Selected Federal Agency Announcements and Related for the Week of July 15, 2019

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

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

Treasury Department Opens the FY 2019 Funding Round for the Capital Magnet Fund

Through the Capital Magnet Fund, the CDFI Fund competitively awards funds to CDFIs and qualified non-profit housing organizations. The CDFI Fund plans to provide up to $130.8 million in awards for the FY 2019 round. Capital Magnet Fund recipients are able to utilize these funds for financing activities such as affordable housing funds, economic development funds, loan loss reserves, revolving loan funds, risk-sharing loans, and loan guarantees. For more info, see www.cdfifund.gov/cmf.

 

CAPACITY BUILDING

Closing Soon: NEA Technical Assistance for Creative Placemaking.  Apply by July 29.

The National Endowment for the Arts (“Arts Endowment”) assists organizations in effectivity incorporating the arts into community development efforts by funding creative placemaking projects across the country. NEA’s Creative Placemaking Technical Assistance program is currently accepting applications.  These projects advance local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes by placing the arts at the table with other sectors, such as agriculture and food, economic development, education and youth, environment and energy, health, housing, public safety, transportation, and workforce development. Short-term technical assistance institutes will be convened to gather experts with teams of local leaders. More information available at: NEA Website Announcement. Apply by July 29.

 

INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENUERSHIP

NEW:  Department of Energy Announces FY20 SBIR/STTR Phase I Opportunities. LOI Due Sept 3.

DOE topics for its FY 2020 SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement have been issued and are available on our website: https://science.osti.gov/sbir/Funding-Opportunities.  Letters of Interest are due September 3; Full Applications will be due October 15. The following DOE program offices within the Office of Science (SC) are participating in the solicitation:

    • Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR)
    • Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
    • Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
    • Office of Nuclear Physics (NP)

DOE will hold a webinar to discuss the Funding Opportunity and application process on Friday, August 16, 2019.   Learn more about the topics beforehand, by registering for one or both of the DOE FY 2020 Phase I Release 1 SBIR/STTR Topics webinars with DOE Topic Managers:

  • Webinar 1:  SC, ASCR and BES Topics 1-24 Monday, July 22, 2019:  Register by clicking here.
  • Webinar 2:  BER and NP Topics 26 – 35 Tuesday, July 23, 2019:  Register by clicking here.

 

Closing Soon: HHS Community Economic Development Program Announces Funding Opportunity for Social Enterprise and Business Incubators. Apply by July 29

For Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Community Economic Development (CED) program, administered by the Office of Community Services (OCS) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), will provide up to $2.4 million in grants ($400,000 maximum per project in FY 2019) to experienced Community Development Corporations (CDCs) under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).

The CDCs funded under this announcement will implement a business incubator, which will provide technical and financial assistance to support organizations willing to create or expand social enterprises.  The CED Social Enterprise program seeks to fund projects that address the personal and community barriers that must be overcome to help individuals with low incomes become self-sufficient. Funds can be used for costs associated with participating social enterprise business start-up or expansion activities, as well as technical assistance and incubator services to participating social enterprises, as consistent with the cost principles found at 45 CFR Part 75, Subpart E, provided that the expenditures result in the creation of positions that can be filled with individuals with low incomes. This includes start-up capital for operating expenses, such as salaries, facilities, and equipment that will be replaced by projected earnings. This also includes business and social support services provided to the social enterprises.  Applications are due by July 29.  Click here for the solicitation.

Prize Competition to Develop Wave Energy Powered Water Systems -Apply by Sep 6.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has officially opened the first stage of the Waves to Water Prize, which seeks to accelerate the development of wave energy-powered desalination systems and launch novel technologies to address critical water security challenges. The prize is divided into four stages, and the first concept stage is now open for applications through September 6, 2019.

The Waves to Water Prize is the first prize under the 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. The Waves to Water prize is led by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on the American-Made Challenges platform.

 

INFRASTRUCTURE

DOT Funding Available for Port Infrastructure. Apply by Sep 16.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 appropriated $292,730,000 for the Port Infrastructure Development Program to make grants to improve port facilities at coastal seaports. The Department of Transportation has announced the availability of funding for grants under this program and establishes selection criteria and application requirements. The Act directed that $92,730,000 of the appropriated funds shall be for grants to the 15 coastal seaports that handled the greatest number of loaded foreign and domestic twenty-foot equivalent units of containerized cargo in 2016, as identified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Funds for the Port Infrastructure Development Program are to be awarded as discretionary grants on a competitive basis for projects that will improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a coastal seaport, as well as the unloading and loading of cargo at a coastal seaport. All Port Infrastructure Development Program funding grant recipients must meet all applicable Federal requirements, including the Buy American Act. The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications for Port Infrastructure  Development Program. Applications must be submitted September 16, 2019.

MANUFACTURING AND INNOVATION

Closing Soon: NIST Seeking Economic Research on the Need for Technology Infrastructure to Support the IoT. Apply by July 24

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking applications from eligible applicants for activities to assess the potential economic impacts, resulting from Federal research investments, of meeting the Nation’s need for technology infrastructure to support the Internet of Things (IoT). By identifying technological and economic trends in IoT research and assessing critical gaps in the Nation’s IoT technology infrastructure, the recipient will produce an economic study to help guide industry, academia, and federal researchers in their efforts to accelerate the critical research needed for timely IoT development.

NIST has identified $400,000 for investment in a cooperative agreement.  The solicitation is available here.  Applications are due by July 24.

 

WORKFORCE

DOL Funding for Apprenticeships. Apply by Sept 24.

The Department of Labor Employment Training Administration has announced a new solicitation to award up to $100 million in grant funds authorized by Section 414(c) of the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA) for the Apprenticeships: Closing the Skills Gap grant program.

The Department intends to fund up to 30 apprenticeship grants, with awards ranging from $500,000 to $6 million. Grants may be local/regional, statewide, or national in scale, and funding will depend on the proposed geographic scope of the apprenticeship project.  Grant funds will be awarded to apprenticeship partnerships of public- and private-sector entities, which together will develop and implement new apprenticeship models or expand existing apprenticeship programs.  The full solicitation will be published on grants.gov today.

This Announcement solicits applications for the Apprenticeships: Closing the Skills Gap grant program.  The purpose of this program is to promote apprenticeships as a significant workforce solution in filling current middle- and high-skilled job vacancies and closing the skills gap between employer workforce needs and the skills of the current workforce.  The overarching goals of this grant program are threefold: (1) to accelerate the expansion of apprenticeships to new industry sectors and occupations, such as cybersecurity and those involving artificial intelligence; (2) to promote the large-scale expansion of apprenticeships across the nation to a range of employers, including small- and medium-sized employers; and (3) to increase apprenticeship opportunities for all Americans.

View the announcement on Grants.gov here.

 

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
EDAP2018 FY18 Economic Development Assistance Programs: Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance DOC-EDA 07/02/2018 Open
693JJ319NF-NSFLTP Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) DOT-FHWA 10/04/2018 Open
2019-NIST-TPO-IOT-01 Economic Research and Analysis of the National Need for Technology Infrastructure to Support the Internet of Things (IoT) DOC-NIST 05/22/2019 07/24/2019
MBDA-OBD-2019-2006126 Virtual Business Center DOC 06/14/2019 07/26/2019
FOA-ETA-19-04

 

 YouthBuild DOL-ETA 06/06/2019 08/06/2019
2019-NIST-TPO-02 Enabling Federal Technology Transfer Program (EFTT) DOC-NIST 06/17/2019 08/16/2019
 

DE-FOA-0001980

 FY19 Advanced Manufacturing Office Multi-Topic FOA DOE-GFO 05/07/2019 08/29/2019
EPA-OLEM-OBLR-19-03 FY19 BROWNFIELDS TRAINING, RESEARCH, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT EPA 07/09/2019 09/20/2019
FOA-ETA-19-09

 

 Apprenticeships: Closing the Skills Gap DOL-ETA 06/24/2019 09/24/2019

Public Meetings, Events and Training

SBA’s SBIR Road Tour Continues Southwest, East Coast and Caribbean

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is continuing its 16-stop road tour connecting entrepreneurs working on advanced technology to the country’s largest source of early stage funding – the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The SBIR Road Tour plays an important role in increasing engagement with entrepreneurial ecosystems across the country and building out greater networks to support the creation of small businesses focusing on high-impact research.

Each SBIR Road Tour stop will be hosted by a local organization involved in supporting entrepreneurs in next generation R&D. Program managers from the participating federal agencies will conduct one-on-one meetings with attendees, take part in targeted panels, discuss technology areas, and share insights into how the agencies make funding decisions.

  • The Central Plains Tour was held May 20-24, with stops in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Kansas City, Kansas; Des Moines, Iowa; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Fargo, North Dakota.
  • The Southwest Tour will run from August 12-16, with stops in Tucson, Arizona; El Paso, Texas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Boulder, Colorado.
  • The Eastern Tour will run from September 16-20, with stops in Burlington, Vermont; Albany, New York; New Brunswick, New Jersey; State College, Pennsylvania; and College Park, Maryland.
  • Caribbean: the SBIR Road Tour will stop in Miami, Florida on November 13 and in Puerto Rico on November 15.

Small technology firms, innovators, scientists or researchers seeking more information on the SBIR Road Tour, including a schedule of stops and participating agencies should visit: www.sbirroadtour.com.

For more information about SBIR/STTR programs, please visit www.sbir.gov.

 

Reports, Tools and Data

NEW: ARC Releases County Economic Status Designations for FY 2020

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has recently released its County Economic Status Designations for Fiscal Year 2020, which annually ranks the economic status of each of the Region’s 420 counties using national data. ARC has been issuing index-based County Economic Status Designations on annual basis since 2007, primarily to help the Region’s 13 states develop economic investment strategies for the forthcoming year. In FY 2018, 279 projects totaling 64% of ARC investment dollars had a direct impact on distressed counties. ARC is currently in FY 2019, which ends September, 30, 2019. ARC’s County Economic Status Designations for FY 2020 will be effective October 1, 2019–September 30, 2020 for investment purposes.

Data tables, source methodology, and a link to an interactive mapping tool featuring the economic status of each Appalachian county is available at www.arc.gov/research/MapsofAppalachia.asp?MAP_ID=149.

 

NEW: NADO Publishes Material from June 18 – 20  National CEDS Forum

The first-ever National CEDS Forum was held in Columbus, OH on June 18-20, 2019.  Over 75 participants from 31 states and Washington, DC came together for training sessions, networking opportunities, small group discussions, and a mobile workshop tour to Wilmington, OH.  Attendees learned about the latest best practices and resources available to support their Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) planning, development, and implementation.  Session topics focused on economic resilience and diversification; accessing and interpreting data; aligning the CEDS with other plans; outreach and engagement; Opportunity Zones; and more.  Click here to view presentation materials: https://www.nado.org/national-ceds-forum-event-materials/

NEW: Atlanta Fed Paper on Workforce Development Programs: “What Works at Scale”
A recent Atlanta Fed discussion paper provides workforce development policymakers with a two-step method to follow when adopting or expanding evidence-based programs. The method is called scale analysis. Scale Analysis:

  • Is a framework to improve decision making when replicating evidence-based workforce development programs in a new context or when scaling up existing programs.
  • Evaluates uncertainty over workforce development program training outcomes (such as completion and employment rates).
  • Helps policymakers identify weaknesses and strengths in their efforts to develop programs to meet specific strategic goals and objectives.

The paper includes an example of scale analysis, applying the method to a hypothetical metropolitan area that seeks to adopt an information technology sector training program for youths with barriers to employment.

Opportunity Zones: Report Lists Federal Programs that Target OZs

The White House Opportunity Council issued a Report that Lists Federal Programs That Support Opportunity Zones Click here to see a list of over 50 programs that federal agencies have already taken action to better target resources to Opportunity Zones. This list will continue to be updated and augmented as additional resources become available, including the new  Investment Priority that EDA recently added for projects based in or benefitting Opportunity Zones. See EDA’s June 12, 2019 press release for more information.

Disaster Recovery Resources & Info

Primary site for Disaster Recovery Assistance: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/

Where to Find Federal Disaster Declarations

  • You can find the latest federal emergency and disaster declarations, as well as prior declarations for other areas, on FEMA’s disaster declarations webpage.
  • Amended Declarations: Existing Declarations may be subsequently amended to expand covered areas, provide notification that an incident has been closed, or make other necessary changes.

Link: https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/federal-emergency-management-agency#documents

Funding and other Assistance Available for Recovery:

NEW: EDA Funds Disaster Training for Communities TX, LA, NM, OK and AR

A grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is funding training to help communities bolster their resilience and their ability to recover from a major disaster. The grant was awarded to the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). TEEX will provide face-to-face, on-site training in Disaster Recovery for Senior Officials and Disaster Recovery Public Assistance Programs to communities in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas that were impacted by FEMA-declared disasters in 2017, including Hurricane Harvey.

TEEX’s Infrastructure Training & Safety Institute is reaching out to local leaders and emergency management organizations in areas with Federal Disaster Declarations in the five-state EDA Region VI, and will soon begin offering the classes to qualified communities who request the training.A free online Disaster Recovery Awareness course is also available 24/7 on the TEEX website. This course provides basic information about recovery resources available to improve community resilience and prepares individuals to participate in recovery planning prior to a disaster.  Learn more about this Disaster Recovery Training at www.teex.org/recovery

EDA Disaster Supplemental Funding for Areas Impacted by 2017 Disasters

In 2018, EDA received supplemental funding to provide Economic Adjustment Assistance grants to support economic recovery in federally declared disaster areas impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and wildfires and other 2017 natural disasters. Please contact your EDA regional office for more information about eligibility and availability of these funds. See the following links for details:

Economic Recovery Support & the National Disaster Response Framework

 

Reports and Other Information on Disaster Recovery:

NEW: GAO Issues FEMA Statement on Disaster Recovery in PR and USVI:

GAO’s prior and ongoing work highlighted challenges with the Public Assistance program including concerns about the clarity of FEMA’s guidance, and the time and resources needed to transition to a new Public Assistance delivery model in Puerto Rico. Further, Puerto Rico and USVI officials reported difficulties understanding FEMA’s implementation of new flexibilities authorized by law as well as delays in jointly developing cost estimates for long-term recovery projects such as the repair or replacement of hospitals, buildings, and other public infrastructure. FEMA has taken some actions to help address these issues, including developing additional guidance and specific training. However, it is too soon to determine the effectiveness of FEMA’s actions.

GAO’s July 11, 2019 statement (GAO-19-662T)  describes (1) the status of FEMA’s Public Assistance grant funding in Puerto Rico and the USVI in response to the 2017 hurricanes as of April 2019, (2) the establishment of recovery offices in Puerto Rico and the USVI, and (3) challenges in implementing the Public Assistance program and actions FEMA has taken to address them. This statement is based on GAO reports issued in February, March, and June 2019, and includes preliminary observations from ongoing GAO reviews of FEMA operations. For ongoing work, GAO analyzed program documents and data on obligations and expenditures; interviewed agency officials; and visited disaster-damaged areas in Puerto Rico and the USVI, where GAO also interviewed FEMA and local officials. Read the complete report here: FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

GAO will continue to evaluate the Public Assistance program in the USVI and Puerto Rico and plans to report its findings in late 2019 and early 2020, respectively.