Which EDA ARPA funding program is right for your EDO?

Which EDA ARPA funding program is right for your EDO?

By Yunze Wang, IEDC intern

The Economic Development Administration held two webinars on its plan to distribute $3 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funding. EDA officials detailed each program and its application process.

The programs follow the seven recently-updated EDA investment priorities. These investment priorities are:

  • Equity 
  • Recovery and resilience 
  • Workforce development
  • Manufacturing 
  • Technology-based economic development
  • Environmentally-sustainable economic development
  • Export and foreign direct investment

The $3 billion appropriations are divided into six programs:

  • Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks ($90 million)
  • Build Back Better Regional Challenge ($1 billion)
  • Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation ($750 million)
  • Economic Adjustment Assistance ($500 million)
  • Indigenous Communities ($100 million)
  • Good Jobs Challenge ($500 million)

Additionally, EDA will dedicate $300 million to supporting coal communities across the country. One hundred million dollars will come from the Build Back Better Regional Challenge, and $200 million will come from the Economic Adjustment Assistance. 

Below are details for each program. 

Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks ($90 million)

  • EDA will distribute the grant in a non-competitive manner and invite qualified entities to apply. 
  • $59 million will serve as planning grants to each state and territory. 
  • $31 million will go to research and networks to help identify and share best practices in economic development.

Build Back Better Regional Challenge ($1 billion)

  • The grants will support the growth of regional clusters across the country.
  • In Phase 1 of the project, EDA will identify vision and potential among 50 to 60 projects while providing each region with $500,000 in planning grants and technical assistance. The application deadline for Phase 1 is October 19, 2021. 
  • In Phase 2, EDA will give awards to three to eight transformational projects in every regional cluster to change the trajectory of new or emerging industries. All participants of Phase 2 must have finished Phase 1. 
  • $100 million will go to coal communities. 

Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation ($750 million)

  • EDA will give $510 million in non-competitive awards directly to states. States can decide on the specific use of the grants based on individual needs. States will receive invitations from EDA to apply.
  • EDA will also give $240 million in competitive awards for local projects, specifically in communities severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The application deadline for the competitive awards is March 15, 2022. 

Economic Adjustment Assistance ($500 million)

  • EDA identifies this program as the most flexible as it can fund a wide range of projects not covered by the other programs. 
  • Interested entities are encouraged to consult EDA’s news and press releases for examples of past projects. 
  • The deadline for the program is March 15, 2022.

Indigenous Communities ($100 million)

  • This program resembles the Economic Adjustment Assistance program but exclusively serves indigenous communities across the United States.
  • The deadline for the program is March 15, 2022.

Good Jobs Challenge ($500 million)

  • EDA will competitively distribute grants to help communities strengthen workforce training and talent pipeline for the private sector. 
  • In Phase 1 (System Development), EDA will distribute funding to help organizations develop workforce systems and sectoral partnerships. 
  • In Phase 2 (Program Design), EDA will distribute funding to help secure training materials, personnel, and commitments to hire. 
  • In Phase 3 (Program Implementation), EDA will distribute funding to help provide workers with training and employment opportunities. 

To learn more about these programs and EDA’s role in the American Rescue plan, go to https://eda.gov/funding-opportunities/.

To find out the Economic Development District your organization belongs to, go to https://eda.gov/resources/directory/.

To connect with the Economic Development Representative for your state, go to https://eda.gov/contact/