CDBG Evaluation



Oakland’s Community Development Block Grant


G&A has provided comprehensive evaluations of Oakland's Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) from 1999 to 2005. Researchers conducted evaluations of over 50 programs responsible for delivering a broad range of services including affordable housing development, homeless services, workforce development and an even wider range of public service programs.

Our work on CDBG is an excellent example of how evaluation of a city-wide initiative can result in


  • Reforms in the administration of the initiative or grant-giving process

  • Easily accessible assessments of program performance and client impact

  • Early identification of programs warranting significant reform or reduced/eliminated funding

  • Improved outcomes by all programs receiving funding

  • Improved capacity of funded programs to generate their own program improvement efforts


G&A recommendations have stimulated important reforms in CDBG administrative practices by:

  • Streamlining the RFP process and requiring grant applicants to project specific, client-based outcomes and measurable goals and objectives for the first time

  • Using two-year contract cycles, significantly reducing administrative time spent processing contracts and reviewing grant applications


G&A conducted a comparative review of six Bay Area jurisdictions, focused on the way they administered their CDBG Programs. See
CDBG Administrative Report.

G&A revised the format of the evaluation report to make it an accessible and highly practical tool for policy makers, administrators and review teams deciding on grant applications for future funding:

For the City Council, G&A generated two evaluation summaries allowing policy makers to quickly look for high and low-performing programs.

A Comparative Program Summary provides a very brief overview to the performance of all programs being evaluated that year Policy makers can scan this list quickly looking for programs in their district, low-performing programs and programs that have excelled.

A One-Page Program Summary format provides a deeper level summary format with more details about the performance of each program. Policy makers can use the initiative summary to identify specific programs warranting a deeper look and find more information at this level.

The City has utilized these reports to identify programs or initiatives that required an even more in-depth review. For example, G&A conducted an:


  • Analysis of the City’s public benefit commercial lending programs

  • Extensive research into effective practices in community lending programs throughout the country


As a result of this work, the City restructured its commercial lending program, moving operations to a local non-profit agency and making numerous program reforms consistent with research.

Public Benefit Commercial Lending Report

Similarly, G&A conducted research into how CDBG funds were being used to support housing services to renters at risk of being homeless. As a result of this report, the City developed a new RFP format for housing services to require a single collaborative application integrating all services into one system. The intent is to increase housing stability by reducing duplication of services and to integrate services creating a more accessible system for consumers.

Housing Renters at Risk of Homelessness in Oakland

Finally, for policy makers, CDBG administrators and committee members considering funding applications, the individual program evaluation reports appear below. They provide detailed analysis of each program, describing the extent to which programs met their objectives, generated specific client outcomes, leveraged their funds and contributed to the community.

Housing Programs

Economic Development Programs

Public Service Programs