EDA Opens $200M for Recompete Pilot Program
District of Columbia, tribal entities, local governments. Applications are due October 5, 2023
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity
Opportunity: FY 2023 Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program Phase 1 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (Recompete Pilot Phase 1 NOFO).
Overview and Eligible Uses: The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program) will invest $200 million in persistently distressed communities to create and connect people to good jobs. This program will create renewed economic opportunity in communities that have for too long been forgotten. To do so, the program targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment significantly trails the national average, with the goal to close this gap through large, flexible investments. Recompete was authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act and is a part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda, stimulating private sector investment, creating good-paying jobs, revitalizing American manufacturing, and ensuring no community is left behind. This Phase 1 NOFO invites applicants to apply for:
Strategy Development Grants: aims to support regions in becoming more competitive for future approval of a Recompete Plan and Implementation Grants. The grant can be used for activities such as coordinating inclusive planning processes, fostering regional partnerships, conducting assessments, developing goals and strategies, implementing policy changes, and promoting broad-based economic growth. The applicant must demonstrate a deep understanding of the region's needs and conditions, including the factors contributing to low employment participation among prime-age residents.
Approval of a Recompete Plan: signifies a multi-year plan to reduce the high prime-age employment gap with a strong probability of success. The plan should include six key elements: understanding of regional conditions and needs, a strong strategy with quality investments, a focus on equity, inclusivity, accessibility, and diversity, identification of regional assets critical to reducing the employment gap, a targeted geographic approach, and partnerships and commitments from key local, regional, and state stakeholders. The plan should outline specific interventions, anticipated investments, and engagement strategies to address the region's needs. The plan should also explore leveraging other funding sources, including federal programs, to support the effort.
Both
Implementation Grants will be awarded competitively to eligible entities with approved Recompete Plans. These grants can fund a wide range of non-construction and construction activities in four categories: workforce development, business and entrepreneur development, infrastructure, and additional planning, predevelopment, or technical assistance.
Amount: There are $200M in available funding in total. In Phase 1, EDA anticipates awarding a total of approximately $6,000,000 to $12,000,000 as Strategy Development Grants. The grant amounts will range from $250,000 to $500,000, with a maximum of $750,000 in exceptional cases.
Award Type: Discretionary grant
Eligible Applicants:
A unit of local government
The District of Columbia
A territory of the United States
A Tribal government
Political subdivisions of a State or other entity, including a special-purpose entity engaged in economic development activities
A public entity or nonprofit organization, acting in cooperation with the officials of a political subdivision of a State or other entity described in (5)
An economic development district
A coalition of any of the above entities that serve or are contained within an eligible geographic area
Key Dates: Phase 1 Applications are due on October 5, 2023.
Only those whose Recompete Plans are approved in Phase 1 will be permitted to apply to Phase 2. It is anticipated that the Notice of Funding Opportunity for Phase 2 will be made available in winter 2023.
EDA is hosting two informational public webinars on July 7 and 11, 2023.
Key Links:
Webinar registration for July 7th at 12:00 pm EDT
Webinar registration for July 11th at 4:30 pm EDT.
For a full list of currently available grant programs under the Infrastructure Law and other helpful tools, take a look at our Helpful Resources page.
This tracker will continue to send updates when new funding opportunities are announced.