Funding Opportunities

Fiscal Year 2018 (FY2018) Disaster Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has published the Fiscal Year 2018 (FY2018) Disaster Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) making $587 million available to eligible grantees in communities impacted by natural disasters in 2017.

Current Closing Date for Applications: There are no application deadlines and the agency will accept proposals on a rolling basis until the publication of a new Disaster Supplemental NOFO, cancellation of this NOFO, or all funds are obligated.

FY 2018 Economic Development Assistance Programs ­ Application submission and program requirements for EDA’s Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs

The Economic Development Administration's (EDA's) mission is to lead the Federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for economic growth and success in the worldwide economy. EDA fulfills this mission through strategic investments and partnerships that create the regional economic ecosystems required to foster globally competitive regions throughout the United States. EDA’s Public Works and EAA programs provide economically distressed communities and regions with comprehensive and flexible resources to address a wide variety of economic needs. Projects funded by these programs will support the DOC Strategic Plan (2018-2022) by, among other things, leading to the creation and retention of jobs and increased private investment, advancing innovation, enhancing the manufacturing capacities of regions, providing workforce development opportunities and growing ecosystems that attract foreign direct investment. Through these programs, EDA supports bottom-up strategies that build on regional assets to spur economic growth and resiliency. EDA encourages its grantees throughout the country to develop initiatives that present new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities.

Under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), EDA solicits applications from applicants in order to provide investments that support construction, non-construction, planning, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects under EDA’s Public Works program and Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) programs (which includes Assistance to Coal Communities). Grants and cooperative agreements made under these programs are designed to leverage existing regional assets and support the implementation of economic development strategies that advance new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities, including those negatively impacted by changes to the coal economy.

Please access this opportunity, “EDAP2018”, on Grants.gov that supersedes the previously published “EDAP-2017” opportunity.

Current Closing Date for Applications: There are no submission deadlines under this opportunity. Proposals and applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the publication of a new EDAP NOFO.

Fiscal Year 2018 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has published the Fiscal Year 2018 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Regional Innovation Strategies Program. Under this NOFO, EDA is soliciting applications for two separate competitions—the 2018 i6 Challenge and the 2018 Seed Fund Support (SFS) Grant Competition. $16 million is available under the i6 Challenge to support the creation of centers for innovation and entrepreneurship that increase the rate at which innovations, ideas, intellectual property, and research are translated into products, services, viable companies, and jobs. $5 million is available under the SFS Grant Competition to support the creation, launch, or expansion of equity-based, cluster-focused seed funds that invest regionally-managed risk capital in regionally-based startups with a potential for high growth.

The RIS Program is managed by the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and more information can be found on the RIS webpage.

Current Closing Date for Applications: August 29, 2018

Fiscal Year 2018 EDA University Center Economic Development Program (UC) Notice of Funding Opportunity

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has published the Fiscal Year 2018 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the University Center Economic Development Program Competition for EDA’s Austin and Denver Regional Offices. This NOFO makes approximately $7.4 million available for the program ($2.5 million for the first year of awards under this competition).

The purpose of EDA’s University Center Economic Development Program (also referred to in this announcement as the University Center program) is to enable institutions of higher education and consortia of institutions of higher education to establish and operate University Centers specifically focused on using university assets to build regional economic ecosystems that support innovation and high-growth entrepreneurship. University Centers collaborate with other EDA partners by providing expertise and technical assistance to develop, implement, and support regional strategies that result in job creation, high-skilled regional talent pools, and business expansion in a region’s innovation clusters. Expertise and technical assistance may address, for example, workforce training programs, applied research centers, technology commercialization, feasibility studies, market research, economic impact analyses training, and other technical assistance to help communities foster vibrant economic ecosystems.

Since FY 2004, EDA has administered the University Center program as a competitive multi-year program, holding competitions in two of its six regional offices on a rotating basis. EDA encourages the submission of applications that will create and nurture regional economic ecosystems through science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skill development, workforce training opportunities, applied research and development, technology commercialization, and targeted activities that cultivate entrepreneurship and improve regional economic development.

• Denver: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=305794
• Austin: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=305793

AURO and DRO will each be holding informational webinars on this NOFO. More details to follow.

Current Closing Date for Applications: July 15, 2018

Fiscal Year 2018-2020 Research and National Technical Assistance (RNTA) Notice of Funding Opportunity

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has published the Fiscal Year 2018 - 2020 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Research and National Technical Assistance projects. This NOFO makes $1.5 million available for Research and Evaluation (R&E;) projects and $1.0 million available for National Technical Assistance (NTA) projects.

Through the R&E; program, EDA supports the development of tools, recommendations, and resources that shape Federal economic development policies and inform economic development decision-making. R&E; program investments provide critical, cutting-edge research and best practices to regional, state, and local practitioners in the economic development field, thereby enhancing understanding and implementation of economic development concepts throughout the country. EDA also regularly evaluates the impacts and outcomes of its various programs as a means of identifying policy and program modifications that will increase the Agency’s efficiency and effectiveness.

EDA’s NTA program supports a small number of projects that provide technical assistance at a national scope. These projects support best practices among communities trying to solve problems related to economic development goals. By working in conjunction with its national technical assistance partners, EDA helps States, local governments, and community-based organizations to achieve their highest economic potential. The NTA program supports activities that are beneficial to the economic development community nationwide and includes, but is not limited to, outreach, training, and information dissemination. It can also provide assistance with implementation of economic development best practices and proven techniques.

Current Closing Date for Applications: September 30, 2020

FY 2016 – FY 2019 EDA Planning Program and Local Technical Assistance Program

Through its Planning and Local Technical Assistance programs, EDA assists eligible recipients in developing economic development plans and studies designed to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of an area or region. The Planning program helps support organizations, including District Organizations, Indian Tribes, and other eligible recipients, with Short Term and State Planning investments designed to guide the eventual creation and retention of high-quality jobs, particularly for the unemployed and underemployed in the Nation’s most economically distressed regions. As part of this program, EDA supports Partnership Planning investments to facilitate the development, implementation, revision, or replacement of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), which articulate and prioritize the strategic economic goals of recipients’ respective regions. The Local Technical Assistance program strengthens the capacity of local or State organizations, institutions of higher education, and other eligible recipients to undertake and promote effective economic development programs through projects such as feasibility studies and impact analyses.

Please see the Federal Funding Opportunity for full information on how to apply. Please note that applicants must apply to their respective EDA regional office. The chart below is provided as a reference for the Competition ID and Competition Title information needed to complete the application process.

Also note that any applicants who are in the process of developing an application under the previous FFO will need to apply under the new FFO and use the associated new forms.

Current Closing Date for Applications: Applications are accepted on a continuing basis and processed as received. This Planning and Local Technical Assistance opportunity will remain in effect until superseded by a future announcement.

Environmental Templates (DOCX)

(Required documents for submitting an application for construction assistance to EDA)