EDA Announces Funding Opportunity for Addressing Competitiveness and Innovation in Rural Regions

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) within the Department of Commerce is currently soliciting competitive proposals for Addressing Competitiveness and Innovation in Rural U.S. Regions –Developing and Analyzing Rural Clusters of Innovation and Linking Rural and Metropolitan Regions.

Eligible applicants for, and eligible recipients of, EDA financial assistance under the Research and Evaluation program include: Economic Development Districts; Indian tribes; States; cities or other political subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions; institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher education; public or private nonprofit organizations or associations acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a State; private individuals; and for-profitorganizations.

EDA expects that the successful proposal for this project will require an EDA investment of between $250,000 and $500,000. The EDA award under this competitive solicitation will be in the form of a grant between EDA and the successful proponent.

EDA has outlined general and supplemental evaluation criteria for proposals with emphasis on an increased number of higher-skill, higher-wage jobs, entrepreneurship, support of existing industry clusters, development of emerging new clusters, and attraction of new regional economic drivers.

Proposals must be received by the EDA no later than August 18, 2005. By September 2, 2005, EDA will notify proponents whether they will be given further funding consideration and will invite the successful proponent to submit a formal application for EDA investment assistance.

The July 19 FEDERAL REGISTER http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-14158.pdf provides additional background, outlines the proposal and cost sharing requirements, and summarizes the various evaluation criteria to be used by EDA.

The announcement text may also be accessed at EDA’s Internet Web site http://www.eda.gov/ and at http://www.grants.gov.

(Many thanks to Chris Gibbons for passing this announcement along. Russ)