State & Local Consulting

As one of the nation’s leading training and technical assistance providers, Cloudburst understands that innovative, effective, and sustainable solutions require collaboration. Cloudburst’s experts work alongside state and local governments to develop, implement, and manage solutions to address some of the most pressing development issues facing communities today.

Cloudburst’s decades of experience encompasses a diverse range of housing, community, and economic development programs, requirements, and regulations.

Whether supporting government agencies and nonprofits in analyzing data trends, engaging residents and stakeholders through community outreach, developing strategic plans, conducting an environmental review, or evaluating an intervention, Cloudburst pairs its program and systems knowledge with customized training, technical assistance, and consulting services.

For more information on hiring Cloudburst or sharing a solicitation, please email [email protected].

Our Impact

Economic Development

Cloudburst has utilized its expertise in CDBG, CDBG-DR, CDBG-CV, NSP, and Section 108 to help communities address economic development challenges, including developing customized CDBG Economic Development Manuals and guiding grantees in planning and implementing activities that assist small businesses and microenterprises. For Takoma Park, MD, Cloudburst helped design a multifaceted Housing and Economic Development Strategic Plan that included extensive data analysis and community engagement with stakeholders, community leaders, elected officials, and citizens.

Consolidated Plans

Cloudburst has helped communities (such as Kent County, MI) develop more than 50 Consolidated Plans by facilitating public outreach; obtaining resident and stakeholder input; and analyzing local, state, and federal data sources to identify significant trends impacting a given community. Cloudburst then condenses that information into a set of targeted, measurable goals and projects to direct grant funds where they are needed most.

Fair Housing Analysis and Development

Cloudburst has supported communities like Eugene and Springfield, OR, and Wilkes-Barre and Luzerne County, PA, in identifying, analyzing, and addressing obstacles that prevent individuals and families from accessing housing. Cloudburst has utilized its expertise in federal fair housing regulation to assist communities through the development of over 30 Analyses of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) and Assessments of Fair Housing (AFH) Plans. Through this work, Cloudburst has assisted communities in identifying public and private policies or programs—such as local zoning ordinances and private lending practices—that may be hindering access to and availability of rental housing and homeownership opportunities. After identifying potential barriers, Cloudburst developed specific, actionable recommendations for state and local governments to address these obstacles.

Environmental Reviews

Cloudburst has assisted state and local governments in enhancing the efficiency of environmental review processes while upholding compliance with federal regulations. In states including Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, Cloudburst conducted a detailed assessment of existing environmental review procedures and addressed needs and challenges to ensure compliance with HUD regulations and reporting requirements.

Technical Assistance and Training on HUD Programs

Cloudburst provides state and local governments with the tools they need to effectively plan, develop, implement, and manage their HUD Community Planning and Development (CPD) programs. Cloudburst does not offer one-size-fits-all technical support; instead, Cloudburst’s team of experts meets with program staff to discuss the community’s CPD program(s), existing capacity, and current needs. Cloudburst then provides tailored technical assistance and training to meet the specific goals outlined by state and local program staff. Some examples of past technical assistance and trainings include:

Working alongside state and local staff to build program knowledge and capacity to more effectively implement and manage CPD programs.
Conducting one-time or recurring training sessions to teach program staff how to complete specific tasks in one or more of HUD’s online reporting systems such as the Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS), eCon Planning Suite, Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting (DRGR) system, and HEROS.
Providing on-call support to answer programmatic questions to ensure compliance with HUD regulations and reporting requirements.