Selected Federal Agency Announcements and Related for the Week of November 5, 2018

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. Special thanks to ETA and other federal partners for sharing content included below.

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

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

NEW USDA Announces Grants Available for Training Programs to Assist Veterans Pursue Agricultural Careers (AgVets). Apply by Jan 10.

 

USDA has announced a grant opportunity under AgVets identifying $4,797,500 for investment.  Applications are due by January 10 from eligible organizations. 

 See: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=310087

The Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Program provides grants to non-profits to increase the number of military veterans gaining knowledge and skills through comprehensive, hands-on and immersive model farm and ranch programs offered regionally that lead to successful careers in the food and agricultural sector. The program encourages the development of training opportunities specifically designed for military veterans. AgVets project offer onsite, hands-on training and classroom education leading to a comprehensive understanding of successful farm and ranch operations and management practices. Projects may also offer workforce readiness and employment prospects for service-disabled veterans. Ensuring there are pathways for military veterans interested in pursuing careers in agriculture — regardless of age or production choice — strengthens agricultural production and rural economies across the United States.

 

To help achieve the AgVets Program goal, this program is seeking projects that will develop a model training program specifically designed for hands-on farming and ranching training for military veterans. Included among the list of requirements is strong coordination with other closely aligned USDA and other federal resources such as:

 

  • Include outreach to veterans who may have previously participated in projects funded by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/beginning-farmer-and-rancher-development-program-bfrdp and/or the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Grant Program https://www.outreach.usda.gov/grants/;
  • Connect, as appropriate, with Arability https://nifa.usda.gov/program/agrability;
  • Create partnerships and collaborations with academic institutions (including minority-serving and tribal colleges and universities), Extension Risk Management Education Centers (ERMEs) https://extensionrme.org/About.aspx, Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) https://rrdc.info/, or other regional entities to meet requirements for program and project evaluation and dissemination of findings, recommendations and impacts, including scalability;
  • Evaluate the training model and participate in cross-program evaluation to assess the collective impact toward shared performance measures and outcome goals through activities that include Project Team meetings, conference calls, and engagement with federal agency partners as appropriate;
  • Ensure results are disseminated through an effective communication plan;
  • Align education and training goals with USDA programs and resources to increase awareness and engagement with state and local offices of Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS), and Rural Development (RD), including potential job and career opportunities within the Department;
  • Collaborate with the Department of Veteran Affairs at the regional, state or local level to promote referrals, access to healthcare and other benefits to improve the Veteran experience and quality of service to Veterans;
  • Engage with the Small Business Administration and their resourced partners at the regional and local level such as Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Center, and the Service-Disabled Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program;
  • Engage with the Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service
  • Generate recommendations at the state and/or federal level that strengthen collaboration on transitioning Service members’ education, training, and apprenticeship programs, including use of GI Bill benefits, to promote the food and agricultural sector as a viable career option.

Request for Applications

Apply for Grant

Posted Date: Thursday, November 1, 2018

Closing Date: Thursday, January 10, 2019

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-OP-006669

 

INFRASTRUCTURE

USDA Announces Funding Opportunity under the Technical Assistance and Training Program – Water and Waste Water Systems. Apply by Dec 31.

The Department of Agriculture’s Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grant Program has been established to communities with water or wastewater systems through free technical assistance and/or training provided by the grant recipients. Under a grant solicitation announced on October 1, qualified private non-profit organizations are eligible to apply TAT grant funds to identify and evaluate solutions to water and waste disposal problems in rural areas, assist applicants in preparing applications for water and waste grants made at the State level offices, and improve operation and maintenance of existing water and waste disposal facilities in rural areas. Applications are due by December 31.

 

For details, see: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=309338

INNOVATION AND ADVANCED MATERIALS

 

NEW US Forest Service – 2019 Wood Innovations Program Request for Proposals. Apply by Jan 23.

The Wood Innovations Grants funding supports traditional wood utilization projects, expands wood energy markets, and promotes using wood as a construction material in commercial buildings.

The 2019 Request for Proposals focuses on the following priorities:

  • Reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health on National Forest System and other forest lands;
  • Reduce costs of forest management on all land types; and
  • Promote economic and environmental health of communities.

For detailed information on the application process, visit the 2019 Wood Innovations Program Request for Proposals.

 

NEW NSF Solicits R&D for Global Competitiveness: Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF). Apply by Feb 4.

DMREF is the primary program by which NSF participates in the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) for Global Competitiveness. MGI recognizes the importance of materials science and engineering to the well-being and advancement of society and aims to “deploy advanced materials at least twice as fast as possible today, at a fraction of the cost.” MGI integrates materials discovery, development, property optimization, and systems design with a shared computational framework. This framework facilitates collaboration and coordination of research activities, analytical tools, experimental results, and critical evaluation in pursuit of the MGI goals. Consistent with the MGI Strategic Plan, DMREF highlights four sets of goals:

  • Leading a culture shift in materials science and engineering research to encourage and facilitate an integrated team approach;
  • Integrating experimentation, computation, and theory and equipping the materials science and engineering communities with advanced tools and techniques;
  • Making digital data accessible, findable, and useful to the community; and
  • Creating a world-class materials science and engineering workforce that is trained for careers in academia or industry.

Submission Window: January 28, 2019 – February 04, 2019

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 20 to 25

Anticipated Funding Amount: $36,000,000

See Program Solicitation NSF 19-516 for more information: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2019/nsf19516/nsf19516.pdf?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click

 

JOB CREATION AND CAPITAL

NEW SBA Changes Job Creation or Retention Requirements under the Development Company Loan Program (504 Loans)

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is changing the job creation or retention requirements under its Development Company Loan Program (504 Loan Program) by increasing the dollar amounts used in calculating the number of jobs that must be created or retained for each 504 Project and for the portfolio average of each Certified Development Company. In addition, SBA is designating additional areas for application of the higher portfolio average.

 

The job creation or retention requirements and the designation of the additional areas that are described in this document will apply to all 504 loans that are approved under the 504 Loan Program on or after November 2, 2018.

SBA must receive comments on or before December 3, 2018.

 

The November 2 FEDERAL REGISTER https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-11-02/pdf/2018-24033.pdf) provides complete background and instructions for the submission of comments:

 

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

NEW DOL ETA Releases Revised FY19 Funding Levels for WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker Program Allotments

The Employment and Training Administration has released Training and Employment Guidance Letter No. 16-17, Change 1 which is available here: https://wdr.doleta.gov/directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=8075

The guidance provides states with revised allotment levels for WIOA Adult and DW FY 2019 funds, which became available to states in October 2018. This Change 1 to Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 16-17 restores the set-aside for evaluations to the funding available to states in October 2018

Figure 1 map reflects the combined F7 2019 Advance Adult and Dislocated Worker Funding in millions (e.g.  California receives $277.2 million).

 

Federal Funding Opportunities Closing Soon:  

 

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 FY 2018 Economic Development Assistance Programs: Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs DOC-EDA 07/02/2018
693JJ319NF-NSFLTP Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) DOT-FHWA 10/04/2018  
ETA-TEGL-PY-FY-ADULT-2018-C1 Revised Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Advance Funding Levels Available October 2018 for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult and Dislocated Worker (DW) Program Allotments DOL-ETA 11/02/2018 12/03/201
RDBCP-DHCS-2018 Delta Health Care Service Grant Program USDA-RBCS 09/07/2018 11/19/2018
ETA-TEGL-PY-FY-DW-2018-C1 Revised Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Advance Funding Levels Available October 2018 for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult and Dislocated Worker (DW) Program Allotments DOL-ETA 11/02/2018 12/03/2018
DE-FOA-0001987 Advanced Systems Integration for Solar Technologies DOE-GFO 10/15/2018 12/07/2018
18-598 Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs NSF 09/20/2018 12/18/2018
TATFY19 Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grant Program for Water and Wastewater Systems USDA-RUS 10/01/2018 12/31/2018
SWMFY2019 Solid Waste Management Grant Program USDA-RUS 10/01/2018 12/31/2018
HRSA-19-003 Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) HHS-HRSA 10/19/2018 01/08/2019
USDA-NIFA-OP-006669 Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans USDA-NIFA 11/01/2018 01/10/2019
19-506 Partnerships for Innovation NSF 10/19/2018 01/17/2019
USDA-FS-WERC-2019 2019 Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity USDA-FS 10/31/2018 01/23/2019
DHS-18-MT-047-000-99 Fy 2018 Pre-Disaster Mitigation DHS-DHS 08/03/2018 01/31/2019
DHS-18-MT-029-000-99 FY 2018 Flood Mitigation Assistance DHS-DHS 08/03/2018 01/31/2019
19-516 NSF – Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future NSF 11/01/2018 02/04/2019
19-501 Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations NSF 10/06/2018 02/28/2019

 

Public Meetings, Events and Training

NEW Nov 8 at 1 PM (ET) – EPA Webinar on Building Resilience with Vulnerable Communities

The ability of a community to respond, recover, and bounce back from increased risk to local waters from extreme weather and natural disasters is not equally distributed. Environmental justice recognizes that some communities experience higher exposure to local water pollution and degraded local waterways on top of other social factors that increase vulnerability. This webinar will look at the environmental justice factors contributing to vulnerability and examples of how EPA and its partner programs have effectively worked to help build resilience with vulnerable communities. We will also explore how the Urban Water Partnership model can build more resilient networks.

Register

 

NEW Nov 13 at 1PM (ET) – NEA Webinar: Creative Placemaking Grants for HBCUs

November 13, 2018, 1:00 pm EST

Led by NEA Director of Design and Creative Placemaking Jen Hughes and Design Specialist Courtney Spearman, this webinar will address NEA grant opportunities that are particularly relevant to HBCUs in the realms of historic preservation planning, architecture and design, and creative placemaking. REGISTER »

 

NEW: Nov 14 Webcast: Brookings to Launch Platform on “Transformative Placemaking”

An advisory from Brookings:

On November 14, the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program will formally launch the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking. This new center will expand upon on our current work on innovation districts in a few key ways:

  • By exploring the role and relevance of place and placemaking to firms and workers in varying sectors of the economy, from urban manufacturing, to healthcare, to arts and creative sectors.
  • By focusing on how concentrations of economic activity—or economic districts—can support economic growth in urban, suburban, and rural communities.
  • By documenting and developing transformative placemaking approaches that ensure existing businesses and residents are both key participants in and beneficiaries of district growth.

 

Registration for event attendance / registration for webcast: https://www.brookings.edu/events/transformative-placemaking-expanding-opportunities/

 

NEW: Nov 14 at 2 PM (ET) NTIA BroadbandUSA Webinar on Transforming Healthcare

When: Wednesday, November 14, 2018 Time: 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET

Overview: Broadband connectivity is critical for many reasons, including access to quality healthcare. From remote patient monitoring to mobile health applications accessed via smartphones, tablets, or other devices, advances in telemedicine and telehealth technologies have impacted patient care and health outcomes far away from hospitals and doctors’ offices. Connected-care services significantly reduce economic and administrative costs for patients and health care providers. This webinar will explore innovations in telehealth and telemedicine applications and programs that two leading universities have developed to improve patient health in their states, especially in rural and remote areas. Please pre-register for the webinar using this registration link.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

 

NEW: Nov 26, 3 PM (ET) – Webinar on Inclusive Development in Opportunity Zones

 

On November 26 from 3PM-4PM ET, the Aspen Institute in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation present a webinar on:  Expanding inclusive development through employee ownership in opportunity zones.  This webinar will explore:

  • The role of employee ownership in creating quality jobs and building wealth for workers;
  • The potential and capacities needed to convert existing firms to employee ownership;
  • How the intent and current regulatory structure of Opportunity Zones match – or don’t match – with investment in conversions to employee ownership.

If your organization has been thinking about whether and how Opportunity Zones might achieve the goals of economic transformation in communities that have been left out of American prosperity, join the Aspen Institute on November 26 from 3:00 – 4:00 PM ET to learn why employee ownership is a central part of an inclusive development strategy. Registration link: https://cc.readytalk.com/registration/#/?meeting=5jwe0xa4al5z&campaign=f8iq2x56d289

 

NEW: November 28, 11 AM (MT) DOE Webinar– Tribal Microgrid Case Studies

As microgrid technology continues to become more affordable, reliable, and advanced, tribes are looking at microgrids as a viable option to provide electric service to their members. This webinar will provide an overview of microgrid systems and technologies and how they can be used in tribal communities for emergency situations, to provide reliability, or to increase independence. Speakers will highlight the benefits and challenges for tribes considering developing, owning, and operating a microgrid. Case studies will share the reasons for and lessons learned by tribes that have successfully developed their own microgrids.

Register

 

Also Upcoming:

 

 

  • SSTI’s 2018 Annual Conference (Dec. 3-5, 2018, Salt Lake City, UT) Explore the full conference agenda and register here

 

 

Reports, Tools and Data

NEW: SBA and New York FED Report on Veteran Entrepreneurship and Capital Access; National Veteran’s Small Business Week is Nov 5-9

The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will issue the report Financing their Future: Veteran Entrepreneurs and Capital Access Thursday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. EST.

 

This report provides a comprehensive look at the state of entrepreneurship for military veterans and how they finance their businesses, which is closely tied to firms’ performance and growth. This report will put forth the most substantial data comparing veteran and non-veteran business credit borrowers to date. The report outlines current literature on veteran entrepreneurship, and presents new small business credit data from the Federal Reserve Banks’ Small Business Credit Survey . Together, these sections examine the entrepreneurial activity, performance, credit access levels, and financing challenges of veteran-owned businesses.

 

The report is issued during National Veterans Small Business Week, Nov. 5-9, 2018, in honor of the many accomplishments of Veteran, service member and military spouse small business owners nationwide. For more information about National Veterans Small Business Week, including events and ways to get involved, visit www.sba.gov/vetbiz. For more information on the resources available for veteran entrepreneurs, visit www.sba.gov/veterans.

 

NEW Report on Benefits of Investing in Mitigation for Utilities and Transportation Infrastructure

The National Institute of Building Sciences has issued its latest report in a multi-year study on natural hazard mitigation. This report, Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: Utilities and Transportation Infrastructure, examines the potential benefits associated with investing in mitigation for select utility and transportation infrastructure. The project team sought to use Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants to look at how the agency’s mitigation efforts to address four potential perils and four categories of utilities and infrastructure might benefit communities, and used the data to estimate benefit cost ratios (BCRs) for 12 mitigation investments including:

  • Flood mitigation for roads and railroads
    • Flood mitigation for water and wastewater facilities
    • Wind mitigation for electric and telecommunications
    • Flood mitigation for electric and telecommunications

The project team also supplemented the analysis of EDA grants by studying a few leading options for natural-hazard mitigation of utilities and transportation infrastructure.

Download Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: Utilities and Transportation Infrastructure.

 

NEW  Rural Resource Guide to Help Communities Address Substance Use Disorder and Opioid Misuse

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Deputy Director Jim Carroll and U.S. Department of Agriculture Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett have unveiled a listing of Federal programs that can be used to build resilient communities and address opioid misuse in rural communities. The Rural Resource Guide to Help Communities Address Substance Use Disorder and Opioid Misuse is a first-of-its-kind, one-stop-shop for rural leaders looking for Federal funding and partnership opportunities.

The Rural Resource Guide to Help Address Substance Use Disorder and Opioid Misuse is the second tool announced this month in USDA’s Community Opioid Misuse Toolbox – a suite of essential tools supporting grassroots strategies to address the opioid epidemic. Earlier this month, USDA launched the Community Assessment Tool, an interactive database to help community leaders assess how and why the opioid epidemic is impacting their regions. USDA’s Community Opioid Misuse Toolbox is free and available to the public. It can be accessed on USDA’s Rural Opioid Misuse Webpage.

 

NEW Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Appalachia

www.arc.gov/entrepreneurship” src=”file:///C:/Users/kaishuwa/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg” border=”0″ hspace=”12″ v:shapes=”Picture_x0020_31″>The Applachian Regional Commission’s October 2018 newsletter takes a look at “Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Appalachia.

 

What are the key building blocks for a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem? How are Appalachian communities putting these concepts to work? What data and resources are available for each of the Region’s 420 counties?

These are some of the questions driving Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Appalachia, a suite of research reports and resources supporting entrepreneurial ecosystem development in Appalachia. The concept of entrepreneurial ecosystems refers to a region’s “framework conditions” that serve to support the start-up and growth of new companies. Appalachian communities are at different stages when it comes to fostering supportive entrepreneurial environments; some are nascent and others are well-developed.

After a comprehensive literature review examining entrepreneurial development theory, the first report of the series identifies seven core elements associated with effective entrepreneurial ecosystems, including: market access, capital, talent, business assistance, specialized infrastructure & facilities, community culture, and regulatory & government support. Read the report > 

Eight Appalachian communities were selected as case studies to reflect both the diversity and complexity of entrepreneurial ecosystem development. The seven core elements of entrepreneurial ecosystems were examined in each location, providing a large number of examples for other communities throughout the Region to explore and consider.

Read the case studies to see how:

  • Asheville, North Carolina’s entrepreneurial ecosystem contributes to the area’s thriving outdoor recreation, local food, and craft beer industry sectors.
  • Athens County, Ohio fosters deep public, private, and philanthropic partnerships to attract capital investment and expand market opportunities for entrepreneurs.
  • Cattaraugus County, New York intentionally integrates entrepreneurship into its regional economic growth strategy.
  • Chattanooga, Tennessee uses an expanding network of capital investors, dedicated place-based development, and institutionalized broadband access to support the area’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
  • New River Gorge/Greenbrier Valley, West Virginia is jumpstarting its entrepreneurial ecosystem in the wake of the area’s changing coal economy.
  • Alabama’s Shoals Region supports entrepreneurs as they identify local assets, develop successful work plans, and change the conversation about local economic development.
  • Garrett County, Maryland engages a network of regional partners to activate an entrepreneurial ecosystem in a rural setting.
  • Southwest Virginia systematically leverages its cultural and recreational assets to develop a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.

 

US Cluster Mapping Site Updated.

TCI Network recently announced that the U.S. Cluster Mapping Portal has been refreshed with 2016 cluster data in regions.

TCI Network is the leading global network of main organisations and practitioners with deep expertise in clusters and competitiveness, who collaborate in a unique open, flexible and practical context to advance in the practice of competitiveness, innovation and cluster development. Founded in 1998, TCI is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation with a global scope, open to members from all continents. Its co-founders include Michael E. Porter, Harvard Business School.

The U.S. Cluster Mapping site provides over 50 million open data records on industry clusters and regional business environments in the U.S. to promote economic growth and national competitiveness. It is led by Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Economic Development Administration.

See: http://clustermapping.us/

Disaster Recovery Resources & Info

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

Where to Find Federal Disaster Declarations

  • Is your home, business or community included in a federally declared emergency or disaster area? 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.

 

Find recent amendments for GA, NC and WI and other recently declared areas here: https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/federal-emergency-management-agency#documents

 

Funding Available for Recovery:

Hurricane Michael:  USDA Accepting Requests for Assistance to Restore Eligible Infrastructure and Businesses. Apply by Dec 5

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in South Carolina is accepting requests for assistance to help communities implement critical emergency measures and restore eligible infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, houses, and businesses as a result of damage caused by Hurricane Florence and associated flooding. Requests for assistance through the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program, which is designed to relieve imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods and other natural occurrences in watershed, must be submitted in writing to the NRCS State Conservationist in South Carolina by Dec. 5, 2018.

See: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2018/10/26/usda-assistance-available-restore-infrastructure-damaged-hurricane

FEMA Disaster Mitigation Assistance Grants; Apply by Jan 31, 2019

DHS FEMA FY 2018 Pre-Disaster Mitigation – $235 million

Applications Due: January 31, 2019

Eligible Entities: State governments, U.S. territories, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments

The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program makes available Federal funds to State, Local and Tribal Governments to implement and sustain cost-effective measures designed to reduce the risk to individuals and property from natural hazards, while also reducing reliance on Federal funding from future disasters.

FEMA will provide allocations of $575,000 as required by the Stafford Act to states and territories; and a tribal set aside of $15 million for allocations up to $575,000 for Native American Indian tribal governments to support overall mitigation planning and projects. The remaining PDM funds will be awarded on a competitive basis with a focus on multi-state/tribal mitigation initiatives. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

 

DHS FEMA FY 2018 Flood Mitigation Assistance – $160 million

Applications Due: January 31, 2019

Eligible Entities: State governments, U.S. territories, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments

The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program makes available Federal funds to State, Local and Tribal Governments to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA will seek to fund two types of community flood mitigation activities: Advance Assistance for flood mitigation design and development of community flood mitigation projects and mitigation projects that address community flood risk for the purpose of reducing NFIP flood claim payments. The remaining funding will be used for FMA technical assistance, mitigation planning, and mitigation projects reducing risk to severe repetitive loss (SRL) and repetitive loss (RL) properties.

For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

 

EDA Has Supplemental Funding Available for Areas Impacted by 2017 Hurricanes, Wildfires and Other Disasters

These grants will support disaster recovery activities in areas receiving a major disaster designation as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and wildfires and other 2017 natural disasters. EDA plans to accept proposals on a rolling basis until all funds are obligated.  Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. See the following links for details:

 

Florida Launches Rebuild Florida

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) launched Rebuild Florida, a long-term recovery effort, which will provide $616 million to help Florida families whose homes were significantly damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Irma repair or rebuild their homes. Rebuild Florida is a program run by DEO in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). For those whose homes were destroyed or are still damaged, please go online to RebuildFlorida.gov or visit a Rebuild Florida center opening near you to register for assistance. Begin registration at RebuildFlorida.gov or by calling the Rebuild Florida representatives at 844-833-1010. Rebuild Florida centers will also be opening in the hardest hit counties. Eligible Florida residents have until Dec. 23 to register for the Rebuild Florida Housing Repair and Replacement Program.

More Resources for Recovery and Resilience

DOL ETA’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification Issues Guidance on Hurricanes Florence and Hurricane Michael

The Employment and Training Administration’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification has published guidance regarding reasonable case-accommodations in light of the damage done by Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael.  Please see response with full details: https://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/Guidance_for_Hurricanes_Florence_and_Michael.pdf

Hurricane Florence: BLS Has Employment, Wages, and Establishment Counts in Flood Zones

USDOL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics has maps and tables are available for areas in all of the states that may be affected by Hurricane Florence (https://www.bls.gov/cew/hurricane_zones/2018/florence/home.htm). The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program has created a set of maps and data for hurricane flood zones on the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts For more information, see the flood zone FAQ page.

Economic Recovery Support & the National Disaster Response Framework