The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is soliciting applications from eligible applicants in all U.S. states to fund projects that will advance economic growth in communities and regions experiencing chronic high unemployment and low per capita income. EDA’s goal is to create an environment that fosters innovation, promotes entrepreneurship, and attracts increased private capital investment. EDA’s ARRA funding is $150 million. The deadline for receipt of applications is June 30, 2010. For more information, see the March 10, 2009, Federal Register notice (74 FR 10232) or the funding opportunity announcement on EDA’s Web site.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Recovery Act information provides an outline of how the agency is allocating its $13.61 billion in ARRA funding and information on ARRA community development block grant (CDBG) funds, including a chart showing CDBG allocations to the states and entitlement communities. LDDs and local officials should contact their state CDBG program offices to learn how to improve their chances of receiving stimulus funds through the CDBG program.

The National Center for Research Resources within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) received $1 billion in ARRA funding for construction, repairs, and alterations in support of all NIH-funded research institutions. See Request for Applications Number RFA-RR-09-007 and Request for Applications (RFA) Number RFA-RR-09-008 for details.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received $7.2 billion in ARRA funding for projects and programs that protect and promote “green” jobs and a healthier environment. The EPA details its plans for awarding the funds on its Web site. A March 2009 memorandum provides examples of eligible activities that can be funded under the Green Project Reserve, which is targeted for water or energy efficiency projects, green infrastructure, and environmentally innovative projects. (See Attachment 7, Page 45.)

The EPA has assembled a set of resources that support sustainable approaches to infrastructure development, including guidance for designing energy-efficient buildings, toolkits for brownfield redevelopment, and a catalog of green-jobs training resources. The information is relevant to all construction projects, whether funded through the stimulus program or other sources.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) received $28 billion in ARRA funding. The USDA Recovery Act Web site includes links to ARRA plans and reports by agency, including the Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development (RD). The RD site includes descriptions of programs receiving ARRA funding and links to relevant state offices.