Federal grant programs / Department of Commerce

Investments for Public Works and Economic Development Facilities (11.300)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$515 million
• Grant awards253
• Typical award$1.7 million
• Awarded in FY 2025$37.7 million
• Size rank365 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding fell from $134 million in fiscal 2021 to $37.7 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 365th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 19% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 45 states and territories.

What the program funds

EDA’s Public Works program helps distressed communities revitalize, expand, and upgrade their physical infrastructure. This program enables communities to attract new industry, encourage business expansion, diversify local economies, generate local investment, and create or retain long-term jobs through land acquisition, development, and infrastructure improvement projects that establish or expand industrial or commercial enterprises.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

• FY 2025 EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs
  Open · Rolling or no fixed deadline · up to $30.0 million

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Pursuant to Section 3(6) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. § 3122(6)(A)) and 13 C.F.R. § 300.3 (Eligible Recipient), eligible applicants for EDA financial assistance under the Public Works and EAA programs include a(n): (i) District Organization of an EDA-designated Economic Development District; (ii) Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; (iii) State, county, 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; (iv) institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; (v) public or private non-profit organization or association acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a State; (vi) an economic development organization; or (vii) a public-private partnership for public infrastructure. Individuals and for-profit entities are not eligible for funding.

What the money can and cannot pay for

EDA Public Works program investments help facilitate the transition of communities from being distressed to becoming competitive by developing key public infrastructure, such as technology-based facilities that utilize distance learning networks, smart rooms, and smart buildings; multitenant manufacturing and other facilities; business and industrial parks with fiber optic cable; and telecommunications and development facilities. In addition, EDA invests in traditional public works projects, including water and sewer systems improvements, industrial parks, business incubator facilities, expansion of port and harbor facilities, skill-training facilities, and brownfields redevelopment Public Works and EAA must be consistent with the region’s current Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) or equivalent EDA-accepted regional economic development strategy that meets EDA’s CEDS or strategy requirements. Applicants must clearly detail how the proposed project will support the economic development needs and objectives outlined in the CEDS or equivalent strategy. Applicants should identify the CEDS or strategy and provide a copy of this planning document, either by attaching the document to the application or by submitting a hard copy. In addition, applicants should highlight where and how the proposed project will be aligned with, integrated into, and/or will further leverage other public and private investments in the community and region.;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Generally, the amount of the EDA grant may not exceed 60 percent of the total cost of the project. Projects may receive an additional amount that shall not exceed 30 percent, based on the relative needs of the region in which the project will be located, as determined by EDA. In addition, EDA’s regulations allow an investment rate of up to 100 percent for Indian tribes, for a State or political subdivision of a State that can document that it has exhausted its effective taxing and borrowing capacity, or for a non-profit organization that can document that it has exhausted its borrowing capacity.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

The average size of a Public Works investment has been approximately $1.4 million and investments generally range from $600,000 to $3,000,000. Historically, EDA has awarded funds for between 80 and 150 Public Works projects a year.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

State and local governments received 64% of the money, colleges and universities 14% and nonprofits 10%.

By state

43 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.