FY 2025 EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs

The U.S. Department of Commerce, through its Economic Development Administration, has released the Fiscal Years 2023, 2024, and 2025 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity. This program is designed to support long-term economic development strategies across U.S. communities through both construction and non-construction projects. It is governed under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 and encompasses two core programs: Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with no specific submission deadline, until funds are exhausted or the notice is replaced. The Public Works program focuses primarily on construction-oriented investments. It aims to provide catalytic infrastructure that helps distressed communities become more economically competitive. Eligible uses include land development, water and sewer improvements, industrial parks, workforce training facilities, brownfield redevelopment, broadband deployment, and advanced manufacturing or research centers. By funding critical infrastructure, the program enables regions to implement broader economic development strategies that create jobs and attract private investment. Projects are expected to align with a community’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy or an EDA-accepted equivalent plan. The Economic Adjustment Assistance program offers more flexible support for communities facing sudden or long-term economic changes. It funds both construction and non-construction activities, including workforce training, strategy development, technical assistance, revolving loan funds, and economic recovery planning. It also provides targeted aid to communities impacted by the closure of coal, biomass, or nuclear facilities. This program helps communities strengthen resilience, diversify their economies, and leverage regional strengths to adapt to shifting economic conditions. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements outlined in federal regulations. Eligible entities include district organizations, Indian Tribes, state and local governments, special districts, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations working in cooperation with government entities, economic development organizations, and certain public-private partnerships. Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible. In addition, projects must demonstrate that they benefit regions meeting EDA’s distress criteria, which are based on unemployment rates, per capita income, or special need designations such as natural disasters, population loss, or industrial closures. EDA requires cost share or matching contributions for most awards, with a general baseline of 60 percent federal funding and up to 80 percent in more severely distressed regions. Certain applicants, including Indian Tribes and entities that can demonstrate exhausted taxing or borrowing capacity, may qualify for up to 100 percent federal support. Matching funds may be provided in cash or in-kind, but they must be unencumbered, documented, and directly tied to the project. Federal funds may only serve as match when specifically authorized by statute. Applications must be submitted electronically through the Economic Development Grants Experience (EDGE) portal. Required materials include the SF-424, ED-900 general application, budget narrative, match documentation, and certifications. Depending on project type, additional documents may include engineering reports, environmental narratives, revolving loan fund plans, feasibility studies, or organizational documentation. Proposals are first evaluated through a competitiveness review based on responsiveness, alignment with investment priorities, committed match, and consistency with regional strategies. Successful applications proceed to an investment review committee, which assesses feasibility, stakeholder involvement, resilience, job creation, private investment potential, and regional distress levels. EDA awards grants or cooperative agreements under this opportunity, with average funding amounts ranging from $150,000 for small planning projects to $5 million for larger construction efforts. The period of performance varies by project type, with planning and technical assistance typically lasting up to two years and construction projects extending up to five years. The agency encourages early engagement with regional representatives to confirm eligibility and strengthen applications. Contact information for EDA regional offices is provided on the agency’s website, and applicants are advised to consult their designated representative for guidance before submitting. This NOFO remains open on a rolling basis, with applications accepted until funds are expended or a new announcement is published.