Opportunity Information: Apply for JIAC2012RURAL
Apply for JIAC2012RURAL
- The Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge in the community development other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.446 Rural Community Development Initiative 10.773 Rural Business Opportunity Grants 11.307 Economic Adjustment Assistance 23.011 Appalachian Research, Technical Assistance, and Demonstration Projects.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 12, 2012 and posted on Mar 8, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 9, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $15,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $715,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) For profit organizations other than small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Special district governments Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities State governments Independent school districts Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments.
- Please note that the above is a combined list of eligible applicants not all of the above listed applicants are eligible for both EDA and USDA funding. Please read the full announcement for the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge carefully to determine which entities are eligible for EDA and USDA funding. For EDA applicants pursuant to PWEDA, an eligible applicant for and eligible recipient of EDA investment assistance under this announcement include a(n) (1) District Organization (2) Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes (3) State, city or other political subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions (4) institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education or (5) public or private non profit organization or association acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a State. See section 3 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3122) and 13 C.F.R. 300.3. For USDA applicants Private, nonprofit, including faith based and community organizations, and public (including Tribal) intermediary organizations may apply for funds that will provide financial and technical assistance to recipients to develop their capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development. The Intermediary will be required to provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to the RCDI grant. The respective minimum and maximum grant amount per Intermediary is 50,000.00 and 300,000.00. The Recipient, but not the Intermediary, must be located in a city or town that has a population of less than 50,000 inhabitants. As noted above, please read the full announcement carefully for complete information.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (Funding Opportunity Number JIAC2012RURAL) was a discretionary, competitive grant opportunity designed to boost economic development and job creation in rural America by helping regions strengthen and grow industry clusters with strong potential for innovation and competitiveness. The program pooled a total of $15,000,000 in funding contributed across four federal regional and economic development players: the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA). Rather than supporting isolated projects, the Challenge was structured to invest in place-based regional strategies, with awards expected to be made in about 20 regions through an inter-agency competition.
A central feature of the opportunity was its focus on accelerating rural job creation by building linkages around self-identified, high-potential industry clusters. The announcement highlighted example clusters such as renewable energy, natural resources, food production, rural tourism, and advanced manufacturing. The intent was to fund customized solutions that directly address a region’s specific gaps and opportunities, meaning applicants were expected to show that they understood their regional economy, had identified priority sectors, and could explain how proposed activities would strengthen the ecosystem needed for those sectors to expand. Alongside grant dollars, the initiative also emphasized coordination and support through technical assistance, leveraging existing resources from nine federal agencies and bureaus to help rural regions execute stronger economic development approaches and improve global competitiveness.
From a funding mechanics standpoint, the awards were grants (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) categorized under community and regional economic development. The estimated total funding available was $15 million, with individual award sizes listed with an award floor of $100,000 and a ceiling of $715,000, and the program anticipated roughly 20 total awards. Cost sharing or matching was required, which is typical for economic development grants and signals that applicants needed to bring non-federal resources to the table or otherwise meet match rules tied to the specific funding stream.
Eligibility was broad in the combined listing, including state, county, and local governments (including cities or townships), special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, independent school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status. For-profit organizations other than small businesses were also listed among eligible applicant types, along with an “others†category that required checking the full announcement. However, an important caveat was that the eligibility list was consolidated across multiple agencies, and not every applicant type was eligible for both EDA and USDA funding. Applicants were explicitly instructed to read the full announcement to determine which components they could apply to and under what rules.
The announcement provided more specific guidance for two major funding tracks. For EDA, eligibility followed PWEDA and EDA regulations, meaning eligible applicants generally included district organizations, Indian tribes or consortia of tribes, states and political subdivisions (and consortia), institutions of higher education (and consortia), and public or private nonprofit organizations or associations acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision. For USDA, the description aligned with the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) style structure, where private nonprofit (including faith-based and community organizations) and public (including tribal) intermediary organizations could apply to provide financial and technical assistance that builds the capacity of local recipients to undertake projects tied to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development. Under that USDA intermediary model, the intermediary had to provide matching funds at least equal to the RCDI grant, grant amounts per intermediary were described as ranging from $50,000 to $300,000, and the recipient (not the intermediary) had to be located in a city or town with a population under 50,000.
The opportunity referenced multiple CFDA numbers tied to the contributing programs and agencies, including 10.446 (Rural Community Development Initiative), 10.773 (Rural Business Opportunity Grants), 11.307 (Economic Adjustment Assistance), and 23.011 (Appalachian Research, Technical Assistance, and Demonstration Projects). These CFDA references underscored that the Challenge was essentially a coordinated, multi-program effort rather than a single-agency grant, with the inter-agency design meant to reduce fragmentation and encourage regions to pursue coherent economic strategies supported by the most relevant federal tools.
In terms of timing and status, the opportunity was posted on March 8, 2012, with a closing date of May 9, 2012, and it was later archived on June 8, 2012. The funding was positioned as time-limited and competitive, with selection based on the strength of regional plans and the likelihood of measurable economic outcomes, particularly in job creation and innovation capacity. For applicants needing the complete requirements, the announcement pointed to a full notice hosted on the Rural Jobs Accelerator website and provided a contact for access issues (Rebecca Moudry, Program Analyst).
Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (JIAC2012RURAL) - FAQs
What is the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (JIAC2012RURAL)?
The Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (Funding Opportunity Number JIAC2012RURAL) was a discretionary, competitive grant opportunity intended to boost economic development and job creation in rural America by helping regions strengthen and grow industry clusters with strong potential for innovation and competitiveness.
Which federal agencies were involved in this Challenge?
The Challenge pooled funding and support across four federal regional and economic development players: the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA). It also emphasized coordination and technical assistance leveraging resources from nine federal agencies and bureaus.
How much total funding was available?
The estimated total funding available for the Challenge was $15,000,000.
What type of funding instrument was used?
Awards were issued as grants (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) and were categorized under community and regional economic development.
What was the expected number of awards?
The program anticipated making roughly 20 awards, with awards expected to be made in about 20 regions through an inter-agency competition.
What were the minimum and maximum award amounts?
Individual award sizes were listed with an award floor of $100,000 and an award ceiling of $715,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching was required, reflecting typical economic development grant structures where applicants must bring non-federal resources to meet match rules tied to the specific funding stream.
What was the program trying to fund: single projects or broader strategies?
The Challenge was structured to invest in place-based regional strategies rather than isolated projects. The intent was to support customized solutions that address a region's specific gaps and opportunities and strengthen the ecosystem needed for priority industry sectors to expand.
What is meant by an "industry cluster" in the context of this opportunity?
The Challenge focused on building linkages around self-identified, high-potential industry clusters with strong potential for innovation and competitiveness. Applicants were expected to identify priority sectors and propose activities that strengthen the regional ecosystem supporting those sectors.
What kinds of industry clusters were mentioned as examples?
Example clusters highlighted in the announcement included renewable energy, natural resources, food production, rural tourism, and advanced manufacturing.
What did applicants need to demonstrate in their proposals?
Applicants were expected to show they understood their regional economy, had identified high-potential priority sectors, and could explain how proposed activities would strengthen the ecosystem needed for those sectors to expand. Selection was positioned as being based on the strength of regional plans and the likelihood of measurable economic outcomes, particularly job creation and innovation capacity.
Did the Challenge include technical assistance in addition to grant funding?
Yes. Alongside grant dollars, the initiative emphasized coordination and support through technical assistance, leveraging existing resources from nine federal agencies and bureaus to help rural regions implement stronger economic development approaches and improve global competitiveness.
Who was listed as eligible to apply (general eligibility list)?
The consolidated eligibility list included: state, county, and local governments (including cities or townships); special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. An "others" category was also noted, with applicants instructed to check the full announcement.
Why is there a warning about eligibility and funding sources?
An important caveat was that the eligibility list was consolidated across multiple agencies, and not every applicant type was eligible for both EDA and USDA funding. Applicants were explicitly instructed to read the full announcement to determine which components they could apply to and under what rules.
What were the EDA-specific eligibility rules described?
For EDA, eligibility followed PWEDA and EDA regulations. Eligible applicants generally included district organizations; Indian tribes or consortia of tribes; states and political subdivisions (and consortia); institutions of higher education (and consortia); and public or private nonprofit organizations or associations acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision.
What were the USDA-specific eligibility rules described?
For USDA, the description aligned with a Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) style intermediary structure. Private nonprofit (including faith-based and community organizations) and public (including tribal) intermediary organizations could apply to provide financial and technical assistance that builds the capacity of local recipients to undertake projects tied to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development.
Under the USDA intermediary model, was matching required and how did it work?
Yes. Under the USDA intermediary model described, the intermediary had to provide matching funds at least equal to the RCDI grant.
Under the USDA intermediary model, what grant size range was described?
USDA intermediary grant amounts were described as ranging from $50,000 to $300,000 per intermediary.
Under the USDA intermediary model, were there location or population requirements?
Yes. Under the USDA intermediary model described, the recipient (not the intermediary) had to be located in a city or town with a population under 50,000.
What CFDA program numbers were referenced in the announcement?
The opportunity referenced multiple CFDA numbers tied to the contributing programs and agencies, including 10.446 (Rural Community Development Initiative), 10.773 (Rural Business Opportunity Grants), 11.307 (Economic Adjustment Assistance), and 23.011 (Appalachian Research, Technical Assistance, and Demonstration Projects).
Why were multiple CFDA numbers included?
The CFDA references underscored that the Challenge was a coordinated, multi-program effort rather than a single-agency grant. The inter-agency design was intended to reduce fragmentation and encourage coherent regional strategies supported by the most relevant federal tools.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on March 8, 2012, and had a closing date of May 9, 2012.
What is the archived date and what does that imply?
The opportunity was later archived on June 8, 2012. Based on the provided information, this indicates the funding opportunity was time-limited and is no longer active under that posting.
Where were applicants directed to find the full notice and requirements?
Applicants were directed to a full notice hosted on the Rural Jobs Accelerator website.
Who was the contact person listed for access issues related to the full announcement?
The announcement provided a contact for access issues: Rebecca Moudry, Program Analyst.
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