Selected Federal Agency Announcements and Related for the Week ending July 24, 2020

The following is a selection of recent announcements gleaned from various federal sources and colleagues and is provided to EDA’s Economic Development Integrators to increase our awareness of complementary resources for economic development.

See more open funding opportunities at federal agencies on the EDI webpage at https://www.eda.gov/edi/assistance/

Also visit the following links on our updated EDI webpages at www.eda.gov/edi for additional information about federal resources that are available to support comprehensive regional economic development strategies, including:

Click here to view all weekly federal announcement posts

Contents

Funding & Resource Announcements

Apply Now:  EDA CARES Act Funds

The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is accepting applications from eligible grantees for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) supplemental funds (EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance) intended to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance investments will support a wide range of non-construction and construction activities, including Revolving Loan Funds, in regions across the country experiencing severe economic dislocations brought about by the coronavirus pandemic

Details for applicants are provided in  an Addendum to our Fiscal Year 2020 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity (FY20 PWEAA NOFO) available on Grants.gov. Interested applicants are encouraged to consult with an EDA representative near you, prior to submission. Contact info is available at www.eda.gov/contact.  Also visit these resources on the EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance page:

ACCESS TO CAPITAL, BUSINESS ASSISTANCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

EXTENDED to Aug 8:  SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

The new deadline to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program loan is August 8, 2020. The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. Eligible small businesses and nonprofits can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. To apply for the Paycheck Protection Program, find an eligible lender: https://www.sba.gov/paycheckprotection/find

Apply by Sep 15.  BIA Grants to Tribes for Business Development Feasibility Studies

The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs is making grants available for feasibility studies of economic development opportunities located in designated Opportunity Zones.

The Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED), through its Native American Business Development Institute (NABDI), is soliciting proposals from Tribes for technical assistance funding to hire consultants to perform feasibility studies of economic development opportunities located in designated Opportunity Zones. Eligibility for funding is limited to those applicants whose proposed projects, businesses, or technologies will be located in designated Opportunity Zones. These grants are also intended to fund applicants to obtain qualified guidance on how the development projects, businesses, or technologies they propose can attract investments from an Opportunity Fund. See IEED webpage for details: https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/ieed/division-economic-development/nabdi

Now Open. USDA RD Business & Industry (B&I) CARES Act Loans

USDA is making available up to $1B in loan guarantees to help rural businesses meet their working capital needs during the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, agricultural producers that are not eligible for USDA Farm Service Agency loans may receive funding under USDA Business & Industry (B&I) CARES Act Program provisions. B&I CARES Act Program loans must be used as working capital to prevent, prepare for or respond to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Funds are available until September 15, 2021, or until expended. Contact the USDA Rural Development State Office  where your project is located for details. For fact sheets, FAQs and more, visit this page: Business & Industry CARES Act Program.

CEDS, REGIONAL PLANNING and CAPACITY BUILDING

Apply by Aug 3. USDA Accepting Applications for FY20 Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program.

The primary objective of the RCDG program is to improve the economic condition of rural areas through cooperative development. Grants are available for non-profit corporations or higher education institutions only. Funds may be used to pay for up to 75 percent of the cost of establishing and operating centers for rural cooperative development. The maximum award amount per grant is $200,000. Centers may have the expertise on staff, or they can contract out for the expertise to assist individuals or entities in the startup, expansion or operational improvement of rural businesses, especially cooperative or mutually-owned businesses. Click here for the solicitation.

Apply by Aug 6:  NEA’s FY20 Our Town Creative Placemaking Grants Program

Our Town is the National Endowment for the Arts’ creative placemaking grants program. Grants support projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes. These projects require a partnership between a local government entity and nonprofit organization, one of which must be a cultural organization. Apply by August 6.  For more information visit these NEA weblinks:

Apply by Aug 24:  USDA Community Prosperity Funding

Community-based and nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and tribal entities may compete for Community Prosperity funding on projects that provide outreach, education and training in agriculture, conservation, agribusiness, and forestry, with a focus on economic and workforce development, innovation and technology, and quality of life through food and agriculture

The program is administered by the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE). The deadline for applications is August 24, 2020. See the request for applications for full details.

Apply by Aug 24. USDA Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers, Ranchers, Agricultural Producers, and Communities

USDA has announced it is soliciting applications for grants from community-based and non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, and tribal entities to compete for financial assistance.  The eligible entities will provide technical assistance to persistent poverty communities, with emphasis on socially disadvantaged and/or veteran farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers to assist them in establishing a local working leaders group, identifying issues, challenges and assets, preparing a plan of action and identifying resources and means to address and accomplish results through available programmatic services and opportunities.  Click here for the solicitation.  Proposals are due by August 24.

INFRASTRUCTURE.

Apply by Aug 3:  FCC Deadline for Tribes to Apply for 2.5 GHz Rural Broadband Spectrum

The Federal Communications Commission’s 2.5GHz Rural Tribal Window program gives Tribes direct access to the broadband over their Tribal Lands.  The Rural Tribal Priority Window opened February 3 and closes on Monday, August 3, 2020 at 6PM EDT. More info:https://www.fcc.gov.

This window is a unique opportunity for Tribes in rural areas to directly access unassigned spectrum over their Tribal lands, subject to buildout requirements. The 2.5 GHz band is suitable for both mobile coverage and fixed point-to-point uses and is currently used to provide broadband service by legacy educational licensees and commercial providers that lease the spectrum. Depending on local needs, it can play an important role in the deployment of broadband and other advanced communications services on your Tribal lands. The only requirement for eligible tribes is to fill out an application before the August 3rd deadline. After this deadline has passed, any unclaimed spectrum will be sold on the open market to private corporate interests. Click the 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Window Submitted Applications link under Related Links to view a list of submitted applications.

Aug 14 Deadline: NSF and NIST Joint Call for Research on Disaster Resilience Standards.

With this joint solicitation, the NSF and the U.S Department of Commerce (DOC) National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) call for proposals for research to advance fundamental understanding of disaster resilience in support of improved, science-based planning, policy, decisions, design, codes, and standards.  Letters of Intent are due August 14, full submissions will be due on September 15, 2020. See NSF’s Solicitation  20-581 for more information.

Apply by Sep 1:  Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) Grant Solicitation

The Secretary of the Interior, through the Division of Energy and Mineral Development (DEMD), Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED), is soliciting grant proposals from Federally recognized American Indian Tribes and Alaska Federally recognized Tribal entities to build Tribal capacity for energy resource regulation and management. The Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) grant program seeks to develop the Tribal management, organizational and technical capacity needed to maximize the economic impact of energy resource development on American Indian and Native Alaskan land. Please contact DEMD with any questions or inquiries about the TEDC program or submission process: https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/ieed/division-energy-and-mineral-development/tedcp

MANUFACTURING, INNOVATION and TECHNOLOGY:

Concept due Aug 4. DOE $20M Challenge for Innovations in Water/Wastewater Treatment

U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced a $20 million funding opportunity to develop technology innovations that strengthen America’s water infrastructure and enable advanced water resource recovery systems that have the potential to be net energy positive. This funding opportunity is part of DOE’s Water Security Grand Challenge, a White House-initiated, DOE-led framework to advance transformational technology and innovation to meet the global need for safe, secure, and affordable water. Projects selected under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), issued by EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, will explore the interconnected, cross-sector opportunities for technological innovation at the nexus of energy and water. DOE anticipates making approximately 10 awards. View the FOA, application, and submission requirements on EERE Exchange. Deadlines are as follows:

  • Concept Paper Submission Deadline: 8/4/2020 5:00 PM ET
  • Full Application Submission Deadline: 10/6/2020 5:00 PM ET

Opportunity for Small Businesses to Access Oak Ridge National Lab Resources

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) issued a Notice of Opportunity (NOO) that provides small businesses and other industry partners with more affordable access to ORNL’s Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC), where they can undertake collaborative, short-term research projects that accelerate the development of new energy-efficient building technologies. This opportunity, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building Technologies Office (BTO), gives selected participants access to ORNL’s experienced staff, unique equipment, and research capabilities. This NOO is designed to accelerate and streamline the partnering process, significantly reducing the time, cost, and risk of bringing a product to market. This arrangement, along with the reduction of each project’s cost share from 50% to 20%, encourages businesses to continue innovating despite the adverse economic conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about the NOO here.  More information about the ORNL BTRIC is at https://www.ornl.gov/facility/btric.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Closing Jul 29: DOL Workforce Opportunity Grants for Rural Communities (Round 2)

U.S. Department of Labor, in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), announced a second round of grant funding for the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Initiative.  ETA’s WORC grants provide needed career, training and support services to eligible individuals in the Appalachian and Delta regions.  Applicants are encouraged to align and integrate workforce development activities with existing state, regional, or community development strategies – including CEDS. Learn more about grant eligibility and how to apply.

Apply by Aug 3:  DOL Grants to Support Women’s Participation in Apprenticeships and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO)

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced $4.1 million in grants available to community organizations to recruit, mentor, train and retain more women in quality apprenticeship programs, and to help those women pursue successful careers in manufacturing, infrastructure, cybersecurity, healthcare and other industries. The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) grant program is administered by the Department’s Women’s Bureau and the Employment and Training Administration. For information about the 2020 program, see the Department’s Frequently Asked Questions. A list of 2019 recipients can be found on the Women’s Bureau WANTO page.

NEW: Apply by Sep 22.  EPA FY21 Environmental Workforce Training Grant

EPA-OLEM-OBLR-20-03 – Closing Date: September 22, 2020

EPA is soliciting applications to deliver Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training programs that recruit, train, and place local, unemployed and under-employed residents with the skills needed to secure full-time employment in the environmental field. While Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants require training in brownfield assessment and/or cleanup activities, these grants also require that Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training be provided to all individuals being trained. EPA encourages applicants to develop their curricula based on local labor market assessments and employers’ hiring needs, while also delivering comprehensive training that results in graduates securing multiple certifications. Click this link for the full announcement: FY2021 Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWDJT) Grants (PDF)

Apply by Sept 24. USDA Agricultural Workforce Training Grants Program.

The Agricultural Workforce Training (AWT) Grants program  seeks to develop a technology- and data-savvy workforce, ready for the field and industrial jobs within the food and agricultural sciences. Through the development of new workforce training programs, or the expansion, improvement, or renewal of existing workforce training programs at community, junior, and technical colleges/institutes, this program will expand job-based, experiential learning opportunities for students to enable a work-ready labor force for 21st century agricultural jobs. Visit NIFA’s website for more information: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/agriculture-and-food-research-initiative-education-workforce-development.

NEW: Apply by Oct 8 – DOL $40M Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $40 million in Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants to expand community colleges’ ability to meet labor market demand for a skilled workforce. The grants also build the capacity of community colleges to address challenges associated with the coronavirus health

Community colleges may apply for funding as a single institution to undertake capacity building at one institution, as a consortium of colleges in one state or across one or more community college districts in a state. The Department expects to fund approximately eight to 16 grants of up to $2 million for single institutions and up to $5 million for consortium applicants. The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is Oct. 8, 2020.

Open Federal Funding Opportunities:  

Below is a list of previously highlighted funding opportunities that are still open. Enter the Opportunity Number in Grants.gov to see announcement details. You can also search Grants.gov for a full list of current federal opportunities, including programs not listed below.

Opportunity Number Opportunity Title AGENCY Posted Date Close Date
FOA-WB-20-01 Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (“WANTO”) Technical Assistance Grant Program DOL-ETA 07/02/2020 08/03/2020
RBCS-RCDG-2020 Rural Cooperative Development Grant USDA-RBCS 07/02/2020 08/03/2020
2020NEA01OT NEA Our Town, FY2021 NEA 05/06/2020 08/06/2020
RBCS-SDGG-2020 Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant USDA-RBCS 06/25/2020 08/10/2020
BIA-TEDC-2020 Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) Grant; Solicitation DOI-BIA 06/04/2020 09/01/2020
20-581 Disaster Resilience Research Grants NSF 06/13/2020 09/15/2020
BIA-2020-NABDI Native American Business Development Institute (NABDI) Grant; Solicitation of Proposals DOI-BIA 06/18/2020 09/15/2020
EPA-OLEM-OBLR-20-03 FY21 ENVIRONMENTAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND JOB TRAINING (EWDJT) GRANTS EPA 07/27/2020 09/22/2020
EDA-2019-DISASTER FY 2019 EDA Disaster Supplemental DOC-EDA 08/13/2019 Open
PWEAA2020

 

 FY 2020 EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs (Includes CARES Act Addendum) DOC-EDA 10/18/2019

Updated 05/07/2020

 Open
FR-6400-N-54 HUD’s FY2020 and FY2021 Distressed Cities TA Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) HUD 11/26/2019 Open
2020-NIST-MFGUSA-NEAP-01 NIST Manufacturing USA National Emergency Assistance Program DOC-NIST 03/30/2020 Open

 Webinars, Tools & Research

July 28 @ 2pm ET:  HUD Webinar Series for Local Governments Serving Small Communities

The Responding to COVID-19 webinar series presents resources for small units of general local government (UGLGs) related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the webinars provide digestible information on how small UGLGs may access public funding, data, and other resources made available due to the pandemic. Next session:

Webinar:           COVID-19 Recovery Strategies for Small Business Districts

Date and Time   July 28, 2020               2:00-3:30 PM EDT

You must have a HUD Exchange account to register. Follow these instructions for registering.

 July 29 @ 2PM ET:  DOT Opportunity Zones Program Update Webinar

The United States Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) invites you to participate at the Department’s “Opportunity Zones Program” Updates Webinar to be held on Wednesday, July 29th. The webinar will start promptly at 2:00 pm, EDT. This webinar will update the public on the recent pandemic of COVID-19, and its impact on the Opportunity Zones program within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Register

Jul 29 @ 2pm:  BRIC Summer Engagement Webinar Series

BRIC and Nature-Based Solutions: This session will cover the value of nature-based solutions in building community infrastructure and resilience. Register

Each Wednesday in July from 2-3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), FEMA will host an engagement session on Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC). To learn more about the Sessions and to register click the following link: BRIC Summer Engagement Series.

To learn more about BRIC or the Summer Engagement Series, visit: www.fema.gov/bric

EPA Releases COVID19 Financial Impact Tool for Water Utilities

EPA released a new tool to help water utilities assess the financial impact of COVID-19 on operations. Developed by EPA’s Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center, the Water Utility COVID-19 Financial Impact Tool leads water utilities through questions that can determine how their revenues, expenses and cashflow have been affected. This tool will help water utilities understand the financial health as they plan for ongoing operation and maintenance and capital infrastructure needs, including implementing plans to repair, replace and modernize aging infrastructure.

Visit the EPA website to access the Water Utility COVID-19 Financial Impact Tool.

NEW: EPA EJSCREEN – Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool:

A new environmental justice mapping and screening tool called EJSCREEN that combines environmental and demographic indicators in maps and reports. EJSCREEN users choose a geographic area; the tool then provides demographic and environmental information for that area. All of the EJSCREEN indicators are publicly-available data. EJSCREEN replaces EJView, a previous publicly available environmental justice screening tool. View the tool and learn more here: https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen/what-ejscreen

New Report on Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Food and Agriculture Markets

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) and the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) have partnered together on a new paper, “Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Food and Agricultural Markets.” This publication contains insights from 29 experts and is now available for download.  The paper’s authors discuss the following topics: macroeconomics, trade, supply chain, consumer behavior, food service/grocery, meat processing, forestry and wood products, local food systems, food waste, food insecurity, major commodity crops, agricultural finance, agricultural labor, rural health care, and research and outreach priorities.

OZs and Economic Recovery in Underserved Areas: New Milken Institute Playbook

From the Milken Institute

The COVID-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented challenge to all economies. However, pandemics hit underserved and vulnerable populations the hardest, and now the crisis will exacerbate their need for capital. To translate this imperative into effective action, the Milken Institute has developed this playbook to serve as a state and local official training guide for interested communities. It contains 20 ‘plays’ that can be deployed by community leaders to encourage private sector and philanthropic investment in their hometowns.
Executive Summary / Download

2020 Report on New Market Tax Credits Released – Includes Investment Map/Analyses

The NMTC Coalition recently released its 2020 NMTC Progress Report. In 2019, NMTC financing helped make 288 projects possible, and CDEs used $2.7 billion in NMTC allocation to deliver $4.5 billion in total project investment to low-income communities.  This year’s report includes an insert commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the NMTC. We have also set up an interactive online tool-kit with maps, graphics, and data on the nearly 6,400 projects financed by the NMTC since 2000. Virtual briefing on YouTube at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhDiIH4Padw

  • Analysis of more than 17,000 transaction-level records from a Department of Treasury FOIA request.
  • Analysis of the NMTC’s role in rejuvenating vacant, and environmentally contaminated buildings.
  • A deep dive into how CDEs find projects.
  • Investment trends and commutative statistics.

Disaster Recovery Resources & Info

Economic Recovery Support & the National Disaster Response Framework

  • On behalf of the Department of Commerce, EDA leads the Economic Recovery Support Function (ERSF), under the National Disaster Response Framework (NDRF). Read more about EDA’s role in Disaster Recovery here: https://www.eda.gov/disaster-recovery/

Federal Disaster Declarations

COVID-19 Disaster Assistance Resources

Department of Commerce (DOC) Resources

Census Bureau Resources

Economic Development Administration (EDA) Resources

Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Centers Received CARES Act Funding

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA): Broadband USA

ERSF Partner Agencies (FEMA, Labor, SBA, Treasury, USDA)

Additional Selected Federal Recovery Resources:

  • Department of Defense (DOD) COVID-19 JATF Industry Portal. COVID-19 National Response Team Joint Acquisition Task Force Industry Portal for Procurement and Grant Opportunities.
  • Department of Education (DOE): Education Stabilization Fund. These funds support state education agencies and local education agencies during the pandemic.
  • Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Lifeline and Broadband Services. Keeping Americans Connected

Housing and Urban Development (HUD): HUD COVID-19 Homepage.  See in particular:

Health and Human Services (HHS):  HHS COVID-19 Homepage.

 

Non-Federal Resources

Assistance for Natural Disasters

EDA Disaster Supplemental Funding Available for 2018/19 Natural Disasters

EDA Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) Disaster Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), made available $587 million for eligible grantees in communities impacted by presidentially declared natural disasters in 2018, and by floods and tornadoes in 2019. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. View Opportunity Number EDA-2019-DISASTER on Grants.gov,  and contact your EDA Regional Office representative for eligibility information and application assistance.

NEW: Congressional Research Service -2020 Hurricane Season FAQ

On July 24, CRS issued a report ahead of the 2020 Hurricane Season to address a number of frequently asked questions regarding Federal Disaster Assistance for Hurricanes During the COVID-19. The report is focused on FEMA and SBA funds available following emergency and major disaster declarations under the Stafford Act. Read the report here:https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46385

NIST Funding Available for MEP Disaster Assessment Program

  • NIST MEP Disaster Assessment Program: NIST will accept applications from MEP Centers on a rolling basis based on the date of the subject FEMA Disaster Declaration. See NOFO (2020-NIST-MEP-MDAP-01) for full details.

EPA Toolkit Features Resources to Prepare for Natural Disasters

HUD Technical Assistance (TA) for Disaster Recovery in Small Cities.