Economic Development Support for Planning Organizations

The Economic Development Planning Assistance program provides essential investment support to district organizations, Native American organizations, states, sub-state planning regions, urban counties, cities and other eligible recipient to assist in planning. The two categories of the Planning Assistance program are: (a) planning investments for District Organizations, Indian Tribes and other eligible entities; and (b) short-term planning investments to states, sub-state planning regions and urban areas. Eligible activities under this program include developing, maintaining, and implementing a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and related short-term planning activities.

Pursuant to Section 3(6) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. � 3122(6)(A)) and 13 C.F.R. � 300.3 (Eligible Recipient), eligible applicants for EDA financial assistance under the Public Works and EAA programs include a(n): (i) District Organization of an EDA-designated Economic Development District; (ii) Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; (iii) State, county, city, or other political subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions; (iv) institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; (v) public or private non-profit organization or association acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a State; (vi) an economic development organization; or (vii) a public-private partnership for public infrastructure. Individuals and for-profit entities are not eligible for funding.

In addition to evaluating applications based on EDA's mission, funding priorities, and the evaluation criteria laid out in the applicable FFO, EDA also considers: (1) The proposed scope of work for the development, implementation, revision or replacement of the CEDS, or the relation of the CEDS to the proposed short-term planning activities or the State plan; (2) The qualifications of the applicant to implement the goals and objectives resulting from the CEDS, short-term planning activities or the State plan; (3) The involvement of the Region's business leadership at each stage of the preparation of the CEDS, short-term planning activities or State plan; (4) The extent of broad-based representation and involvement of the Region's civic, business, labor, minority and other interests in the proposed economic development activities; and (5) The feasibility of the proposed scope of work to create and retain higher-skill, higher-wage jobs through implementation of the CEDS. In addition, for continuation awards, funded recipients are evaluated on the basis of the extent of continuing economic distress within the Region, their past performance, and the overall effectiveness of their CEDS. For Planning Investment awards to a State, EDA will also consider the extent to which the State will integrate and coordinate its CEDS with local and Economic Development District plans.

Generally, the amount of the EDA grant may not exceed 60 percent of the total cost of the project. Projects may receive an additional amount that shall not exceed 30 percent, based on the relative needs of the region in which the project will be located, as determined by EDA. In addition, EDA�s regulations allow an investment rate of up to 100 percent for Indian tribes, for a State or political subdivision of a State that can document that it has exhausted its effective taxing and borrowing capacity, or for a non-profit organization that can document that it has exhausted its borrowing capacity.