Economic Recovery Resources - Weekly Update |
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The Houston-Galveston Area Council and the Gulf Coast Economic Development District stand ready to assist the 13-county region in pursuing strategies to restore local economies. We will be issuing this Economic Recovery Resources - Weekly Update to help our local partners stay on top of new funding opportunities. Subscribers to the monthly Regional Economic Development Digest will receive the weekly update automatically. We hope to make it easier for you to secure the resources you need to recover quickly.
Please email Jillian Donatto or call 631-897-3817 to discuss economic recovery needs you may have.
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Submit Applications for EDA CARES Act Funding As Soon As Possible |
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USDA Implements OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative Making It Easier for Lenders to Access Loan Guarantee Programs |
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Upcoming Good Neighbor Citizenship® Grants from State Farm
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State Farm is making Good Neighbor Citizenship grants of at least $5,000 available to educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, Chambers of Commerce, and programs conducted by municipal, county, state or federal government entities that align with the State Farm charitable focus. Funding will be dedicated toward community development, education, and safety initiatives. State Farm will accept grant applications online for 2021 funding from October 1 to October 31, 2020. Grant decisions will be communicated to the applicant via email from October 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021.
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International Economic Development Council Seeking Input from Across Country on Sources of Funding for Small Businesses |
The International Economic Development Council invites you to participate in a national initiative to gather information on resources available to help small and micro businesses. Responses to this 5-minute questionnaire at the local and regional levels from across the country will be aggregated with other sources of assistance available to small businesses. The information gathered will be readily accessible from a single source – for both businesses and community leaders. The questionnaire will remain open for input until September 25.
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Federal Funding for Rural Communities |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide organizes funding opportunities identified in the CARES Act and other federal resources that can help support rural America.
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Federal Funding for All Communities |
Grants for workforce training programs that recruit, train, and place local, unemployed and under-employed residents in full-time jobs in the environmental field.
Grants to expand community colleges’ ability to meet the labor market demand for a skilled workforce and to build capacity to address challenges associated with the coronavirus, such as technology-enabled learning.
For governmental and nonprofit entities working to implement STEM apprenticeship models in their regions, especially projects that will expand work-based learning for adults, increase regional innovation capacity, and expand diversity
Investment in critical water infrastructure through long-term, low cost, supplemental credit assistance.
Seed funding (up to $100,000) for research and development that has a commercial potential.
The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program and the new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) pre-disaster mitigation program provide states, local communities, tribes, and territories funding for eligible mitigation activities.
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Upcoming Economic Recovery Webinars |
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The people of Houston and the surrounding region are trying to navigate both a pandemic and the ongoing turbulence in our energy market. A panel of experts will discuss how to begin mending the economy, especially focusing on talent attraction and retention to ensure competitiveness with other global cities.
Cities and local governments are searching for ways to usher in equitable sustainable economic development; and one vital way is through growing businesses of color. In this webinar, Rodrick Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Puerto Rico and author of "Cities and Businesses of Color: A Guide to Economic Growth," will offer real strategies and tips for cities to grow businesses of color.
In collaboration with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers a webinar on how to be more financially prepared for emergencies or disasters. Presenters will share tools that can help individuals and communities increase economic resilience. In addition, check out these free resources that can help individuals financially prepare for the future: Emergency Financial First Aid Kit; Financial Emergency Fact Sheet; Your Disaster Checklist.
As part of a webinar series to introduce grantees to the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery and Mitigation programs, this session will cover several infrastructure development techniques such as finding and leveraging financing, how to prioritize infrastructure within your community, and the intersection of infrastructure with cross cutting requirements.
Industrial Development Bonds, or Manufacturing Bonds, are the most frequently used bond tool for financing the manufacturing sector. The manufacturing of personal protective equipment, medical supplies, test kits, and more was crucial during the recent pandemic; while a significant portion of the economy was shut down, essential facilities such as manufacturing plants became uniquely valuable and remained opened because of their ability to pivot production toward critical needs. Learn how these bonds act as resilient economic drivers by financing the manufacturing facilities that stabilize local economies during crises.
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Visit the GCEDD website for information and links to local, regional, and partner organizations that have additional resources and information on economic recovery. A select list is presented below.
The Greater Houston Partnership has established the Greater Houston Business Recovery Center (GHBRC), which will provide guidance on policy and financing related to recovery programs.
RestoreYourEconomy is your resource for up-to-date information related to COVID-19 and its economic impacts.
The Texas Economic Development Council COVID-19 webpage catalogs webinars, small business program examples, research white papers, Texas Workforce Commission resources, and advice for retailers.
The National Association of Development Organizations COVID-19 resource center provides advocacy resources, upcoming virtual events and trainings, federal agency COVID-19 resources, national partner organizations response resources, Office of Management and Budget guidance, state-by-state workforce guidelines, and philanthropic resources for communities.
The International Economic Development Council Coronavirus Response webpage provides information on the IEDC's COVID-19 webinar series and frequently updated situational reports.
A wide range of free resources for Main Street leaders, including recovery planning tools, research, and best practices and examples from around the Main Street Network.
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Gulf Coast Economic Development District
713-627-3200
The Economic Recovery Resources - Weekly Update is published by the
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