APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT APPLYING
FOR EDA ASSISTANCE

The Economic Development Administration is pleased to announce that its new, streamlined single application form, the Application for Investment Assistance (Form ED-900) was rolled out on October 1, 2008. The new Form ED-900 is available for download below and at www.grants.gov and is ready for use by applicants for all types of EDA assistance.

The new Form ED-900 consolidates all EDA-specific requirements into a single application form and replaces EDA’s previous suite of application materials: (i) the Pre-Application for Investment Assistance (Form ED-900P), (ii) the Application for Investment Assistance (Form ED-900A), and (iii) all program-specific components required to complete the ED-900A. EDA will continue to require additional government-wide federal grant assistance forms from the Standard Form 424 family and certain Department of Commerce forms as part of the application package.

EDA believes the new single application form will significantly reduce the paperwork burden on applicants and government personnel. According to Paperwork Reduction Act estimates approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the introduction of the new single application will reduce applicant burden from a combined 46 hours to complete Forms ED-900P, ED-900A, and the program-specific component to Form ED-900A to 22 hours for the Form ED-900. In addition, because the new Form ED-900 consolidates all EDA requirements into a single application, EDA anticipates and encourages increased electronic application submission through www.grants.gov.

There will be a one-month period to completely phase-in the use of the new Form ED-900. Applications received before November 1, 2008, using previously issued application forms may still be accepted; however, beginning November 1, 2008, only the Form ED-900, along with specific forms and attachments from the Standard Form 424 family, will be accepted for consideration. This applies to any applicant that already has submitted a Pre-Application for Investment Assistance (Form ED-900P). If EDA invites such an applicant’s project, beginning November 1, 2008, the applicant must complete and submit the new Form ED-900, with guidance from EDA. Any applications received on or after November 1, 2008, using previously issued EDA application forms will be returned to the applicant with appropriate instructions on how to access and complete the new Form ED-900.

Applicants with questions about EDA’s application process or application forms should contact the appropriate EDA regional office for guidance.

EDA administers seven economic development programs and awards funds allocated for these programs on a competitive basis. EDA evaluates each application on the basis of its conformance with the investment policy guidelines, funding priority considerations, and eligibility requirements identified in the applicable Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement. EDA encourages applicants to download and submit application packages online through www.grants.gov. Applicants can register for a www.grants.gov password and search for grant opportunities by agency or Funding Opportunity Number at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/find_grant_opportunities.jsp. (To access all EDA opportunities, click 'Browse by Agency,' select Department of Commerce opportunities and then sort the list by clicking on the ‘Agency’ column heading.) Applicants can also submit application packages electronically via www.grants.gov. Please visit www.grants.gov/assets/FindApplyUserGuide.pdf for detailed instructions on electronic submissions. Alternately, applicants may send a hardcopy application package to the appropriate EDA regional office.

For our applicants’ convenience, EDA has provided links to the application documents in PDF format. At a minimum, applicants will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print the forms. Please note that several of the links below direct the applicant to the Forms Repository on www.grants.gov, which contains non-screen fillable forms in PDF format. The only exceptions to this are the links to the Form ED-900 and the Form CD-346, which are provided in screen-fillable formats. Applicants wishing to obtain all forms in a screen-fillable format must download a complete application package from www.grants.gov by using the 'Apply for Grants' feature at www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp. Note that applicants will require Adobe Acrobat Reader, version 8.1.1 or higher, in order for all interactive features on the screen-fillable forms to work properly. Responses may be composed in a separate word processing program and then copied and pasted into the appropriate response fields.

All applicants for EDA investment assistance must complete the following:

• Application for Investment Assistance (Form ED-900)

• Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF-424)

Click here for Instructions for Completing Form SF-424

• Certifications Regarding Lobbying (Form CD-511)

Some applicants also may be required to complete the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Form SF-LLL). Applicants should review this form’s instructions to determine if completion is required.

Non-profit applicants may be required to submit additional documentation, including submitting to an individual background screening using the form entitled Applicant for Funding Assistance (Form CD-346). Details are provided in the Form ED-900.

Applicants should note that EDA also will request the following items if EDA selects the project for further consideration:

• Copy of the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) or alternate EDA-approved planning document.

• Letters of commitment to document non-EDA funding.

In addition to the Forms ED-900, SF-424, and CD-511, applicants for all types of assistance must complete and submit particular forms from the Standard Form (SF) 424 family as described below. The forms the applicant must complete depend on the type of project proposed.

An applicant for EDA construction assistance must also complete the following:

• Budget Information—Construction Programs (Form SF-424C)

• Assurances—Construction Programs(Form SF-424D)

An applicant for construction assistance should note that EDA also will request the following items if EDA selects the project for further consideration:

- A U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) map of the project site.

- Letters of commitment from private beneficiaries of the project.

- Comments from the metropolitan area review/clearinghouse agency if the project is located in a metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

- A legal opinion and other documentation, as necessary, verifying the applicant’s responses to questions regarding project ownership, operation, maintenance, and management.

- An engineering report.

- An environmental narrative (click here for a sample). Also please note that EDA reviews all proposed projects in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). For more guidance on NEPA, please visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s website at www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/nepa/.

- Documented approval from the appropriate State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). Please visit the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s (ACHP) website at www.achp.gov/. for more information on this requirement. Applicants should begin working with the SHPO as soon as EDA indicates that the project has been selected for further consideration, as this process can be lengthy. A list of SHPOs by State may be found at the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers’ website at www.ncshpo.org/stateinfolist/fulllist.htm.

An applicant for EDA non-construction assistance must complete the following:

• Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

• Assurances—Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)

Applicants requesting assistance with a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) project should note that EDA will request an RLF Plan if EDA selects the project for further consideration.