Catalyst Program Grant

The Catalyst Program is the Northern Border Regional Commission’s (NBRC) primary competitive grant initiative designed to stimulate economic growth and foster strategic partnerships in the four-state Northern Border region: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Formerly known as the State Economic & Infrastructure Development (SEID) program, the Catalyst Program supports a wide range of development activities aligned with regional and state economic priorities. NBRC serves as the administrator of this program, awarding grants to public and nonprofit entities to modernize infrastructure, improve economic resilience, and support rural vitality throughout its designated service areas. The Catalyst Program is structured around two funding rounds per year—in spring and fall. Each round includes a pre-application process followed by an invitation-only full application phase. Pre-applications for the spring 2026 round are due by 5:00 PM EST on February 27, with full applications due by 5:00 PM EST on April 17. Grant awards for this round are expected in June. A second round will follow with pre-applications due August 18, full applications due October 16, and awards announced in December. Only projects located within NBRC’s defined service area, encompassing specific counties in the four member states, are eligible. Pre-application review involves both NBRC and the state government, and determines both eligibility and maximum award size. The 2026 Catalyst Program anticipates up to $30 million in competitive funding, subject to availability and appropriations. Grants are divided into two main types: Implementation Awards and Feasibility Awards. Implementation Awards support construction and programmatic investments, with funding caps set at $500,000 for general initiatives, $1,000,000 for single-category infrastructure projects, and up to $3,000,000 for multi-jurisdiction or multi-infrastructure projects. Feasibility Awards fund early-stage planning, design, or assessment work, capped at $100,000. A local cost share (match) is required, with the percentage based on annually updated distress criteria that reflect the economic conditions in the project’s location. Eligible applicants include state and local governments within the NBRC region, secondary and career technical education centers, regional planning authorities, federally recognized Indian Tribes, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c) status and established operations in a member state. Ineligible applicants include for-profit entities, unrecognized nonprofits, and organizations previously disqualified from receiving federal or state funding. Applications must align with one or more of NBRC’s eligible project categories, such as transportation infrastructure, water and wastewater services, broadband development, workforce development, healthcare facilities, or recreation and tourism assets. Proposals that demonstrate regional impact, direct benefit to underserved or rural communities, or contribute to economic resilience and disaster preparedness are prioritized. Submission of a pre-application is mandatory and must be completed via NBRC’s online portal. Feedback from state program managers is available to assist applicants in preparing competitive proposals. Full applications are only accepted from those invited following successful pre-application review. Applicants must clearly articulate their project’s eligibility category, scope, and alignment with economic development goals in both the pre-application and final submission. Detailed guidance is provided in the Catalyst Program User Manual, which is published separately on the NBRC website. Evaluation criteria emphasize alignment with both NBRC and member state strategic priorities. Competitive proposals are expected to create or retain jobs, leverage private investment, improve regional infrastructure, and demonstrate strong community partnerships. Preference is given to projects benefiting small rural towns (population under 5,000), underserved communities, and areas designated as economically distressed under NBRC’s statutory definitions. Final grant determinations are made jointly by NBRC and the respective state governments, with grant agreements formalized post-award.