Fiscal Year 2023 Community Project Funding Request Information - DEADLINE: April 15, 2022

DEADLINE: 5pm CT, April 15, 2022

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has announced that the Committee will accept requests for Community Project Funding ("CPF") for the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations process.

Community Project Funding (formerly known as earmarks) enable Members of Congress to direct federal spending towards specific projects and programs that address the most significant needs facing the communities they represent. Last year, our office submitted 10 requests for Community Project Funding and secured $2,885,000 to benefit the people of Illinois' 8^th District. This year, we hope to bring home even more funding for the people of the 8^th District.

To ensure accountability and transparency and to ensure the projects that receive federal funding are those with the greatest benefit to constituents, there are several limitations placed on this process.

Limit on the number of projects – per the guidelines of the Appropriations Committee, each Member of Congress is permitted to submit a total of 15 Community Project Funding requests for Fiscal Year 2023. Moreover, there is no guarantee that all 15 projects will be funded. Regrettably, this means that many deserving projects will not receive funding.

Limit on the entities making requests – only state, local, and tribal governments; publicly owned entities (e.g. universities, ports); and 501(c)(3) non-profit entities are eligible for Community Project Funding. Some 501(c)(6) entities may be eligible on a case-by-case basis, including Chambers of Commerce, Farm Bureaus, or Veterans Service Organizations. Requests made by for-profit entities will not be considered.

Limit on the eligible accounts – projects must apply for specific federal funding accounts within a specific federal agency, which are themselves each governed by a specific appropriations subcommittee. Not all federal funding accounts are eligible for Community Project Funding. To see whether your project would qualify, please see the full list of eligible accounts below.

Fiscal Year 2023 only – the requested funding must be intended for use in the federal Fiscal Year 2023, starting October 1, 2022. Projects planning to use the requested funding over several years will not be considered. Please also do not request urgent funding; if your application is successful, the funding will not be dispersed until the FY23 appropriations bill is signed into law, which will take time.

Community support – you must be able to demonstrate compelling community support for your project. This requirement is integral to a successful Community Project Funding request. The more evidence of support, the better, including but not limited to letters from elected officials, press articles, newspaper editorial board pieces, a state-intended use plan or community development plan, or a city council resolution.

Non-federal funding match – if the project would normally require a funding match or cost-share by a non-federal entity, then the requesting entity must demonstrate that it can provide this match for the Community Project Funding. Community Project Funding does not itself require cost-sharing, but all Community Project Funding must conform with statutory match and cost-sharing requirements.

Public disclosure – all Community Funding Requests must be made public on both the Member of Congress's website and the Appropriations Committee website. For each request, the following information will be made public: the proposed recipient, the address of the recipient, the amount of the request, an explanation of the request, including purpose, and a justification for why it is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds will all.

Financial disclosure – the project or requesting entity cannot have financial ties to the Member of Congress or his immediate family. The Member will need to certify that no such conflict exists.

Additional requirements – each subcommittee and each federal funding account has additional specific requirements for Community Project Funding. Please carefully review the relevant subcommittee and account requirements and guidelines hyperlinked below.

Only Community Project Funding requests that meet all these requirements, established by the Appropriations Committee, will be accepted.

To submit a Community Project Funding request for consideration, please fill out this application form in its entirety, pasting any supporting materials into the application form itself, and submit the application as a single Microsoft Word document via email at il08cpf@mail.house.gov by the deadline, 5pmCT, April 15, 2022. A member of my staff will contact you directly within a few days to confirm receipt.

If you have any questions about the submission process, please contact my Legislative Director Adam McBride at Adam.McBride@mail.house.gov. We will not be able to process late or incomplete requests due to limited time constraints. If you have a question about our request form or whether your project request fits into one of the accounts below, please contact my office.

Eligible Accounts

Applications for Community Project Funding request for any accounts other than those listed below will not be considered (Agency || Account).

Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies

Department of Agriculture || Community Facilities Grants
Department of Agriculture || ReConnect Program
Department of Agriculture || Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants
Department of Agriculture || Agricultural Research Service, Buildings and Facilities
Department of Agriculture || Natural Resources Conservation Service, Conservation Operations