Economic Development-Support for Planning Organizations (11.302)
Program
11.302 Economic Development-Support for Planning Organizations
Federal Agency
Agency: Department of Commerce
Office: Economic Development Administration
Authorization
Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 3121 et seq.).
Program Number
11.302
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) provides Planning assistance to provide support to Planning Organizations (as defined in 13 CFR 303.2) for the development, implementation, revision, or replacement of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), short-term planning efforts, and State plans designed to create and retain higher-skill, higher-wage jobs, particularly for the unemployed and underemployed in the nation's most economically distressed regions.
Types of Assistance
PROJECT GRANTS
Uses and Use Restrictions
Planning investment assistance helps bear the direct and indirect costs incurred by a Planning Organization in developing and implementing a CEDS. Alternatively, it can be used by a State for statewide planning purposes, or it may be used for short-term planning activities to include updating a portion of a CEDS, economic analysis, development of economic development policies and procedures, and development of economic development goals. Planning activities supported by these Investments must be part of a continuous process involving the active participation of Private Sector Representatives, public officials and private citizens, and include:
(a) Analyzing local economies;
(b) Defining economic development goals;
(c) Determining Project opportunities; and
(d) Formulating and implementing an economic development program that includes systematic efforts to reduce unemployment and increase incomes.
In addition, for grants to States, (1) the State must have or develop a CEDS that meets the requirements of §303.7; and (2) any State plan developed with Planning Investment Assistance must, to the maximum extent practicable, be developed cooperatively by the State, political subdivisions of the State, and the Economic Development Districts located wholly or
partially in the State. All EDA grants are discretionary grants. EDA does not award any formula grants.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Pursuant to PWEDA, eligible applicants for and recipients of EDA investment assistance include a(n): (a) District Organization (as defined in 13 CFR 304.2); (b) Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; (c) State, 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; (d) institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; or (e) public or private non-profit organization or association acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a State. See section 3 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3122) and 13 CFR 300.3. As used in this paragraph, State includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau. See 13 CFR 300.3 and 301.2.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Not applicable. EDA Planning investments provide support to Planning Organizations for the development, implementation, revision, or replacement of a CEDS. They also may provide support for related short-term planning investments and State plans designed to create and retain higher-skill, higher-wage jobs, particularly for the unemployed and underemployed in the nation's most economically distressed regions.
Credentials/Documentation
To be considered for EDA assistance, applicants must first submit a complete EDA application package. The applicant must provide a list of its proposed Strategy Committee members. The Committee must represent the main economic interests of the Region and must include Private Sector Representatives as a majority of its membership. The applicant should ensure that the Strategy Committee includes public officials, community leaders, representatives of
workforce development boards, institutions of higher education, minority and labor groups, and private individuals. The Strategy Committee representing Indian Tribes or States may vary. Applicants must also submit documentation of matching fund availability. Finally, non-profit applicants will be asked to provide additional documentation. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.
Application Procedure
OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. For information on the application process, you may access the federal funding opportunity (FFO) announcement for planning assistance at www.grants.gov and at www.eda.gov. EDA will review each application for planning investment assistance in accordance with the evaluation criteria, funding priorities, and selection procedures set forth in the applicable FFO. Applications are subject to the intergovernmental review process authorized under Executive Order 12372. See 13 CFR 302.9 and 15 CFR Part 13.
Award Procedure
Staff in the applicable EDA regional office review applications for eligibility and compatibility with EDA's mission and funding priorities. Applications deemed eligible and at least minimally consistent with EDA's mission and funding priorities are referred to an Investment Review Committee, which recommends applications for funding to the Regional Director. The Regional Director makes a funding determination and sends a recommendation to EDA Headquarters for concurrence.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
EDA accepts new applications on a rolling basis and announces awards throughout the year. For continuation awards, regional offices may impose their own deadline for submission based on the previous award's period of performance.
Appeals
Not Applicable.
Renewals
For continuation awards, regional offices may impose their own deadline for submission based on the previous award's period of performance.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula.
Matching Requirements: The minimum EDA investment rate for planning projects is 50 percent, and the maximum allowable EDA investment rate may not exceed 80 percent.
This program does not have MOE requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Most grants are for 36-month periods. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: quarterly.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. Recipients receiving CEDS assistance must submit an updated CEDS at least once every 5 years. In addition, they must submit a CEDS performance report once a year. For State Planning assistance, the State must submit an annual report to EDA. EDA requires the submission of the SF-425 Federal Financial Report. EDA may elect to conduct site visits.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Single or program-specific audits shall be performed in accordance with the requirements contained in OMB Circular A-133, “Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations,” and the related Compliance Supplement. OMB Circular A-133 requires any non-federal entity (i.e., non-profit organizations, including non-profit institutions of higher education and hospitals, States, local governments and Indian tribes) that expends federal awards of $500,000 or more in the recipient’s fiscal year to conduct a single or program-specific audit in accordance with the requirements set out in the Circular.
Records
All financial and programmatic records, supporting documents, statistical reports, and other records of recipients and sub-recipients must be maintained according to the terms of the investment award.
Program Accomplishments
Not Applicable.
Financial Information
Account Identification
13-2050-0-1-452.
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 08 $27,985,293; FY 09 est $30,920,885; FY 10 est $31,000,000
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
It varies.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
13 CFR Parts 300-303.
Related Programs
11.307 Economic Adjustment Assistance
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
See Regional Agency Offices.
Headquarters Office
Maureen V. Klovers 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Room 7019
, Washington, District of Columbia 20230 Email: mklovers@eda.doc.gov Phone: 2024822785
Web Site Address
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2008: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2009: For a list of recent investments, see EDA's website at http://www.eda.gov/NewsEvents/NewInvestments.xml. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
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 aualifications 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.
