Philadelphia FY 2021 – FY 2023 EDA Planning and Local Technical Assistance
🏛 Department of Commerce
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for planning and local technical assistance investments in economically distressed regions. Eligible applicants include District Organizations, Indian Tribes, state/local governments, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations working with government officials. The program focuses on economic development planning, job creation, and private investment attraction. Geographic preference is given to areas designated as economically distressed by EDA.
Applications must demonstrate how projects will build economic capacity and regional resiliency. Both planning activities and technical assistance projects qualify. Eligible planning includes Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS) and other regional economic plans. Technical assistance covers feasibility studies, impact analyses, and disaster resiliency planning.
Cost sharing is required. Applicants must apply through the new EDGE platform (sfgrants.eda.gov), not Grants.gov. Partnership Planning applications may have different submission requirements.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Program description
UPDATED NOTICE – PLEASE READ: April 6, 2023
EDA is excited to announce the launch of its new grants management platform: the Economic Development Grants Experience (EDGE). EDGE was developed to streamline the application and grants management process by implementing a single platform with increased transparency, improved user experience, higher data quality, and more efficiency throughout the entire grant lifecycle.
As of April 6th, 2023, applications can no longer be submitted on Grants.gov, and will ONLY be accepted through EDGE. To apply in EDGE, please go to: sfgrants.eda.gov. More information on how to apply is provided in the full NOFO.
Please note that the above does not apply for Partnership Planning applications. For more information, please reach out to your point of contact.
Program Description:
EDA makes planning and local technical assistance investments to support economic development, foster job creation, and attract private investment in economically distressed areas of the United States.
Under the Planning program, EDA makes Partnership Planning, Short-Term Planning, and State Planning awards to eligible recipients to create and implement regional economic development plans designed to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of an area or region. More specifically, EDA makes Partnership Planning investments to designated planning organizations (i.e., District Organizations) serving EDA-designated Economic Development Districts and to Indian Tribes to facilitate the development, implementation, revision, or replacement of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), which articulate and prioritize the strategic economic goals of recipients’ respective regions. EDA also makes Short-Term and State Planning awards for economic development planning activities that guide the eventual creation and retention of high-quality jobs, particularly for the unemployed and underemployed in the Nation’s most economically distressed regions.
Under the Local Technical Assistance program, EDA makes awards to strengthen the capacity of local or State organizations, institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities to undertake and promote effective economic development programs through projects such as feasibility studies, impact analyses, disaster resiliency plans, and project planning.
*Please note: While the published Notice of Funding Opportunity (available under “Related Documents”) states that the ED900A form and the SF424B form are both required for a complete application, these forms are no longer required and have therefore been removed from the package template.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Public Authority
- Public University
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative and Work Plan
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Letters of Support from Regional Partners
- Economic/Distress Data Documentation
- Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) or Planning Document
- Evidence of Cost Share Commitments
Program contact
- 👤 Bernadette Grafton Program Analyst
- 📞 202-482-2917
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 11.303 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$990,000
-
$824,956
-
$709,000
-
$708,000
-
$708,000
-
$668,000
-
$661,200
-
$652,388
-
$641,527
-
$585,000
Top States by Funding
- CA 5 awards $1.9M
- TX 6 awards $1.7M
- NM 4 awards $1.5M
- MN 2 awards $1.5M
- IN 3 awards $1.2M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 11.303). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $12,640,729 | |
| 2025 | $504,525 | |
| 2026 est. | $10,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants include District Organizations, Indian Tribes, state/local governments, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations partnering with government. Each entity type has specific requirements under EDA regulations.
What activities does this grant support?
The grant funds economic development planning, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), feasibility studies, impact analyses, and disaster resiliency planning. Projects must support job creation and regional economic resilience.
Is cost sharing required?
Yes, cost sharing is required. The exact percentage should be confirmed in the detailed program guidelines available through EDGE.
What is the application process?
As of April 6, 2023, all applications must be submitted through the EDGE platform at sfgrants.eda.gov. The previous Grants.gov portal is no longer accepted. Partnership Planning applications may follow different procedures.
What is the typical award amount?
Award amounts vary, with funding up to $300,000 noted for this opportunity. Specific amounts depend on project scope and applicant qualifications.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Apply through the EDGE platform (sfgrants.eda.gov) only. Grants.gov submissions will be rejected as of April 2023.
- Focus your application on economically distressed areas and how your project creates jobs or attracts private investment.
- Develop a clear regional economic development strategy or feasibility study that aligns with EDA's priorities for economic resilience.
- Confirm cost-sharing requirements early and secure commitments from partners. Document all in-kind and cash contributions clearly.
- Contact your EDA point of contact if applying as a Partnership Planning organization, as submission requirements may differ from other application types.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail to clearly connect projects to EDA's economic distress criteria or job creation goals. Many applicants submit vague plans without specific economic data or measurable outcomes.
Weak regional coordination or unclear roles of partner organizations reduces competitiveness. Applicants underestimate cost-sharing requirements or fail to document matching funds adequately.
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