As a part of the American Rescue Plan, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) received $3 billion in funding to assist communities in their efforts to accelerate economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and build resiliency to future economic shocks.

The EDA will use the allocated $3 billion to provide flexible funds for community-led economic development activities. The EDA will focus on six key areas:

1. The Build Back Better Regional Challenge: Assists communities nationwide in their efforts to build back better by accelerating the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building local economies that will be resilient to future economic shocks.
2. The Good Jobs Challenge: Aims to get Americans back to work by building and strengthening systems and partnerships that bring together employers who have hiring needs with other key entities to train workers with in-demand skills that lead to good-paying jobs.
3. Economic Adjustment Assistance Program: Provides grants to communities to plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs.
4. Indigenous Communities Program: Supports Tribes to develop and execute economic development projects that they need to recover from the pandemic and build economies for the future.
5. Travel, Tourism, & Outdoor Recreation Program: Provides state and local funding to communities for investing in infrastructure, workforce, or other projects that support the recovery of the industry and economic resilience of the community in the future.
6. Coal Communities Commitment: Supports coal communities as they recover from the pandemic and help them create new jobs and opportunities, including through the creation or expansion of a new industry sector.

Application deadlines vary for each grant. We encourage cities to take the time to review each program to determine if you could use and benefit from these federal funds.

The EDA has also hosted several informational webinars which can be accessed directly on the EDA American Rescue Plan site.