 2026 rules? 4. Should I file 1 Nov or wait for 1 Feb? 5. Is anything better aimed at my need: Mineral Royalty (OSLI 307-777-6373), Countywide Consensus, or CDBG (WCDA 307-265-0603)? Pages: wyomingbusiness.org/communities/financing/building-resilient-communities, lands.wyo.gov/grants-loans, wyomingcda.com
Frequently asked questions
Who runs the Community Development Block Grant in Wyoming now?
When is the next Business Ready Community (Building Resilient Communities) deadline?
Is Business Ready Community still the name of the program?
Who can apply for BRC, and can a business apply directly?
How much local match does BRC require?
Are Joint Powers Act loans still available?
Is the Wyoming Unmet Housing Grants program open?
Can a small business get Wyoming help from the State Loan and Investment Board?
Bottom line
Wyoming's development funding is a three-desk system with a long clock. The Business Council's Building Resilient Communities program takes filings on 1 November 2026, 1 February 2027 and 1 August 2027 and votes four to six months later at the State Loan and Investment Board; WCDA ran the 2026 CDBG round, which closed on 30 September; and the Office of State Lands and Investments funds emergencies, capital projects and, when funded, housing. A business cannot apply to the first two on its own, so the first meeting is with your town or county.
For the wider picture, see GrantProbe's Wyoming state grants directory, the state small business grant directories, USDA rural business grants and the grant map.
How we built this page: we read each agency's own page on 25 and 26 October 2026 (sources linked inline): the Wyoming Business Council's BRC page, BRC FAQ, planning grants page and CDBG page; WCDA's June 2026 notice of funding availability and CDBG letter of intent; the Office of State Lands and Investments grants and loans pages; the Wyoming SBDC Network; and two news reports for board-meeting and legislative context. We did not read the final BRC rule text (the Secretary of State's rules search is script-driven), and USDA Rural Development and EDA refused automated reads, so no terms from them appear here. We did not apply to any program; eligibility is decided by each agency. This is not legal advice. See our methodology.