ECG’s Office of Economic & Community Development monthly assembles a list of current grants and funding opportunities that may be relevant to your needs. Highlighted are program offerings by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the USDA Community Connect Program. We update this regularly and will continue to share information about additional funding opportunities. 

Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs with CARES Act Addendum
Grantor: U.S. Economic Development Administration

Due: Ongoing

EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance investments will support a wide range of non-construction and construction activities, including Revolving Loan Funds, in regions across the country experiencing severe economic dislocations brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Examples of projects that EDA may fund through its CARES Act Recovery Assistance include economic recovery planning and preparing technical assistance strategies to address economic dislocations caused by the coronavirus pandemic, preparing or updating resiliency plans to respond to future pandemics, implementing entrepreneurial support programs to diversify economies, and constructing public works and facilities that will support economic recovery, including the deployment of broadband for purposes including supporting telehealth and remote learning for job skills.

For additional information, please visit the program webpage.

Eligibility: 

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education
• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
• City or township governments
• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
• State governments
• Special district governments
• County governments
• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

Community Connect Grants
Grantor: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Due: December 23, 2020

The Community Connect program helps rural communities extend access where broadband service is least likely to be commercially available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for people and businesses. The projects funded by these grants help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the Internet for jobs, education, healthcare, public safety, and community development. The funds may be used for:

• The construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, spectrum, land or buildings used to deploy broadband service for:
  • All residential and business customers located within the Proposed Funded Service Area (PFSA)
  • All participating critical community facilities (such as public schools, fire stations, and public libraries)
• The cost of providing broadband service free of charge to the critical community facilities for 2 years.
• Less than 10% of the grant amount or up to $150,000 may be used for the improvement, expansion, construction or acquisition of a community center that provides online access to the public.

For more information, please visit the program webpage.

Eligibility: Eligibility applicants include: Incorporated organizations, federally-recognized tribes, state and local units of government and any other legal entity, including cooperatives, private corporations, or limited liability companies organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis. Rural areas that lack any existing broadband speed of at least 10 Mbps upstream are eligible.

From grants to small business debt relief programs to funding for improvements to businesses and communities, find more opportunities in our October 2020 guide.