Department of Commerce – Economic Development Administration (EDA) Attention local governments and economic development-focused organizations! The Department of Commerce (DOC) – Economic Development Administration (EDA) – is releasing a brand-new program to create renewed economic opportunity in communities that have for too long been forgotten....

Department of Commerce – Economic Development Administration (EDA) Attention local governments and economic development-focused organizations! The Department of Commerce (DOC) – Economic Development Administration (EDA) – is releasing a brand-new program to create renewed economic opportunity in communities that have for too long been forgotten. The EDA’s mission is to ensure that all communities have a path to economic prosperity. The Recompete Pilot Program will invest in distressed communities to create and connect workers to good jobs in places that need them most. The program specifically targets distressed communities to spur a new chapter of opportunity in those areas. This includes areas where prominent industries have declined or disappeared, were physically separated by highway construction, or endured decades of disinvestment. These may be urban, suburban, or rural areas that have low labor force participation rates that are holding back prosperity. This post provides an overview of the opportunity, focusing on the Strategy Development Grant track. The Recompete Plan track will be highlighted next week.

National Telecommunications and Information Administration Is your state agency working to improve and expand local broadband infrastructure? The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recently opened applications for its Broadband Infrastructure Program. This program awards grants to eligible covered partnerships (see below) on a competitive basis, with the overall goal to deploy fixed broadband service in eligible areas in which broadband is not available to all households or businesses.