BUILD TO SCALE (11.024)
BUILD TO SCALE (Assistance Listing 11.024) is run by the Economic Development Administration, part of the Department of Commerce. It awarded $89.6 million in 109 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $821,983 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $748,624. Half of the 109 awards fell between $399,650 and $1.2 million, and they ranged from $88,335 to $2.7 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$89.6 million
- Grant awards109
- Typical award$748,624
- Awarded in FY 2025$897,425
- Size rank845 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceGrant
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $37.2 million in fiscal 2021 to $897,425 in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 845th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 40% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 40 states and territories.
What the program funds
Entrepreneurs, especially technology entrepreneurs, flourish in healthy ecosystems. Technology-based economic development (TBED) grows ecosystems in which entrepreneurs can build and scale technology-driven businesses, which in turn create high-skill and high-wage jobs, economic opportunity, and the industries of the future. EDA’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE) awards grants through the Build to Scale (B2S) Program to foster technology-based ecosystems, to advance the growth of connected, innovation-centric economies that accelerate technology, and to enable commercialization to increase regional and global competitiveness.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Entities that are eligible for funding include: • a State; • an Indian tribe; • a city or other political subdivision of a State; • an entity whose application is supported by a State or a political subdivision of a state and that is— o a nonprofit organization; o an institution of higher education; o a public-private partnership; o a science or research park; o a Federal laboratory; o a venture development organization; or o an economic development organization or similar entity that is focused primarily on improving science, technology, innovation, or entrepreneurship; or • a consortium of any of the aforementioned entities. EDA is not authorized to provide grants to individuals or other entity types that are not eligible under this NOFO, and such requests will not be considered for funding. If an organization is currently implementing an OIE award (i.e., under a prior-year Build to Scale or Regional Innovation Strategies program funding opportunity) and submitting an application to the same or successor challenge under this NOFO, EDA will not consider that application for award unless all activities under the existing award, including but not limited to final reporting requirements, are completed and submitted to EDA prior to October 1, 2023.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Venture Challenge Build applicants • should pilot a solution to a demonstrated need or implement a proven solution to a demonstrated need in a new region or community; • must demonstrate a commitment and ability to achieve, measure, and share data that support agreed upon impacts; and • must provide a 1:1 match. Venture Challenge Scale applicants • should scale an existing initiative that has demonstrated prior success based on empirical evidence; • must have a proven track record of successful deployment of programs; • must demonstrate a commitment and ability to achieve, measure, and share data that support agreed upon program effects to accelerate technology-based economic development strategies; and • must provide a 1:1 match. Venture Challenge Ignite applicants • may be establishing new partnerships across sectors, industries, and organizational types to build capacity; • may be conducting community needs audits and assessments to develop a comprehensive technology-based economic development strategy for the region; • may be establishing governance and other formal agreements and structures among partners and identifying regional TBED champions; • may be establishing a new or reimagined commercialization and technology transfer function; and • must provide a 1:1 match.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Applicants must provide matching share equal to at least 50 percent of the total project cost.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, BUILD TO SCALE (11.024) awarded $89.6 million across 109 grant awards, an average of $821,983 per award.
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 58% of the money, colleges and universities 23% and state and local governments 13%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 66 | $51.7 million | 58% |
| Colleges and universities | 25 | $20.9 million | 23% |
| State and local governments | 12 | $11.7 million | 13% |
| Other | 5 | $4.5 million | 5.0% |
| Businesses | 1 | $661,725 | 0.7% |
By state
27 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 5 | $6.4 million |
| California | 7 | $6.3 million |
| New York | 7 | $5.9 million |
| Florida | 4 | $4.6 million |
| Maryland | 5 | $4.5 million |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | $4.4 million |
| Tennessee | 3 | $4.2 million |
| Ohio | 5 | $4.0 million |
| Louisiana | 4 | $3.8 million |
| Missouri | 2 | $3.5 million |
| Michigan | 6 | $3.3 million |
| Illinois | 3 | $3.2 million |
| Colorado | 3 | $3.0 million |
| Kansas | 3 | $2.6 million |
| Vermont | 3 | $2.4 million |
| Minnesota | 2 | $2.3 million |
| Utah | 3 | $2.2 million |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $1.9 million |
| Massachusetts | 2 | $1.9 million |
| Nevada | 1 | $1.8 million |
| New Mexico | 2 | $1.7 million |
| Washington | 3 | $1.7 million |
| Georgia | 2 | $1.7 million |
| South Carolina | 3 | $1.7 million |
| Arizona | 3 | $1.6 million |
| Maine | 2 | $1.1 million |
| Kentucky | 2 | $1.0 million |
| Virginia | 2 | $930,928 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $748,036 |
| Alabama | 1 | $657,622 |
| Mississippi | 2 | $638,617 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $598,152 |
| Indiana | 2 | $573,286 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $538,072 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | $467,500 |
| Nebraska | 1 | $300,000 |
| New Jersey | 1 | $300,000 |
| North Carolina | 1 | $299,987 |
| Alaska | 1 | $295,815 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $224,628 |