Opportunity Information: Apply for EDAFY2009UC
Apply for EDAFY2009UC
- The Economic Development Administration in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 09 University Center Economic Development Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.303 Economic DevelopmentTechnical Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 20, 2009 and posted on Feb 20, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 21, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $7,202,620.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education.
- An accredited institution of higher education or a consortium of accredited institutions of higher education is eligible to apply for and to receive funding under the University Center Economic Development Program. See section 3(12) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended (PWEDA) (42 U.S.C. 3122(12)) and 13 C.F.R. 300.3. A university affiliated research foundation also is eligible to apply for and to receive funding under this announcement provided it demonstrates (e.g., a letter or other documentation from a university President or Chancellor) that it maintains the full and integral support of the university with respect to its economic development activities. For applicants applying as a consortium, one accredited institution must be identified as the lead agent that would have lead responsibility to EDA and to the other members of the consortium for implementing an award. EDA holds University Center Economic Development Program competitions annually in two of its six regional offices each fiscal year. In FY 2009, EDA will hold a competition in its Atlanta and Seattle regional offices. Therefore, EDA is soliciting competitive applications from accredited institutions of higher education and from consortia of accredited institutions of higher education to operate University Centers from applicants in (and programs targeting) only the following geographic areas served by EDA s Atlanta and Seattle Regional Offices. The Atlanta regional office serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The Seattle regional office serves Alaska, Arizona, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nevada, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Republic of Palau and Washington .
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Opportunity Summary:
The FY 09 University Center Economic Development Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA), designed to fund university-based “University Centers” that strengthen regional economic development. The central idea is to leverage the practical assets of higher education institutions (faculty expertise, students, labs, libraries, facilities, and computing capacity) to deliver applied research and hands-on technical assistance that helps communities and businesses solve real economic problems. EDA frames the program around its broader mission: promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing U.S. regions for growth, and reducing poverty by improving the business environment in ways that attract private investment and support higher-skill, higher-wage job creation.
Funded University Centers are expected to operate as outward-facing economic development resources, not as isolated academic projects. Their work can include applied research, direct assistance to public and private organizations, and other region-serving activities that translate university capabilities into measurable economic outcomes. EDA is specifically interested in proposals that address economically distressed areas. The announcement describes distress broadly, including high unemployment, low incomes, concentrated poverty, major declines in per-capita income, waves of business failures, major layoffs or plant closures, base closures, disasters, resource depletion, shrinking tax bases, and population loss tied to limited job opportunities. In practice, applicants are being asked to show they understand the economic conditions in their service area and can deliver services that respond to those conditions in a way that supports long-term competitiveness.
Programmatically, EDA wants University Centers that can operate at a regional, statewide, or multi-state scale and that directly support (1) the creation and retention of higher-skill, higher-wage jobs, (2) the attraction of private capital investment, (3) solutions to regional economic development challenges and opportunities, and (4) improved long-term regional and national competitiveness in the global economy. EDA also emphasizes coordination: proposed Centers are encouraged to collaborate with other EDA-funded partners and stakeholders and to create synergies with EDA’s Public Works, Economic Adjustment, and Planning programs. Another key expectation is avoiding duplication, with EDA stating it will strive to fund a portfolio of Centers that collectively provides broad geographic coverage and a full range of services tailored to local needs and institutional strengths, while minimizing overlapping or redundant offerings.
Eligibility is limited to accredited institutions of higher education and consortia of accredited institutions. A university-affiliated research foundation may also apply if it can document full and integral university support for the economic development activities (for example, via a letter from the university President or Chancellor). For consortium applications, one accredited institution must be designated as the lead agent responsible to EDA and to consortium partners for award implementation. A major constraint in FY 2009 is geography: EDA is only accepting applications from applicants located in, and serving areas within, the regions covered by EDA’s Atlanta and Seattle regional offices. The Atlanta regional office covers Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The Seattle regional office covers Alaska, Arizona, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nevada, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, the Republic of Palau, and Washington.
On funding specifics, the opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number EDAFY2009UC; CFDA 11.303 Economic Development Technical Assistance) anticipated about 20 awards. The estimated total funding amount is $7,202,620, with an award ceiling of $200,000. The opportunity includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning recipients must provide non-federal resources to cover part of the project costs. The announcement was posted February 20, 2009, with an application deadline of April 21, 2009, and an archive date of June 21, 2009.
Overall, this program is best understood as EDA’s way of funding universities to act as regional economic development “backbone” institutions: providing research-informed technical support, building local capacity, and helping communities and businesses pursue strategies that lead to stronger job quality and greater private investment, particularly in places facing persistent or sudden economic distress. For applicants, the core competitiveness factors are likely to be the clarity of the economic development mission, the practicality and reach of proposed services, strong partnerships and integration with existing institutional resources, and a credible plan to complement rather than duplicate other economic development providers in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the FY 09 University Center Economic Development Program?
The FY 09 University Center Economic Development Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA). It funds university-based "University Centers" that strengthen regional economic development by applying university assets (faculty, students, labs, libraries, facilities, and computing capacity) to real-world economic challenges.
What is the main purpose of funding University Centers?
The central purpose is to leverage higher education resources to deliver applied research and hands-on technical assistance that helps communities and businesses solve practical economic problems, improve the business environment, and support stronger long-term regional competitiveness.
How does EDA describe the broader mission behind this program?
EDA frames the program around promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing U.S. regions for growth, and reducing poverty by improving conditions that attract private investment and support higher-skill, higher-wage job creation.
What types of activities can a funded University Center perform?
Funded Centers may provide applied research, direct assistance to public and private organizations, and other region-serving activities that translate university capabilities into measurable economic outcomes. EDA expects Centers to operate as outward-facing economic development resources rather than isolated academic projects.
What outcomes does EDA want University Centers to support?
EDA emphasizes Centers that directly support: (1) creation and retention of higher-skill, higher-wage jobs; (2) attraction of private capital investment; (3) solutions to regional economic development challenges and opportunities; and (4) improved long-term regional and national competitiveness in the global economy.
Is the program focused on economically distressed areas?
Yes. EDA is specifically interested in proposals that address economically distressed areas and expects applicants to demonstrate an understanding of the economic conditions in their service area and how proposed services respond to those conditions.
How does the announcement define or describe "economic distress"?
The announcement describes distress broadly and may include high unemployment, low incomes, concentrated poverty, major declines in per-capita income, waves of business failures, major layoffs or plant closures, base closures, disasters, resource depletion, shrinking tax bases, and population loss tied to limited job opportunities.
Are University Centers expected to work only locally, or can they operate across a larger area?
EDA wants University Centers that can operate at a regional, statewide, or multi-state scale, depending on the proposed service area and the Center's planned activities and partnerships.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to accredited institutions of higher education and consortia of accredited institutions. A university-affiliated research foundation may also apply if it can document full and integral university support for the economic development activities.
Can a university-affiliated research foundation apply instead of the university?
Yes, a university-affiliated research foundation may apply if it can document full and integral university support for the proposed economic development activities, such as a letter from the university President or Chancellor.
What is required for consortium applications?
For consortia, one accredited institution must be designated as the lead agent. The lead agent is responsible to EDA and to consortium partners for implementing the award.
Are there geographic limitations for FY 2009 applications?
Yes. For FY 2009, EDA is only accepting applications from applicants located in, and serving areas within, the regions covered by EDA's Atlanta and Seattle regional offices.
Which states are covered by the EDA Atlanta regional office for this opportunity?
The Atlanta regional office covers Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Which states and territories are covered by the EDA Seattle regional office for this opportunity?
The Seattle regional office covers Alaska, Arizona, American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nevada, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, the Republic of Palau, and Washington.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EDAFY2009UC. The CFDA is 11.303, Economic Development Technical Assistance.
How many awards were anticipated under this opportunity?
The opportunity anticipated about 20 awards.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount was $7,202,620.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $200,000.
Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
Yes. The opportunity includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning recipients must provide non-federal resources to cover part of the project costs.
When was the opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
The announcement was posted on February 20, 2009. The application deadline was April 21, 2009. The archive date was June 21, 2009.
Does EDA expect coordination with other organizations or EDA programs?
Yes. Proposed Centers are encouraged to collaborate with other EDA-funded partners and stakeholders and to create synergies with EDA's Public Works, Economic Adjustment, and Planning programs.
Why does EDA emphasize avoiding duplication among University Centers?
EDA states it will strive to fund a portfolio of Centers that provides broad geographic coverage and a full range of services tailored to local needs and institutional strengths, while minimizing overlapping or redundant offerings.
What does EDA mean by a University Center being "outward-facing"?
It means the Center should function as a regional economic development resource that engages communities and businesses through applied work and technical assistance, rather than operating as a purely internal or academic-only initiative.
What does EDA seem to value in competitive proposals, based on the description?
Based on the description, competitiveness is likely tied to a clear economic development mission; practical, region-reaching services; strong partnerships; effective use of institutional resources; credible plans to support distressed areas; coordination with EDA partners and programs; and a plan that complements rather than duplicates other providers.
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