EDA Chicago FY 2016–FY 2019 Planning Program and Local Technical Assistance Program | EDA CHI TA CRO 2018 2005548

Opportunity Information: Apply for EDA CHI TA CRO 2018 2005548

The EDA Chicago FY 2016-FY 2019 Planning Program and Local Technical Assistance Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA), focused on strengthening regional economic development capacity through planning and targeted technical support. Issued under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (PWEDA) and EDA regulations (including 13 C.F.R. 300.3), the opportunity lays out the general policies and application approach for two related funding tracks: the Planning program and the Local Technical Assistance (LTA) program. The overall aim is to help communities, especially those experiencing economic distress, organize around clear strategies that support long-term prosperity, resilience, and job creation.

Under the Planning program, EDA funds efforts that help regions design and maintain strong economic development plans that can guide investment decisions and coordinated action among local partners. A central element of this program is EDA's support for "Partnership Planning" investments tied to the development and ongoing use of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS). A CEDS is essentially a region's roadmap for economic development: it identifies key challenges and opportunities, sets strategic goals, and prioritizes projects and activities that a region can pursue to improve economic outcomes. The grant can support the development, implementation, revision, or full replacement of a CEDS, allowing regions to keep their strategy current as conditions change.

Partnership Planning awards are commonly directed to the designated planning organizations that serve EDA-designated Economic Development Districts (often referred to as District Organizations). These entities typically coordinate multi-jurisdictional planning across a region, convene stakeholders, and ensure the CEDS process is inclusive and actionable. In addition to district-based planning, Indian Tribes (or consortia of Tribes) are eligible for Partnership Planning support to develop and implement CEDS and related economic development activities, recognizing the importance of Tribal-led strategies tailored to local priorities and circumstances.

Beyond Partnership Planning, the Planning program also includes Short Term and State Planning investments. These are designed to help eligible organizations undertake time-limited or statewide planning activities that can lead to the creation and retention of high-quality jobs, with a stated emphasis on helping unemployed and underemployed workers in the nation's most economically distressed regions. In practice, this planning support can help communities set priorities, build a pipeline of bankable projects, improve coordination among partners, and position regions to pursue future implementation funding.

The Local Technical Assistance program complements planning by funding discrete technical projects that strengthen the ability of eligible organizations to run effective economic development programs. Instead of broad regional strategy work, LTA generally supports targeted studies and analyses that answer specific questions or reduce uncertainty around proposed actions. Examples mentioned in the opportunity include feasibility analyses and impact studies, which can help determine whether a project is practical, estimate its economic effects, and guide decision-making. This kind of assistance is often used to move an idea from concept to an investment-ready proposal by providing credible data and clear recommendations.

Eligibility is broad and covers many public and nonprofit entities involved in economic and community development. Eligible applicants include District Organizations; Indian Tribes or Tribal consortia; states; cities, counties, and other political subdivisions (including special-purpose units engaged in economic or infrastructure development, and consortia of such subdivisions); institutions of higher education (public or private, and consortia); and public or private nonprofit organizations, including those that may act in cooperation with local government officials. The source listing also reflects eligibility across common applicant categories such as state, county, and municipal governments; special districts; federally recognized Tribal governments; public and state-controlled universities; private universities; and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning EDA may have a more involved role than in a standard grant, such as providing technical guidance or collaboration during the project period. It is listed under CFDA numbers 11.302 and 11.303, which correspond to EDA's economic development assistance programs. The listed award ceiling is $300,000. The opportunity record shows a funding opportunity number of EDA CHI TA CRO 2018 2005548, a creation date of March 20, 2018, and an original closing date of January 29, 2025, indicating a long window typical of planning and technical assistance notices that support ongoing regional needs rather than one-time construction or implementation projects.

In plain terms, this program is about helping regions and communities do the foundational work that makes economic development effective: organizing partners, setting priorities, producing a credible regional strategy (CEDS), and completing the focused analyses that turn broad goals into actionable, evidence-based projects.

• The Department of Commerce in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "EDA Chicago FY 2016–FY 2019 Planning Program and Local Technical Assistance Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.302, 11.303.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-03-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for EDA CHI TA CRO 2018 2005548

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