We Need Your Input!

Nevada Workforce Development Needs Assessment

Survey Ends: Friday, June 16, 2023 at 5:00 PM

The University Center for Economic Development (UCED), part of the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno, has received a grant from the Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation (GOWINN) to complete a comprehensive assessment of workforce development needs across the state.

As part of this effort, the UCED have developed this survey to collect vital information on your workforce development needs. Please complete as much of this survey as possible no later than 5 PM on Friday, June 16, 2023.

If you have any questions about the survey or this effort, please contact Frederick Steinmann, UCED Director: 775.784.1655 or fred@unr.edu.

Workforce Development Survey

Five for Friday: June 9, 2023

Curated by: The Western Nevada Development District…

This edition of Five for Friday focuses on opportunities for economic development around the region in the areas of infrastructure, access to capital, homeownership, climate change and broadband.

Grant Opportunities & More

Join the Electric Highway:
Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program (CFI)

The CFI Grant program provides funding to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and other alternative fueling infrastructure.

This grant program has two tracks:

Corridor Charging: to deploy electric vehicle charging and hydrogen/propane/natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated alternative fuel corridors

Community Charging: to install electric vehicle charging and alternative fuel in locations on public roads, schools, parks, and in publicly accessible parking facilities

Community Charging grants will prioritize rural areas as well as low-and moderate-income neighborhoods with low ratios of private parking, or high ratios of multiunit dwellings.

Project Minimum: $500,000

Application Deadline: June 13, 2023

CFI Program

National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements

Strategic Planning Grants to Address Climate Change

The National Endowment for the Humanities’ Climate Smart Humanities Organizations supports efforts from organizations such as museums, libraries, archives, historic sites, and colleges and universities for comprehensive organizational assessments that lead to strategic climate action and adaptation plans.

Grants of up to $300,000 are available with a 1:1 match required. Through the Climate Smart program, humanities organizations can undertake activities such as energy audits, risk assessments, and meetings with consultants. The resulting climate smart planning will establish goals and prioritize actions that reduce impacts on the environment through mitigation and vulnerability from extreme events through adaptation.

Application Deadline: September 14, 2023

Climate Smart Humanities Organizations

EDA Launches Build to Scale Supporting Innovators, Entrepreneurs, and Startups

The U.S. Economic Development Administration is accepting applications for its $50 million Build to Scale (B2S) Program to support projects that strengthen equitable ecosystems and increase access to capital for innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups. The program strengthens regional economies by supporting scalable startups which help communities and regions grow technology-driven businesses, create high-skill/high-wage jobs, and build industries of the future.

The FY 2023 Build to Scale Program is comprised of two competitions:

Venture Challenge:

Venture Challenge supports programs that enable high-growth technology entrepreneurship and foster inclusive access to proven entrepreneurship support models.

Capital Challenge:

Capital Challenge increases access to capital in communities where risk capital is in short supply by providing operational support for early-stage investment funds, networks, and training programs that focus on both traditional and hybrid equity-based financing.

Application Deadline: July 28, 2023

Build to Scale (B2S) Program

Venture Challenge

Capital Challenge

NOFO

Apply Here

USDA Rural Development Programs Highlight Homeownership Month

June is National Homeownership Month!

As part of this nationwide celebration, USDA Rural Development (RD) is showcasing programs that help people in rural and Tribal areas buy, build and repair affordable homes in America’s smallest towns and communities.

The USDA has invested $37 billion to help nearly 216,000 families and individuals through RD’s Single Family Housing programs:

Single Family Housing Direct Home Loan Program: provides loans directly to families and individuals to buy or build homes in rural America

Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program: enables USDA to partner with private lending institutions, backing their loans to help families and individuals buy homes in rural areas

Home Repair Loan and Grant Program: provides loans and grants to help families and individuals repair their homes to make them safer, healthier places to live

Mutual Self-Help Housing Grant Program: provides grants to qualified organizations to help them carry out local self-help housing construction projects

Single Family Housing Programs

Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans

Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program

Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants

Single Family Housing Rural Disaster Home Repair Grants

Community Connect Grants Provide Internet Access and Economic Opportunities

The USDA’s Community Connect provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide broadband service in rural, economically challenged communities where service does not exist.

Eligible applicants include:

  • Incorporated organizations
  • Federally recognized Tribes
  • State and local units of government
  • Any other legal entity, including cooperatives, private corporations, or limited liability companies organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis

Funds may be used for the construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, spectrum, land or buildings used to deploy broadband service for all residential and business customers located within the Proposed Funded Service Area and all participating essential community facilities (such as public schools, fire stations, public libraries, and public safety stations).

The Community Connect program helps rural communities receive access where broadband service is least likely to be commercially available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for people and businesses.

Application Deadline: June 20, 2023

Community Connect Program

NOFO

WNDD Awarded EDA Partnership Planning Grant

WNDD to Receive $240,000

The U.S. Economic Development Administration this week announced a $240,000 Partnership Planning grant for the Western Nevada Development District (WNDD) for FY2023 thru FY2025. This EDA planning investment supports the development and implementation of a comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS) for the region served by WNDD, which consists of nine counties and six municipalities. The CEDS process is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the creation of an economic development roadmap to diversify and strengthen the regional economy.

WNDD members and local stakeholders recently participated in a workshop facilitated by the University Center for Economic Development, part of the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno to evaluate and update WNDD’s 2020 through 2025 CEDS. These funds will help sustain these collaborative regional planning efforts.

2023 CEDS Workshop

EDA Planning Program

USDA Webinars: Inflation Reduction Act

USDA Announces Webinars on Inflation Reduction Act Programs to Advance Clean Energy Initiatives in Rural America

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a series of webinars to help organizations learn how to apply for financial assistance to advance clean, affordable and reliable electric energy in rural America.

USDA recently announced $10.7 billion in funding available under the USDA Powering Affordable Clean Energy (USDA PACE) and Empowering Rural America (New ERA) programs.

Eligible organizations may apply for loans, grants, loan modifications and partially forgivable loans. The Biden-Harris Administration made this historic funding possible through the Inflation Reduction Act. It will expand clean, affordable and reliable energy in rural communities, including U.S. territories and Compact of Freely Associated States.

USDA staff will host webinars via Zoom at the following dates and times:

USDA PACE Program and Eligibility Mapping Overview June 6, 2023 at 11:00 AM PT

A New ERA Program and Greenhouse Gas Calculator Overview June 8, 2023 at 11:00 AM PT

Office Hours for USDA PACE and New ERA Programs June 22, 2023 at 11:00 AM PT

Webinar: June 6, 2023

Webinar: June 8, 2023

Office Hours: June 22, 2023

Stakeholder Announcement