This document summarizes an EDA webinar about applying for EDA funding. The webinar provided guidance on: - How to demonstrate project alignment with EDA investment priorities such as equity, resilience, and workforce development. - Best practices for developing construction applications, including starting engineering and environmental reviews early. - An overview of EDA's new grants management system called EDGE that all applicants must now use. - Eligibility and examples of projects funded through EDA's Assistance to Energy Transition Communities program. - Workforce development principles in the new EDA NOFO focusing on sector partnerships, wraparound services, and measuring outcomes. - Key details of E

1. EDA Projects:
From Development …
to Award
April 12, 2023

2.  ideas on how to make a submission as competitive as
possible, and what makes a project strong enough for
funding consideration
 insights into what EDA reviews when making
funding decisions
 highlights from the new PWEAA NOFO
Moderated by:
 Cindy Edwards, Area Director
 Steve Castaner, Program Manager (Field Team)
 Ashley Zuelke, Program Manager (Grants Management Team)
Session Purpose

3.  This is going to be interactive with a chance for you to hear from
our Economic Development Representatives (EDRs).
 We’re going to be posing each EDR a question, and they’ll talk
through a response and highlight some relevant examples.
 Each question could be its own session, but we’re aiming to
cover a number of topics. Ashley will referee.
 There will be an eligibility lightning round at the end!
 Heads up: Balls will be thrown, and we’ll try not to dodge too
many questions…
Dodgeball Rules

4. For Ali DeMersseman,
EDR for North Dakota and Western South Dakota
Can you talk about EDA’s Investment
Priorities, and how an applicant
should demonstrate their project’s
alignment with our priorities?

5. 1. Equity
2. Recovery & Resilience
3. Workforce Development
4. Manufacturing
5. Technology-Based Economic Development
6. Environmentally Sustainable Development
7. Exports & Foreign Direct Investment
EDA Investment Priorities

6. 1. Equity
• The extent to which the application articulates a plan for ensuring that
the project’s benefits are shared across all affected communities, with
a priority given to historically underserved areas, rural areas, minority
populations, and women.
2. Resilience
• The extent to which the project incorporates resiliency principles and
demonstrates resiliency to future sudden and severe economic
dislocations, e.g., closures of major local employers, climate change,
etc.
* Need to be documented in specific places in the ED-900
“Priority” Priorities

7. For Dan Lara,
EDR for Kansas
Say I intend to submit an application for a
construction project in the next few weeks. In
addition to consulting with my EDR, what other
things should I be starting or be aware of?

8. 1. Read the NOFO closely and talk to your EDR early
2. Start engineering and environmental early
3. Think through procurement and scoping issues
4. Think though property issues
5. Match committed, readily available & unencumbered?
6. Jobs, private investment, support letters
7. Structure of grant if have partners (co-apps)
Construction application development
best practices

9.  ARPA grant to extend electrical power infrastructure
from a substation to an area south in an expanding
development
 Beneficiary was new Urban Outfitters distribution center
(largest in North America)
 1,300 new jobs; $300 million in PI
 Company made commitment to hire at least half its
employees from Wyandotte County (distressed county)
 Lots of engineering/scope of work challenges so would
have been helpful to address engineering and
environmental early
Project Example:
Kansas City, KS, Board of Public Utilities

10. For Chad Eggen,
EDR for Missouri
EDA has a new grants system! You have worked
with the first applicants entering projects into
EDGE, can you tell us some more about it? Is
everyone required to apply in EDGE?

11. Applicant Portal:
https://sfgrants.eda.gov
Click  Learn More
(each funding opportunity
has the option to learn more)
 Log In
 System use agreement.
 Not A Member?
Introducing EDGE: Economic
Development Grant Experience

12. Introducing the EDA EDGE

13. 1. As of April 6, all applicants for PW/EAA, STP and LTA, and RNTA MUST
apply in EDGE. Eventually, all programs will use this online process.
2. All applicants are required to use the EDGE portal, be set-up in system, then
complete documents and provide attachments in system. NO grants.gov!
3. EDGE will reduce/eliminate tasks done through the mail, email, etc.
4. EDGE will be the access portal for EDA: to add information on applications,
submit reports, request reimbursements and amendments
5. Everyone is required to use EDGE to apply and administer awards. There will
be no “work-arounds” *except as needed for accessibility reasons.
6. Participate in training, request help as needed from helpdesk, and check
out the videos and guides online!!!
7. EDA staff are learning the system too, so we share in this experience with
you!
New system for grants management

14. Helpful guides and videos online at
https://sfgrants.eda.gov

15.  Talk to the help desk when you run into an issue
grantshdsupport@eda.gov:
* Submit help requests under the
support tab if you are an account holder*
 Create a draft copy on your computer
 EDGE is constantly improving so tips we have today, like using plain text, may
soon be addressed
 Create zip files or single PDFs instead of multiple files for required documents
 Don't try to upload the SF-424, the EDGE system will create the document
after you enter the data/information online
Reduce Frustrations in EDGE

16. For Aaron Pratt,
EDR for Montana and Wyoming
Please talk about EDA’s Assistance
to Energy Transition Communities including
how eligibility for these programs is determined.

17. 1. Program is designed to address "Special Need" criteria, and provide specific
assistance to communities experiencing energy transitions away from coal,
nuclear, or biomass.
2. Supports communities that have been impacted, or can reasonably
demonstrate that they will be impacted by closures of plants or by changes
in the economy.
3. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate the manner and extent to
which a region has been impacted or will be impacted. Geographic
proximity alone is not sufficient.
4. Must provide 3rd party demographic and economic data and cite sources
to document the extent to which closures have negatively impacted the
region.
5. If no federal data is available, other data such as local/regional economic
indicators, labor market analyses, official announcements by industries
and firms may be used to demonstrate impacts.
6. Funding can be used for planning or implementation/construction.
Assistance to Energy Transition Communities

18. Example #1:
Western Wyoming Community College
- Rock Springs, Wyoming
- Renovation and Addition to expand capacity for
high-demand healthcare workers (nursing, CNA,
EMS graduates)
- Create 1,500 jobs over 10 years.
Example #2:
Southeastern Montana Development Corp.
(SEMDC)
- Colstrip, Montana
- Construction of a Business Innovation Center to
support workforce and business development
- Training Center, Co-Working & Maker Space to
support entrepreneurs and scale local businesses.
- Create 71 jobs and generate $11.7M in private
investment.

19. For Jamie Hackbarth,
EDR for Utah
The new PWEAA NOFO requires Workforce
Development projects to follow Department of
Commerce workforce principles. Can you elaborate
on those, and provide additional context on how they
might be incorporated into an EDA project?

20. Projects intended to develop, deploy, expand or initiate workforce training MUST:
• Connect trained workers to quality job opportunities through sectoral partnership
• Demonstrate Employee leadership (i.e. firm employer hiring commitments)
• Include wraparound services to support vulnerable populations
• Increase educational and workplace Diversity, Equity, accessibility and Inclusion;
including through recruitment & retention efforts focused on underserved populations
• Carry out activities in Program Design and/or Program Implementation
• Measure & Evaluate outcomes such as workers' employment and earnings
New Workforce Development Principles
Sectoral Partnership Key Ingredients:
• Multiple employers from same industry with other strategic partners to
train/place workers into high-quality jobs
• Backbone Organization to serve as intermediary across all partners
• Include all necessary partners such as: education institutions, government,
workforce development orgs, union, industry association, EDOs, CBOs.
• Cut across traditional economic development, workforce education and social
service system silos

21. Snow College Innovative Agriculture Center –
Ephraim, UT
 Constuction of a new facility to meet Central Utah's
industry demand for innovative agriculture training
and creation.
 Create 157 jobs to be created across six beneficiary
companies and $60 million in private investment
USU-Blanding CTE Workforce Equipment &
Program Expansion – Blanding, UT
 Equipment of CDL Simulator & Pogram Expansion of
CTE Heavy Trucking/CDL Stackable Certification
Program
 Create 60 jobs with commitments from Utah
Trucking Association & Barney Trucking
Workforce Development Example Projects

22. For Alex Smith,
EDR for Eastern South Dakota and Iowa
EDA is releasing a new Disaster Notice of Funding.
Can you please summarize a few key points for this
funding opportunity and who is eligible?
What is the timeline for submitting an application?

23. 1. Eligibility – 2021 & 2022 Presidentially Declared
Disasters
2. DRO Funding - $57 Million across the 10-state region
3. Typical EDA Grant Amount: $1M-$3M approx.
4. Project ideas need to address economic resiliency -
https://www.eda.gov/node/10701
5. Funding timeline – next few months – consult
EDRs, develop applications before funding is gone!
Disaster NOFO

24. Disaster Eligible Counties

25. For Hannah Barnett,
EDR - Southeast and South Central Missouri
My community is considering an application
requesting funding for construction of a business
incubator. We are still working though the
programming and operational aspects.
What guidance can you provide?

26. 1. Clear requirements in the NOFO.
 A feasibility study establishing the market demand
for the specific start-up companies proposed for
incubator and the presence of necessary resources
and community support;
 Documentation with detailed demonstration that the
applicant has the financial capacity to operate the
facility (if applicable) and reach a positive cash flow
within a reasonable period of time, which EDA
general expects to be three years; and
 A management plan for operation that, at a minimum.
Business Incubation and Acceleration:
Application Tips

27. 2. EDA needs to understand that the applicant has a clear
understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
3. EDA requires due diligence to ensure that the investment is
based on sound feasibility and operational support to
ensure long term sustainability. A 3rd-party feasibility
study can help document all of these details.
4. Keep in mind, that EDA investments are assigned a useful
life (typically 20 years) and are intended to be used for the
award purposes for that timeframe.
Business Incubation and Acceleration:
Application Tips (continued)

28. For Trent Thompson,
EDR for Colorado
EDA considers how a project shows support from
regional stakeholders and aligns with other
investments (ongoing or planned) in the community
and region. What tips would you give potential
applicants for connecting and coordinating with
other entities on a project?

29. Trent’s Tips
'Don't panic' - Guidance from a Vogon
Tip 1: Know your community
Tip 2: Collaboration not competition
Tip 3: 'It Takes a Village,' 'Whole of
Government,' 'Whole Community,' 'One
Team'...pick your own colloquialism; more
importantly document this support and these
activities in your application -- it is a factor
that is evaluated in the IRC
Guidance from your (un)friendly Vogon:
'Question ED900 GA B.5 is now question
ED900 GA F.1. Thank you'

30. EDR Lightning Round

31. True or False: Generally, the EDA investment rate will
be 50%, but EDA may fund up to 80% based on the
relative needs of the region.

32. True!
• PCI
• Unemployment
• Special Need

33. True or False: Indian Tribes applying for EDA Funds
are only eligible for up to an 80 percent grant rate.

34. False!
EDA’s regulations allow an investment rate of up to
100 percent for Indian tribes.
Under EDA’s regulations, the term “Indian Tribe” includes:
• the governing body of an Indian Tribe
• a non-profit Indian corporation (restricted to Indians)
• an Indian authority
• any 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

35. True or False: Grant rates under Per Capita Income or
Unemployment Eligibility are determined
by level of distress.

36. True!
Projects located in regions in which:
Maximum allowable
investment rates (percentage
of total project cost)
(A) The 24-month unemployment rate is at least 225% of the national average; or 80
(B) The per capita income is not more than 50% of the national average. 80
(C) The 24-month unemployment rate is at least 200% of the national average; or 70
(D) The per capita income is not more than 60% of the national average. 70
(E) The 24-month unemployment rate is at least 175% of the national average; or 60
(F) The per capita income is not more than 65% of the national average. 60
(G) The 24-month unemployment rate is at least
1 percentage point greater than the national average; or
50
(H) The per capita income is not more than 80% of the national average. 50

37. True or False: A project that is located within or
proximate to a designated “Qualified Opportunity
Zone” meets Special Need eligibility criteria in the
new NOFO.

38. False!
Special Need criteria for eligibility in the new PWEAA
NOFO no longer includes being located in or
benefiting an Opportunity Zone

39. True or False: Special Need eligibility is allowed for
Persistent Poverty Counties
as well as high poverty areas.

40. True!
Special need eligibility is applicable to high poverty areas. Those include any
census tract with a poverty rate of at least 20% as measured by the 2016-2020 5-
year data series available from the ACS of the Census Bureau. (Dark orange areas.)
Census Poverty
Status Viewer:
https://mtgis-
portal.geo.census.go
v/arcgis/apps/webap
pviewer/index.html?i
d=31e10881bd1040b7
b0ae6855 59917509

41. True or False: You may be able to apply for
EDA funding based on disaster eligibility even if
you are not eligible for the new disaster
supplemental NOFO
(i.e. 2021/2022 disaster declarations)

42. True
An applicant can apply for regular program funds using any previous
Presidentially declared disaster as a Special Need provided the
applicant can demonstrate a clear nexus between the needs created by
the declared disaster and the proposed project. There is no timeline on
the disaster declaration as long as the nexus can be demonstrated.
Note: State FEMA Disaster Declarations for the pandemic can still be
used to demonstrate Special Need eligibility for Regular Program funds,
however the ability to clearly draw a nexus and support it with data will be
more difficult.

43. Multiple Choice: Which character from the movie
Dodgeball said "Oh, I don't think I'm a lot dumber
than you think that I thought
that I thought I was once."
a. White Goodman
b. Patches O'Houlihan
c. Peter La Fleur
d. Steve the Pirate

44. a. White Goodman

45. Finally,
there are several instances of Special Need eligibility
in the new PWEAA NOFO that we encourage you to
take a look at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-
opportunity.html?oppId=346815

46. Thank you!
Hope this session was a hit.