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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Harris County COVID-19 Emergency Direct Assistance Fund Application Open November 2 to November 6 |
A new $40 million COVID-19 relief fund for residents of Harris County opens today, November 2. The funding is expected to help 33,333 families with one-time payments of up to $1,200 that can be used for rent, food, utilities, health care, childcare, transportation and other immediate needs. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will manage the fund; their website outlines eligibility requirements and how funds will be distributed. Applications must be submitted online, but residents can call 832-990-1318 for help with the application process.
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Texas Department of Agriculture Releases Applications for 2021 Texas Community Development Block Grant Programs |
The Texas Department of Agriculture announced several competitive grant applications for their 2021 Texas Community Development Block Grant (TxCDBG) programs, including the Community Development Fund; Colonia Fund: Construction Program; and Downtown Revitalization Program. Applications for all three competitions are due on May 3, 2021. The first of several webinars to introduce and provide technical assistance for these application cycles will be at 1 p.m. November 19. See the webinar calendar on the Texas Department of Agriculture website.
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Small Business Resources
Relevant news, funding opportunities, and other support for small businesses in the Houston-Galveston region.
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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Guide to Building an Online Presence
To weather the challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic, small business owners must become adept social media and website users. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension released a “Building Your Online Presence—Immediately” guide with straightforward information on how to expand an online store, run an email or text campaign, and build a social media following.
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Small Business Development Centers Offer Variety of Webinars for Small Business Owners
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Small Business Administration Houston District Office Offerings
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Federal Funding for Rural Communities |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’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 |
For construction or non-construction projects that prepare for or respond to economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, create jobs, and/or generate private investment.
Investments of up to $750,000 over 18 months and $500,000 over 12 months in organizations working to rapidly address the economic, health, and safety risks caused by the coronavirus pandemic through entrepreneurship and innovation.
Funding up to $3 million to construct facilities used to deploy broadband services to residents, businesses, and essential community facilities (schools, libraries, fire stations etc.) or to cover the cost of providing broadband service to community facilities for two years.
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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This webinar will provide an overview of Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) with a particular emphasis on eligible housing related activities. CDBG-CV grantees and subrecipients are encouraged to attend this discussion of how CDBG-CV funds and other resources can be used to address current housing needs.
Learn how to re-strategize your business planning to maintain an adequate level of cash on hand and get suppliers and vendors to make their payments amidst unsure global supply chains and a global pandemic.
Featured speakers will discuss the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrant communities and the cross-cutting factors that have given rise to these outcomes. It will also seek to explore strategies that state officials can employ to address these disparities through informed policymaking.
The CDFA Virtual National Summit brings together leaders and experts in the development finance industry to discuss best practices, trends, and financing solutions in the face of COVID-19.
The theme of this year’s Texas Downtown Conference is Revitalize, Reboot, and Reconnect. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s conference will have sessions on helping retail rebound, social media tips for downtowns, managing chaos, adapting events to a COIVD-19 environment and more.
While communities adapt to the challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, economic development in rural America has been hard hit, the difficulty exacerbated by the lack of broadband. Join to hear how communities and broadband providers are working together to expand broadband access to residents and businesses to build resilient economies.
With limited federal action, state and local governments have been required to lead efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Hear from several leading membership organizations representing state and local governments on how federal strategy related to COVID-19 has impacted state and local jurisdictions.
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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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