Economic Development News
EPA Recently Announced the Availability of $2.6 Billion in New Funding to Improve Water Infrastructure Across the United States
*Provided by the EPA The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $2.6 billion in new funds to assist states, tribes and territories with improving drinking water and wastewater infrastructure across the country. This funding advances President Trump’s efforts to rebuild the country’s aging water infrastructure, create local jobs, and ensure all Americans have safe and clean water. For more information: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-availability-26-billion-new-funding-improve-water-infrastructure-across
See How Philanthropies Leverage Opportunity Zones
*Provided by Knight Foundation "The broad objective of this new tax incentive — expanding economic opportunities for places and people left behind — cannot be achieved by the market and outside investors alone. Cities in the broadest sense — local governments, urban institutions, urban networks will need to act with deliberate agency and purpose if Opportunity Zones are to spur growth that is inclusive, sustainable and truly transformative for each city’s economy. The implementation of Opportunity Zones, therefore, will be as much about codifying local norms and models as promulgating federal rules and guidance. Given this perspective, it is clear [...]
Applications Open for ReConnect Rural Broadband Pilot Program
*Provided by the USDA In March 2018, Congress provided $600 million to USDA to expand broadband infrastructure and services in rural America. On December 13, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the rules of the program, called “ReConnect,” including how the loans and grants will be awarded to help build broadband infrastructure in rural America. USDA is making available up to $200 million in grants, $200 million in loan and grant combinations, and $200 million in low-interest loans. The application deadlines are: May 31, 2019, for grants; June 21, 2019, for loan/grant combinations; and July 12, 2019, for low-interest loans. Telecommunications [...]
Apply for HUD’s Rural Capacity Building for Community Develop. & Affordable Housing Grants
*Provided by HUD The Rural Capacity Building program enhances the capacity and ability of rural housing development organizations, Community Development Corporations (CDCs), Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs), local governments, and Indian tribes (eligible beneficiaries) to carry out affordable housing and community development activities in rural areas for the benefit of low- and moderate-income families and persons. The Rural Capacity Building program achieves this by funding National Organizations with expertise in rural housing and rural community development who work directly to build the capacity of eligible beneficiaries. Eligible Program Activities. RCB program funds are limited to activities that strengthen the organizational [...]
#Makinganimpact Website Page Launched!
Economic development practitioners and stakeholders have been doing great work in their field for the last 40 years. CALED wants to highlight these successes and celebrate their work during CALED’s 40th Annual Conference. Check out the campaign here
Check out Buxton’s 5 Tips for Recruiting Franchises to Your Community
*Provided by Buxton "During the retail and restaurant attraction process, city government leaders often face the challenge of recruiting franchisees. The reason is simple: many retail and restaurant projects require a franchisee before developing the site. If you need to recruit a franchisee for a pending development project, consider these five tips." For more information, click here
Learn from Camoin Associates about Disaster Recovery for Economic Development
*Provided by Camoin Associates Following a disaster, a community must act. A post-disaster economic impact study should be conducted to assess the physical damage and economic damage. Additionally, an economic development organization should lead a post-disaster economic recovery planning process to fully assess the situation on the ground. The economic development organization must work with the community and key stakeholders to create a plan with action strategies and priorities. In addition to this plan, an effective communications strategy should be incorporated to ensure public is aware of planning efforts and to build community support. For more information, click here
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Act Authorizes $10M for CA’s Delta Protection Commission
Senator Feinstein and Congressman Garamendi introduce the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area Act in both chambers of Congress. In early 2019, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman John Garamendi introduced companion bills in the Senate and House that would designate the Delta as California’s first National Heritage Area, to be managed by the Delta Protection Commission. The goal of the National Heritage Area is to conserve and protect the Delta’s communities, resources, and history. For more information, click here
USDA Emphasizes Support for Broadband, Recovery Housing and Telemedicine
*Provide by USDA Check, USDA Rural Development information on Broadband, Recovery housing, and Telemdicine, here
CEQA Guidelines Receive Update, Climate Change Drives Major Amendments
*Provided by Beveridge & Diamond PC At the end of 2018, the Office of Planning and Research’s (OPR’s) years-long effort (since 2011) to update the Guidelines (CEQA Guidelines) implementing the California Environmental Quality Act became a reality. This comprehensive update to nearly 30 sections of the CEQA Guidelines (along with some additions) incorporates new statutes and court decisions. The final text of the amendments can be found here. California’s battle to ward off the effects of climate change has ushered some of the biggest changes to the Guidelines, including criteria for assessing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) for determining a project’s traffic impacts [...]
See How Traditional Finance can Support Your Food System with CDFA’s 1st Food Finance White Paper
*Provided by CDFA The food system encompasses a highly diverse range of activities and interests that are deeply connected to every community in the United States, affecting local economies, public health, and environmental sustainability. Issues ranging from hunger to farmland preservation to food waste have resulted from the current food system, and myriad food movements have formed around the world to address these issues. Significant financial barriers limit the growth and evolution of work in the food system, yet this arena holds great economic and community development potential. Read more here
USDA Now Accepting Apps for Rural Business Development Grant Program
Attention California Applicants:Applications are accepted January 2 - March 29, 2019. Program Status:Open Application Deadline:March 29, 2019 Unnumbered Letter: PDF What does this program do? This program is a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas which will employ 50 or fewer new employees and has less than $1 million in gross revenue. Programmatic activities are separated into enterprise or opportunity type grant activities. Who may apply for this program? Rural public entities including, but not limited to: Towns [...]
Get the Latest Updates and Research on Ag by Reading USDA ARP Network Notes
*Provided by the USDA Agricultural Research Partnerships (ARP) Network USDA ARS 2017 Annual Report on Technology Transfer USDA research generated 166 new inventions and 68 patent applications in 2017, according to the annual Technology Transfer Report issued today. Innovations included tornado “safe rooms” built of cross-laminated wood, soybean germplasm with heat-tolerant genes, and tires of rubber made from a flowering desert shrub. The annual Technology Transfer Report lists technology produced through research either conducted or supported by USDA. “USDA research not only improves agriculture, but it also creates business opportunities and jobs through innovations affecting all areas of daily life,” [...]
Questions about how your Wildfire Claim is Being Handled? – Attend the Insurance Townhall and Find out More
*Provided by California Department of Insurance Do you have questions about how your wildfire claim is being handled? Schedule a free confidential appointment with Department of Insurance Experts. For more information and information on the Insurance Townhall, click here
EDA Launches 2019 Regional Innovation Strategies Program Competition
*Provided by the EDA EDA’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE) leads the Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program. Under the RIS Program, the centerpiece of the Regional Innovation Program authorized under Section 27 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. § 3722), EDA currently awards grants that build regional capacity to translate innovations into jobs (1) through proof-of-concept and commercialization assistance to innovators and entrepreneurs and (2) through operational support for organizations that provide essential early-stage risk capital to innovators and entrepreneurs. Funding Opportunities: FY19 i6 Challenge is a leading national initiative designed to support the creation [...]
Just Released Housing for a Healthy California Program Final Guidelines
*Provided by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has just released the Final Housing for a Healthy California (HHC) Program Guidelines. The Guidelines incorporate feedback from participants through public comment letters, and additional conversations and research during the public outreach period. AB 74 was signed into law in September of 2017, which authorized HCD to develop and implement the HHC program. The goal of the HHC program is to reduce the overutilization of emergency departments, inpatient care, nursing home stays, and use of corrections systems and law enforcement [...]
LAEDC created Guide to Help Planning for Business Operations After Earthquakes
*Provided by LAEDC If you’re operating a business in California, you need to take steps to improve the chances that your business operations and systems will still run after an earthquake or other natural disaster by planning for Business Continuity, Business Resiliency and Disaster Recovery. Consider the effects an earthquake may have on your business, including infrastructure damage that might prevent employees from getting to work for days or weeks. Included in this guide are suggested steps to take to help protect your people and keep your business systems running in that scenario. This will improve your chances of maintaining [...]
Community Development Block Grant Program for Non-Entitlement Jurisdictions – Notice of Funding Availability Amendment
*Provided by the California Department of Housing and Community Development The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has released an Amendment to the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). The following updates were also made to the application workbooks: CDBG Application Summary Workbook: The Request for Waiver, Colonia Request for Waiver, Jurisdiction and Leg Info, and the Threshold tabs. CDBG Self-Score Workbook: On the State Objectives tab: The Applicant/Jurisdiction name field was unlocked and the Clarification of the State Objective Scoring Criterion was added. Application due date has been extended from February 5, 2019 to February 26, 2019. The NOFA applies [...]
Don’t Leave Money on the Table! State Offering Tax Credits to CA Businesses through California Competes
*Provided by Caifornia Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development The California Competes Tax Credit is an income tax credit available to businesses that want to come to California or stay and grow in California. Tax credit agreements are negotiated by GO-Biz and approved by a statutorily created “California Competes Tax Credit Committee,” consisting of the State Treasurer, the Director of the Department of Finance, the Director of GO-Biz, and one appointee each by the Speaker of the Assembly and Senate Committee on Rules. For fiscal year 2018-19, GO-Biz will accept applications for the California Competes Tax Credit during the [...]
HCD has Announced the Finalized SB 2 Planning Grants Program Guidelines
*Provided by California Housing and Community Development Read guidelines here
USDA Offering Millions in Loans & Grants to help Build Broadband Infrastructure in Rural USA
*Provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering up to $600 million in loans and grants to help build broadband infrastructure in rural America. Telecommunications companies, rural elec-tric cooperatives and utilities, internet service providers and municipalities may apply for funding through USDA’s new ReConnect Program to connect rural areas that currently have insufficient broadband service. Answering the Administration’s call to action for rural prosperity, Congress appropriat-ed funds in the fiscal year 2018 budget for this broadband pilot program. USDA Rural Development is the primary agency delivering the program, with assistance from [...]
Check Out this great Resource from USDA Rural Development
*Provided by USDA Rural Development USDA Rural Development is committed to future of rural communities. Through our programs, we help to improve the economy and quality of life for rural Americans. Rural Development contacts and funding notices are at www.rd.usda.gov. The Contact Us menu tab has office addresses and phone numbers, or use our toll-free number at 1 (800) 670-6553 to be connected. For more information, click here
U.S. Dept. of Commerce International Trade Administration Offers Companies Full Range of Expertise in International Trade
The U.S. Commercial Service (CS), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, offers companies a full range of expertise in international trade. Companies can find assistance locally in more than 100 U.S. Commercial Service offices nationwide and in more than 70 international offices. For more information, click here
HCD & Strategic Growth Council Announced that $395M for the Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program
*Provided by The Housing and Community Development Department The California Department of Housing and Community Development (Department) is pleased to announce the availability of approximately $395 million in funding for the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program. The AHSC Program furthers the purposes of AB 32(Chapter 488, Statues of 2006) and SB 375(Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008). The purpose of the AHSC Program is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through projects implementing land-use, housing, transportation, and agricultural land preservation practices to support infill and compact development, and supporting related and coordinated public policy objectives. Funding for the AHSC [...]
Approximately $30M in Available Funding for CDBG
*Provided by Department of Housing and Community Development California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is pleased to announce the availability of approximately $29.6 million in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding allocated for funding year 2018 to the state from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), pursuant to the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended. For more information, click here