The Commission's professional staff has had the pleasure of assisting local governments within its five-county District in effective utilizing the grant provisions of the public works and development facility grant program administered by the Economic Development Administration (EDA).
Through this EDA program, non-profit economic development organizations and general purpose local governments within the five-county Economic Development District are eligible (because of the District CEDS process) to apply for non-construction grant funds which can be used to offset up to 75% of the total eligible costs for developing and implementing a viable strategy that addresses major economic adjustment problems resulting from sudden and severe loss of local jobs (such as a plant closing) or the long-term deterioration in the local economy.
Such grants are most commonly utilized to secure the expertise necessary: to promptly respond to one or more pressing economic adjustment problems of a local or regional nature; to help shape and then implement specific local or regional facility marketing or development incentive programs.
As such, the end result of Economic Adjustment grants is usually a report or some form of marketing and/or new incentive which collectively represent a local strategy for addressing the economic adjustment problems in question. Normally, these adjustment grants are completed within 12 months or less of the date of EDA grant award.
Under this EDA program, general purpose local governments within the five-county Economic Development District are eligible (because of the District CEDS process) to apply for grant funds which can be used to offset between 50% and 80% of the total eligible cost ofpublic infrastructure or development facilities. Such public works projects must be necessary to promote long-term, sustainable local economic growth by attracting and encouraging private sector investment and the creation (or at least the retention) of local employment opportunities for area residents.
EDA grants have traditionally been used to support local water and sewer improvements along with access roads serving industrial parks or sites. However, such EDA grants can also be used to help finance railroad sidings and spurs, vocational training centers, business incubator facilities, airport improvements and tourism facilities, etc. as long as they enhance industrial expansion potentials and assist in creating long-term employment opportunities - particularly for the District's long-term unemployed and under-employed residents.
Any Public Works grant proposal must be consistent with the most current District CEDS document and have the support of the Economic Development District organization.
Through this EDA program, non-profit economic development organizations and general purpose local governments within the five-county Economic Development District are eligible (because of the District CEDS process) to apply for non-construction grant fundswhich can be used to offset up to 75% of the total eligible costs for a technical assistance project.
Such grants are most commonly associated with the development ofinformation and/or specific data or to secure the expertise necessary to promptly respond to one or more pressing economic development issues of a local or regional nature; to help shape and then implementspecific local or regional programs; orfoster demonstration programs of possible state or national significance which directly support economic development within the District.
The end result of Technical Assistance grants is usually a report or some type of presentation of a strategy for addressing the economic development issues at hand. Normally, technical assistance grants are completed within 12 months or less of the date of EDA grant award.
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