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Applicants for the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) FY 2016 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) will notice some changes to the application process when the FFO is released in the coming weeks. The standard ED-900 form has been replaced with a selection of shorter forms that can be mixed and matched to fit the needs of different solicitations. Also, a short proposal form can be submitted to ascertain whether a project is responsive to the FFO, instead of having to complete a full application. EDA is planning several webinars to provide more guidance once the FFO is released. Read the announcement at: http://www.eda.gov/news/blogs/2015/09/01/highlight.htm.

Through the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative, an effort among multiple federal agencies led by the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), up to $35.5 million in funding is now available to provide investments in communities and workers negatively impacted by changes in the coal industry and power sector. As the ways in which electricity is generated and used continue to change, workers in coal-reliant communities are heavily impacted by market, technological, and regulatory forces such as booming natural gas production, declining costs for renewable energy, increases in energy efficiency, flattening electricity demand, and updated clean air standards. The initiative seeks to attract projects from partnerships of regionally driven economic development and workforce development organizations with the intent of enabling grantees to build economic resilience, industry diversification, and promote new job creation opportunities. 

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced $3 million in planning assistance to communities impacted, or which may be impacted, by contractions in the coal economy.  The funds were made available in part due to the newly established Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative, a new interagency effort to assist communities negatively impacted by changes in the coal industry and power sector. The funds are intended to help communities develop strategies that diversify their economies; create jobs in new or existing industries; attract new sources of job-creating investment; and/or, provide a range of workforce services that result in industry-recognized credentials for high-quality, in-demand jobs.  Funding will be available until the $3 million is expended or September 30, 2015. The lead applicant may be a U.S. state, local government, institutions of higher education, or nonprofit organization. Read the Federal Funding Announcement…

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the first 26 recipients of the 2014 Regional Innovation Strategies program grants. Managed by the Economic Development Administration, the Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program is designed to advance innovation and capacity-building activities in regions across the country through three different types of grants: