Selected Federal Agency Announcements and Relatedfor the Week of December 26, 2017
The following is a selection of recent announcements gleaned from various federal sources and colleagues, and is provided to EDA’s Economic Development Integrators to increase our awareness of complementary resources for economic development.Special thanks to ETA and other federal partners for sharing content included below.
Contents
Funding & Resource Announcements
Announcements of Federal Funding Available:
DOE State Energy Program FY17 Competitive Funding. Applications Due Jan 11
Bureau of Reclamation –WaterSMART Program Seeks FY18 Applications for Drought Planning and Resilience Project Grants.
EPA FY 2018 Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Program. Applications Due Feb 16
DOI Office of Insular Affairs – Technical Assistance and Infrastructure Maintenance Programs – Applications due March 1
USDA Invites SBIR Phase II Applications - Deadline is March 8
Reminder of Federal Funding Opportunities Closing Soon:
Public Meetings, Events and Training
Tutorials on New Grants.gov Features Available
Reports, Tools and Data
Impact of Microbusinesses on the Economy
Rural Transportation Toolkit Available
Profiling Duluth’s Strategies for a Diversified Economy
Disaster Recovery Resources
Updates on FEMA Response to Hurricane Maria
Where to Find Federal Disaster Declarations
Amended Declarations
Economic Recovery Support
Funding & Resource Announcements
Announcements of FederalFunding Available:
DOE State Energy Program FY17 Competitive Funding. Applications Due Jan 11
DE-FOA-0001644. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) State Energy Program (SEP) seeks applications for Fiscal Year 2017 Competitive Financial Assistance Awards. This competitive funding opportunity announcement (FOA) will allow states to compete for EERE funding focused on three areas of interest:
- State Energy Planning
- Innovative Opportunities for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Practices that Improve Energy Affordability, Reliability and Resiliency
- Technical Assistance to Advance SEP Formula Grant Clean Energy Activities.
Typically, each year SEP awards funds competitively to states for projects that help states meet their energy goals and explore opportunities for regional collaboration and partnerships. For more information, visit theWIP website or EERE Exchange.
Bureau of Reclamation –WaterSMART Program Seeks FY18 Applications for Drought Planning and Resilience Project Grants.
The WaterSMART program provides support for creating a legacy of conservation stewardship, sustainably developing our energy and natural resources, modernizing our infrastructure through public-private partnerships, and restoring trust with local communities by improving relationships and communication with states, tribes and local governments, communities, landowners and water users. By providing this funding, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is working with local communities to support the sustainable development of water resources, improving the ecological resilience of rivers and streams, and conserving water for multiple uses using collaborative conservation efforts.
There are a few relevant opportunities under WaterSMART, with applications for FY18 Projects due soon, including:
- BOR-DO-18-F005. Eligible entities are invited to submit proposals for Phase I activities to develop a watershed group, complete watershed restoration planning activities, and design watershed management projects. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description. Applications due January 31.
- BOR-DO-18-F007. Eligible organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing Drought Contingency Planning with Reclamation to build resilience to drought in advance of a crisis. Applicants under this FOA may request funding to develop a new drought plan or to update an existing drought plan (collectively, Drought Contingency Plans). Applicants may also request technical assistance from Reclamation for the development of elements of the Drought Contingency Plan (Project). Applications due February 7.
- BOR-DO-18-F008 Eligible organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing Drought Contingency Planning with Reclamation to build resilience to drought in advance of a crisis. Applicants under this FOA may request funding to develop a new drought plan or to update an existing drought plan (collectively, Drought Contingency Plans). Applicants may also request technical assistance from Reclamation for the development of elements of the Drought Contingency Plan (Project). Applications due February 13
Click here For further information on the Drought Response Program, including information on funding for Drought Resiliency Projects
EPA FY 2018 Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Program. Applications Due Feb 16
EPA-OP-OEJ-18-01. The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides funding to support community-based organizations in their efforts to collaborate and partner with local stakeholder groups (e.g., local businesses and industry, local government, medical providers, and academia) as they develop and implement solutions that address environmental and/or public health issues for underserved communities. For purposes of this announcement, the term “underserved community” refers to a community with environmental justice concerns and/or vulnerable populations, including minority, low income, rural, tribal, and indigenous populations. Eligible projects must demonstrate use of the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model to support their collaborative efforts during the project period. Applying organizations should have a direct connection to the underserved community impacted by the environmental harms and risks detailed in the workplan.
For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
DOI Office of Insular Affairs – Technical Assistance and Infrastructure Maintenance Programs – Applications due March 1
Eligible Entities: U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; the Freely Associated States of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau
The Office of Insular Affairs has two opportunities to support eligible areas. Both have an application due date of March 1, 2018.
1)$14.5M Technical Assistance Program (TAP) provides grant funding for short-term projects intended to meet the immediate needs of the insular areas. OIA's priorities are as follows: Accountability, financial management, economic development, education, energy, management control initiatives, disaster assistance, natural and cultural resources, capacity building, health initiatives, and invasive species management. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
2)$1M Maintenance Assistance Program (MAP) funding is used to support, develop, improve and, as much as possible, institutionalize infrastructure maintenance practices in the seven insular areas. Activities will support maintenance training to extend the life of island infrastructure, ensure the safety of maintenance technicians, and/or increase the capacity of infrastructure to withstand extreme events; this may include training of maintenance technicians that increases knowledge and awareness of measures to be taken to protect infrastructure from severe weather impacts. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
USDA Invites SBIR Phase II Applications - Deadline is March 8
USDA-NIFA-SBIR-006428. The SBIR program at USDA is administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). USDA SBIR's flexible research areas ensure innovative projects consistent with USDA's vision of a healthy and productive nation in harmony with the land, air, and water. Projects dealing with agriculturally-related manufacturing and alternative and renewable energy technologies are encouraged across all 2018 SBIR topic areas.
SBIR Phase II grants are limited to $600,000 and duration of 24 months and are only open to previous Phase I awardees. See full announcement for more information: Small Business Innovation Research Program - Phase II
Reminder of Federal Funding Opportunities Closing Soon:
Below is a list of previously highlighted funding opportunities that are still open. Visitfor a complete list of all current opportunities:
Opportunity Number / Opportunity Title / Agency / Posted Date / Close DateTATFY18 / FY18 TA & Training Grant Program for rural water and waste disposal systems / USDA-RUS / 10/02/2017 / 01/02/2018
SWMFY2018 / Solid Waste Management Grant Program / USDA-RUS / 10/02/2017 / 01/02/2018
VBOC-2018-01 / Veterans Business Outreach Center Program (VBOC) / SBA / 11/20/2017 / 01/08/2018
DE-FOA-0001644 / FOA: State Energy Program 2017 Competitive Awards / DOE-GFO / 10/16/2017 / 01/11/2018
USDA-NIFA-BFR-006411 / Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program / USDA-NIFA / 11/24/2017 / 01/11/2018 (LOI)
02/08/2018
USDA-NIFA-OP-006410 / Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Veterans / USDA-NIFA / 11/21/2017 / 01/11/2018 (LOI)
02/08/2018
CNCS-08-24-17 / AmeriCorps State and National Grants FY2018 / CNCS / 08/24/2017 / 01/17/201
BOR-DO-18-F005 / WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase I Grants for Fiscal Year 2018 / DOI-BOR / 11/15/2017 / 01/31/2018
BOR-DO-18-F007 / WaterSMART Drought Contingency Planning Grants / DOI-BOR / 11/16/2017 / 02/07/2018
BOR-DO-18-F008 / WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Drought Resiliency Projects / DOI-BOR / 11/16/2017 / 02/13/2018
2018NEA01AW1 / NEA Art Works I, FY2019 / NEA / 12/06/2017 / 02/15/2018
EPA-OP-OEJ-18-01 / Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving / EPA / 11/15/2017 / 02/16/2018
2018NEA01CA / NEA Challenge America, FY2019 / NEA / 12/05/2017 / 04/12/2018
Public Meetings, Events and Training
Tutorials on New Grants.gov Features Available
Grants.gov is set to retire is legacy PDF based application package on December 31, 2017 and complete the transition to its collaborative Workspace portal, that has been available since 2015. Need to brush up or learn more about Workspace? Watch video tutorials and training videos on how to navigate Grants.gov and apply using Workspace, which makes it easier for applicants to share forms with collaborators, track progress, collect info and automatically combine separate documents together, before submitting the completed package through Grants.gov. Workspace also enables applicants to reuse forms to ease future application processes. To learn more, subscribe to theGrants.gov YouTube channel here or visit the Applicant Trainingresources on Grants.gov.
Reports, Tools and Data
Impact of Microbusinesses on the Economy
TheSmall Business Administration (SBA) examines how microbusinesses (firms with 1-9 employees) contribute to the economy in a new fact sheet. “Small Business Facts: The Role of Microbusiness Employers in the Economy” notes that the microbusiness is the most common type of small business but holds a small share of overall employment. The fact sheet is available here.
Rural Transportation Toolkit Available
The Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) has developed a Rural Transportation Toolkit, recognizing that a significant barrier to achieving rural health outcomes is access to health facilities and services, including transportation. The toolkit contains resources and information focused on developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining rural transportation programs, including information on various models and examples. Click here to access the toolkit.
Profiling Duluth’s Strategies for a Diversified Economy
An Economic Development feature in the December 20 issue of Twin Cities Magazine, by author Gene Rebek, describes how Duluth broadened its base from the historical advantages of its iron and timber based industries, to one that features “eds and meds”, a growing aviation sector, tourism, arts and an innovative manufacturing focus that celebrates all things “made in Duluth”. Read more here:
Disaster Recovery Resources
Primary site for Disaster Recovery Assistance: /
Updates on FEMA Response to Hurricane Maria
Click on these links to find up-to-date informationon FEMA's response toPuerto Ricoand theU.S. Virgin Islands on FEMA’s webpage
Where to Find Federal Disaster Declarations
Is your home, business or community included in a federally declared emergency or disaster area? You can find the latest federal emergency and disaster declarations, including amendments to add or adjust affected areas, on FEMA's disaster declarations webpage.
Amended Declarations
Existing Declarations may be subsequently amended to expand covered areas, provide notification that an incident has been closed, or make other necessary changes. Amendments are posted in the Federal Register here:
Economic Recovery Support
Read more about the Economic Recovery Support Function and the National Disaster Response Framework here:
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