Economic Development Assistance Programs (EDAP): Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (PWEAA)
Link
Additional Links
Notice of Funding Opportunity (Grants.gov)
Deadline
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor
Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Purpose
Offers flexible grants and cooperative agreements to support economic development and revitalization projects in economically distressed areas and regions experiencing adverse economic change, including rural and American Indian and Alaska Native tribal communities undergoing economic hardship.
The Economic Development Assistance Programs (EDAP) consists of 2 programs:
- Public Works and Economic Development program
- Economic Adjustment Assistance program
Provides funding for both strategy and implementation grants to plan and execute projects that attract investment; facilitate public-private partnerships and regional collaboration; create economic diversity, new businesses, and new jobs; support job-training and re-employment needs; and develop capacity in technology, infrastructure, and technical assistance.
The Public Works program funding assists with the design, engineering, and the construction of critical public infrastructure and other facilities that can include:
- Water and sewer system improvements
- Business and industrial, sciences, and research parks
- Multi-tenant manufacturing operations
- Shipping and logistics facilities
- Telecommunications infrastructure and development facilities
- Workforce training facilities
- Workforce training and other technology-based facilities
- Business incubators and accelerators
- Wet labs
The Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA)
program supports construction and
non-construction activities that can include:
- Infrastructure
- Design and engineering
- Technical assistance
- Recovery strategies
- Capitalization or re-capitalization of revolving loan funds
The EAA program also provides specific investment assistance to Nuclear Closure Communities (NCCs), Biomass Closure Communities (BCCs), and Assistance to Coal Communities (ACCs) that are experiencing energy transitions away from nuclear, biomass, or coal.
Assistance for ACCs, NCCs, and BCCs will support implementation projects identified under local and regional economic development plans that have been collaboratively produced by diverse local and regional stakeholders and that will promote regional economic growth and diversification, new job creation, and reemployment opportunities for displaced workers.
EAA funding is also available to tribes and tribal organizations through the Assistance to Indigenous Communities (AIC) opportunity. AIC supports non-construction projects focused on capacity building, planning, and technical assistance for the future implementation of foundational economic infrastructure that includes but is not limited to:
- Broadband
- Energy and road infrastructure
- Water and wastewater, including community water facilities
- Vocational and higher education facilities
- Community health and childcare facilities
- Technical assistance for business development, entrepreneurship, economic development planning, rural prosperity, and workforce training
Amount of Funding
The average Public Works program investment is $1,400,000. Amounts can range from $600,000 to $5,000,000.
The average EAA program investment is $650,000. Amounts can range from $150,000 to $2,500,000.
ACC, NCC, and BCC average awards range from $500,000 to $3,000,000 for implementation projects, and from $100,000 to $350,000 for planning activities.
AIC average awards range from $75,000 to $200,000.
Estimated total program funding:
- $100 million for the Public Works program
- $33 million for the EAA program
- $75 million for ACC
- $4.5 million for BCC
- $5 million for AIC
Applicants must provide matching funds for a portion of the project. Generally, an award may not exceed 50% of the total project costs. Applicants are strongly encouraged to work with their regional office contact regarding EDA investment rate determinations and the use of in-kind contributions towards the matching share requirement for their project.
Who Can Apply
Eligible applicants include:
- District organizations
- Indian tribes or a consortium of Indian tribes
- States, counties, cities, or other political subdivisions of a state, including a special purpose unit of a state or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions
- Institutions of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education
- Public or private nonprofit organizations or associations acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a state
Applicants must meet the following economic distress criteria to be eligible for funding:
- A 24-month unemployment rate that is at least 1% higher than the national average unemployment rate
- A per capita income that is 80% or less of the national average per capita income
- Have a Special Need as determined by EDA
Geographic Coverage
Nationwide
What This Program Funds
Buildings and Facilities • Capacity Building • Equipment • New Program • Operating Costs and Staffing • Starting a Business
Application Process
Application instructions, requirements, and other information about the online application process are available on grants.gov.
Applications must be submitted electronically through Economic Development Grants Experience (EDGE), a grants management system.
Contact
For questions on submitting in EDGE:
GrantHDSupport@eda.gov
For programmatic questions or technical
assistance:
Contact your State
Economic Development Representative
Rural Awards
Past awards communities have received are described on the program website.
Rural communities who have received funding include:
- City of Burley in Idaho received Economic Adjustment Assistance funding to construct an expansion of an industrial wastewater treatment plant for Cassia County. The project will support high pay employment opportunities and help stabilize the regional economy.
- City of Seminole in Oklahoma was awarded Economic Adjustment Assistance funds for the construction of an Aviation Education Center that includes transportation and parking facilities for the center and the adjacent Seminole Airport Industrial Park. The project will create or save 185 jobs to leverage $2.8 million in private investment.
- Utilities Board of the City of Tuskegee in Alabama used Public Works funding to construct a new electrical substation to provide power for the Tuskegee Commerce Park and an automotive manufacturing facility in rural Macon County.
Topics This Program Addresses
Community Planning and Coalition Building • Economic Development • Infrastructure • Teleservices and Technology • Vocational Training, Education, and Employment