Denver FY 2021 – FY 2023 EDA Planning and Local Technical Assistance

Denver's Economic Development Administration (EDA) is introducing a grant for fiscal years 2021 to 2023 centered around planning and local technical assistance. As of April 6, 2023, they have launched a new grants management platform called the Economic Development Grants Experience (EDGE). This platform improves the process of applying for and managing grants by consolidating it into one transparent, efficient, and user-friendly system. From this date forward, applications will only be accepted through this EDGE platform, replacing grants.gov. You can access EDGE at sfgrants.eda.gov; detailed instructions for applying are available in the full NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity).

One of the programs under this grant is the Partnership Planning program. Applicants will be invited to submit their applications to this program via EDGE. The program is focused on helping create and execute regional economic development plans for economically challenged districts. This support can come in the form of partnership planning, short-term planning, and state planning awards for eligible recipients.

The intention is to build the region's economic capacity and guide it towards prosperity and resilience. Specifically, EDA provides Partnership Planning investments to designated planning organizations, including District Organizations and Indian Tribes that serve EDA-designated Economic Development Districts. These funds aid in developing, implementing, revising, or replacing Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies or CEDS. These CEDS outline and prioritize the recipient regions' strategic economic goals.

The EDA also gives short-term and state Planning awards for economic development planning activities to guide the creation and retention of quality jobs. They particularly target unemployed and underemployed individuals in the nation's most economically distressed regions.

Under the Local Technical Assistance program, the EDA provides awards to strengthen the capacity of local or state organizations, higher learning institutions, and other qualifying entities. The goal is to carry out and propagate effective economic development programs through projects such as feasibility studies, impact analyses, disaster resiliency plans, and project planning.

Finally, note that while the published NOFO states that the ED900A form and the SF424B form are necessary for a complete application, this requirement has been removed from the package template.