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American Rescue Plan Statewide Planning, Research and Networks – Frequently Asked Questions

January 21, 2022

Contents

Statewide Planning, Research and Networks Logo

Statewide Planning

  1. How can States apply for Statewide Planning grants?
  2. What types of projects are intended for Statewide planning grants?
  3. Is there a match rate requirement for Statewide planning grants?
  4. What is the deadline to respond to EDA’s Statewide planning grant invitation letter?

Research

  1. What types of projects are intended for American Rescue Plan Research grants?
  2. Who is eligible for an American Rescue Plan Research grant?
  3. Is there a match rate requirement for American Rescue Plan Research grants?
  4. How will EDA evaluate American Rescue Plan Research grant applications?
  5. What is the deadline to submit my application?

Networks

  1. What types of projects are intended for American Rescue Plan Networks grants?
  2. What is a Network or Community of Practice?
  3. Is there a match rate requirement for American Rescue Plan Networks grants?
  4. Who is eligible for an American Rescue Plan Networks grant?
  5. How will EDA evaluate American Rescue Plan Networks grant applications?
  6. How do I request a cooperation requirement waiver if I’m an applicant proposing a nationwide network? (See footnote 15 on p. 12)
  7. What is the deadline to submit my application?

General

  1. How can I submit my application for EDA funding?
  2. What should I do if I have additional questions not answered in this FAQ?
  3. Can we use Department of the Treasury State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFR Funds) for the local share of EDA ARPA projects?

Statewide Planning

How can States apply for Statewide Planning grants?

EDA will send invitation letters to the Governor’s Office (or equivalent) of each State, the District of Columbia, and EDA-covered territories, inviting them to apply for a Statewide Planning award of up to $1 million. States must accept or reject the proposed award within 45 days of the invitation letter. There is no other way to apply for Statewide Planning grants.

Awards will be made to the State or to an eligible recipient designated in writing by the Governor’s Office (or equivalent).

2. What types of projects are intended for Statewide planning grants?

States can undertake a variety of planning activities outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, including:

  • Developing economic development plans that identify new or existing industry clusters that would benefit from specific infrastructure, studies, and/or workforce investments to facilitate rapid expansion of such industry clusters,
  • Analyzing the needs of persistent poverty communities; formulating strategies to decrease disparities,
  • Bringing together potentially disparate existing local and regional plans, such as Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) or State and local plans under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), into one holistic and inclusive Statewide plan or a plan that encompasses multiple regions within a State or across State lines, including strengthening links between urban and rural areas,
  • Analyzing the needs of persistent poverty communities and formulating strategies to decrease disparities between those areas and more prosperous areas within a State,
  • Facilitating coordination with Tribes or other Indigenous Communities regarding State, regional, or local planning efforts that intersect with the Tribes’ interests and are supported by impacted Tribal communities,
  • Hiring disaster recovery coordinators,
  • Supporting Statewide broadband data collection and mapping efforts and developing Statewide broadband deployment and technical assistance plans,
  • Conducting a Statewide skills assessment and analysis to help inform workforce development and training needs based on employers’ demand for skills, including coordination with the State labor market information agency and the State workforce development board,
  • Cataloging State innovation and entrepreneurship assets,
  • Undertaking a Statewide supply chain and logistics assessments to increase efficiencies,
  • Identifying State assets and economic resources and developing action plans that will benefit the State’s economy in a regional and global marketplace, or
  • Other activities may be discussed with your local Economic Development Representative (EDR). See General section question 2 for how to contact your local EDR.

Construction activities cannot be funded, but feasibility studies are permissible provided such studies fall within the scope of one of the above activities. Please see section A.1.a of the Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional details.

3. Is there a match rate requirement for Statewide planning grants?

Statewide Planning grants will be made at a 100% grant rate; no matching funds are required.

4. What is the deadline to respond to EDA’s Statewide planning grant invitation letter?

States must accept or reject the proposed award within 45 days of the invitation letter. EDA strongly encourages applicants to reply early and not wait until the response deadline. A high volume of application submissions at once can create system delays.

Research

1. What types of projects are intended for American Rescue Plan Research grants?

EDA anticipates awarding $200,000 to $600,000 each for projects that support research and evaluation into economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. EDA is specifically interested in real-time research into its American Rescue Plan programs, especially the new Good Jobs Challenge; Build Back Better Regional Challenge; Indigenous Communities program; and Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation program.

2. Who is eligible for an American Rescue Plan Research grant?

Eligible applicants for Research grants include:

  1. District Organizations of EDA-designated Economic Development Districts
  2. Indian Tribes, which include Federally-recognized Indian Tribes and any Alaska Native Village or Regional Corporation (as defined in or established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.)1
  3. State and Local governments or political subdivisions, including special purpose units of State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, such as regional water and sewer districts, airport commissions, and regional economic development commissions
  4. Institutions of higher education
  5. Public or private nonprofit organizations or associations working in cooperation with officials of a general purpose political subdivision of a State (e.g., a city, town, or county)

3. Is there a match rate requirement for American Rescue Plan Research grants?

No matching funds are required. However, provision of match is an evaluation criterion under the Research component and applications that propose matching share may be considered more competitive in the evaluation process.

4. How will EDA evaluate American Rescue Plan Research grant applications?

EDA will evaluate each application based on:

  • Organizational or applicant capacity and personnel;
  • Strategic approach;
  • Feasibility of the budget and financial match;
  • Feasibility of deliverables and timeline;
  • Sustainability, scalability, and dissemination; and
  • Cross-collaboration with other EDA and/or other economic development partners.

Please see section E.1 of the Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional details on the evaluation criteria.

5. What is the deadline to submit my application?

While EDA will accept applications on a rolling basis under the American Rescue Plan Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks Notice of Funding Opportunity, the American Rescue Plan requires EDA to award funds by September 30, 2022. EDA plans to accept and award grant applications subject to the availability of funds. EDA encourages eligible applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible, and strongly advises eligible applicants to submit complete applications no later than October 31, 2021 so that EDA can review and process the application in time to achieve the objectives of the grant program. Submission by October 31, 2021 is not a guarantee of funding. Any award is subject to the availability of funds.

Please note that other American Rescue Plan programs do have application deadlines, which are set out in the Notice of Funding Opportunity specific to each program. Please visit https://eda.gov/funding-opportunities/ for details on each program’s deadline.

Networks

1. What types of projects are intended for American Rescue Plan Networks grants?

EDA anticipates awarding $2 million to $6 million for each project that addresses one of the following two objectives:

  1. To provide technical assistance to new EDA grantees in one or more of the following three cohorts: Build Back Better Regional Challenge applicants, Good Jobs Challenge grantees, and Coal Community Commitment grantees.
  2. To develop networks or communities of practice within programs or topic areas that connect existing and future EDA grantees in one or more grantee community, such as its Economic Development Districts, Tribal Partners, University Centers, Revolving Loan Fund grantees, Build to Scale (B2S) grantees, and others.

2. What is a Network or Community of Practice?

A network or community of practice is a group of existing or future EDA grantees who work in the same industry or have received funds from the same EDA program. They meet regularly and share their learnings and best practices to foster implementation and policy improvement across the sector, topic area, or program.

3. Is there a match rate requirement for American Rescue Plan Networks grants?

No matching funds are required. However, provision of match is an evaluation criterion under the Networks component and applications that propose matching share may be considered more competitive in the evaluation process.

4. Who is eligible for an American Rescue Plan Networks grant?

Eligible applicants for all Networks grants include:

  1. District Organizations of EDA-designated Economic Development Districts
  2. Indian Tribes, which includes Federally-recognized Indian Tribes and any Alaska Native Village or Regional Corporation (as defined in or established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.)1
  3. State and Local governments or political subdivisions, including special purpose units of State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, such as regional water and sewer districts, airport commissions, and regional economic development commissions
  4. Institutions of higher education
  5. Public or private nonprofit organizations or associations working in cooperation with officials of a general purpose political subdivision of a State (e.g., a city, town, or county)

5. How will EDA evaluate American Rescue Plan Networks grant applications?

EDA will evaluate each application based on:

  • Organizational or applicant capacity and personnel;
  • Strategic approach;
  • Feasibility of budget and financial match;
  • Feasibility of deliverables and timeline;
  • Sustainability, scalability, and dissemination; and
  • Cross-collaboration with other EDA and/or other economic development partners.

Please see section E.1 of the Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional details on the evaluation criteria.

6. How do I request a cooperation requirement waiver if I’m an applicant proposing a nationwide network? (See footnote 15 on p. 12)

You will need to provide the justification in your application that the project is of sufficient national scope. Please contact EDA program staff ([email protected]) for more specifics.

7. What is the deadline to submit my application?

While EDA will accept applications on a rolling basis under the American Rescue Plan Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks Notice of Funding Opportunity, the American Rescue Plan requires EDA to award funds by September 30, 2022. EDA plans to accept and award grant applications subject to the availability of funds.

EDA encourages eligible applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible, and strongly advises eligible applicants to submit complete applications no later than October 31, 2021 so that EDA can review and process the application in time to achieve the objectives of the grant program. Submission by October 31, 2021 is not a guarantee of funding. Any award is subject to the availability of funds.

Please note that other American Rescue Plan programs do have application deadlines, which are set out in the Notice of Funding Opportunity specific to each program. Please visit https://eda.gov/funding-opportunities/ for details on each program’s deadline.

General

1. How can I submit my application for EDA funding?

All EDA Notices of Funding Opportunity and application forms are posted at www.grants.gov, and can be accessed either by searching www.grants.gov for the funding opportunity you would like, or accessing the link directly through https://eda.gov/funding-opportunities/.

Before applying for EDA funding, an organization must take several steps to obtain credentials and register with several systems that may require 25 or more business days to complete. The technical requirements and systems associated with generating these credentials require confirmation at each step and the process can be lengthy—especially for organizations without an employer identification number (EIN)—and require interaction with multiple organizations outside of EDA.

EDA strongly encourages applicants in the process of forming or that have formed but are not yet registered on www.grants.gov, to do so as soon as possible.

2. What should I do if I have additional questions not answered in this FAQ?

  • For questions about the Statewide Planning program, connect with your Economic Development Representative. Contact information can be found at: https://eda.gov/contact/
  • For questions about the American Rescue Plan Research program, send your questions to EDA’s Research inbox: [email protected]
  • For questions about the American Rescue Plan Networks program, send your questions to EDA’s Networks inbox: [email protected]
  • Find your Economic Development District for planning support and technical assistance: https://eda.gov/resources/directory/

3. Can we use Department of the Treasury State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFR Funds) for the local share of EDA ARPA projects?

Yes, subject to the following limitations: Only the portion of an applicant’s SLFR Funds that is available for “the provision of government services” may be used as match on an EDA award. That amount is determined in accordance with Treasury’s recently published regulations and is based on a state or locality’s reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The portion of SLFR Funds that is not available for the provision of government services may not be used as match. Applicants should direct questions regarding calculating the government services portion of their SLFR Funds to the Treasury; EDA cannot assist with that calculation.

All applicants seeking to apply SLFR Funds to the local share must certify in their match letter to EDA that (1) there are sufficient government services funds available and (2) the pledged funds are committed to the EDA project. Applicants must also agree that if SLFR Funds subsequently become unavailable for any reason that they will replace those funds with other allowable sources of local match. Please note that under Treasury’s regulations, all SLFR Funds must be obligated by December 31, 2024 and expended by December 31, 2026.

1. Please note that this includes the governing body of a Tribe, non-profit Indian corporation (restricted to Indians), Indian authority, or other non-profit Indian Tribal organization or entity; provided that the Indian Tribal organization or entity is wholly owned by, and established for the benefit of, the Indian Tribe or Alaska Native Village.

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