Planning and Local Technical Assistance Program (LTA)
Federal Agency
Sub-Department
Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Purpose
To support economic development, foster job creation, and attract private investment in economically distressed areas by creating and implementing regional economic development plans to build capacity and guide prosperity and resilience.
Applicant and/or Project Eligibility Requirements
Requirements vary by the two programs in this opportunity: the planning program and the local assistance program. Note that eligible applicants for Partnership Planning awards are limited to EDA-designated District Organizations and Indian Tribes; other entities are not eligible for Partnership Planning awards.
Decarbonization Considerations
This assistance can help communities create tangible strategies to prepare for new supply chains, clean energy manufacturing, and workforce training. Consider using planning funding to build partnerships that can accelerate the development of trained contractors for deep efficiency and electrification retrofits for commercial and residential buildings.
Equity Considerations
This is an opportunity to enhance supply chains, attract new energy and transportation sectors, and provide job training for out of work energy and industry professionals and/or those looking to transition to clean energy and EV supply chain related industries. EDA also makes Short-Term and State Planning awards for economic development planning activities that guide the eventual creation and retention of high-quality jobs, particularly for the unemployed and underemployed in the Nation’s most economically distressed regions.
Helpful Tips
Under the Planning program, EDA makes Partnership Planning, Short-Term Planning, and State Planning awards to eligible recipients to create and implement regional economic development plans designed to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of an area or region. More specifically, EDA makes Partnership Planning investments to designated planning organizations (i.e., District Organizations) serving EDA-designated Economic Development Districts and to Indian Tribes to facilitate the development, implementation, revision, or replacement of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), which articulate and prioritize the strategic economic goals of recipients’ respective regions. Under the Local Technical Assistance program, EDA makes awards to strengthen the capacity of local or State organizations, institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities to undertake and promote effective economic development programs through projects such as feasibility studies, impact analyses, disaster resiliency plans, and project planning.
Other Notes
N/A