Five for Friday: July 26, 2024

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Five for Friday: Grant Opportunities and More!

Curated by: The Western Nevada Development District…

This edition of Five for Friday focuses on railroads, fish and wildlife, broadband, affordable energy and the Nevada Tech Hub.

Grant Opportunities & More

Grants to Strengthen Safety at Rail Crossings and Reduce Blocked Crossings

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a NOFO for the FY 2023-FY 2024 Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant program making more than $1 billion in funding available. As the only competitive discretionary grant program dedicated to improving railroad crossing safety and efficiency, the RCE Program invests in projects that construct grade separations, upgrade safety devices at crossings, or close at-grade crossings where roads and train tracks intersect.

Eligible Projects:

• Grade separation or closure, including through the use of a bridge, embankment, tunnel, or combination
• Track relocation
• Improvement or installation of protective devices, signals, signs
• Measures to improve safety related to a separation, closure, or track relocation project
• Other means to improve the safety if related to the mobility of people and goods at highway-rail grade crossings (including technological solutions)
• Planning, environmental review, and design of an eligible project type

Application Deadline: September 23, 2024

More Info

NOFO

Partners for Fish and Wildlife

The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides free technical and financial assistance to landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested in improving wildlife habitat on their land. Since 1987, the program has helped more than 30,000 landowners to complete more than 50,000 projects, restoring more than six million acres of forest, prairie, wetland and stream habitat for wildlife.

All private landowners interested in restoring wildlife habitat on their land are eligible to participate. Current partners include farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, recreational landowners, corporations, local governments and universities. Priority goes to projects judged likely to provide habitat for rare, threatened and endangered species.

Projects have a minimum duration of 10 years. In addition to private landowners, we partner with other federal agencies, state agencies and non-governmental organizations to complete projects on private lands. Participating landowners do not forfeit any property rights and are not required to allow public access.

Nevada Contact
Susan Abele
Email: Susan_Abele@fws.gov
Phone: 775.861.6346

More Info

NOFO

Broadband Tech Assistance Webinar, Wednesday, July 31

The USDA Rural Development Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is hosting an “Ask Me Anything: BTA” Q&A session. The webinar will provide an opportunity for you to ask any questions about the Broadband Technical Assistance NOFO and application process that you may have. Broadband Technical Assistance provides financial assistance through cooperative agreements to eligible entities to receive or deliver broadband technical assistance and training and supports the development and expansion of broadband cooperatives.

Slides, a transcript, and a recording of the webinar will be posted to the site after the session.

Webinar: Wednesday, July 31, 2024 from 10 am to Noon PT

More Info

Webinar Registration

Reducing Energy Costs for Low Income Households

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program provides energy conservation measures in dwelling units occupied by families at or below 150% of the federal poverty income guidelines as established by the US Office of Management and Budget. For eligible homeowners and renters, there is no direct cost to participate in the program. Owners of eligible rental properties may be required to pay 50% of any capital improvement measures that are installed.

After a home energy assessment is performed by a trained energy auditor, a dwelling unit may qualify for some of these typical energy conservation measures:

• Air sealing
• Energy efficient light bulbs
• Insulation
• Low-flow shower heads
• Pipe wraps
• Solar screens
• Weather-stripping

WNDD Region Program Administrators:

• Community Services Agency (CSA):
Service Area: Washoe County
775.786.6023

• Rural Nevada Development Corporation (RNDC) Service Area: Mineral County and Pershing County
775.289.8519 or 866.404.5204 (Toll Free)

• Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NRHA)Service Area: Carson City, Churchill County, Douglas County, Lyon County, and Storey County
775.887.1795 ext. 112

More Info

ICYMI: Nevada one of 12 Tech Hub Awardees

On July 2, the U.S Department of Commerce announced $504 million in implementation grants for 12 Tech Hubs across the country. The funding will be used to scale up production of critical technologies, create jobs in innovative industries, strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness and national security, and accelerate the growth of industries of the future.

The 12 Tech Hubs implementation awardees are:

• Elevate Quantum Tech Hub (CO,NM)
• Headwaters Hub (MT)
• Heartland BioWorks (IN)
• iFAB Tech Hub (IL)
• Nevada Tech Hub (NV)
• NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub (NY)
• ReGen Valley Tech Hub (NH)
• SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy (SC, GA)
• South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub (FL)
• Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub (OH)
• Tulsa Hub for Equitable & Trustworthy Autonomy (OK)
• Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub (WI)

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo traveled to Reno, Nevada to formally announce $21 million in implementation funding for the Nevada Tech Hub. This Tech Hub is working to align and coordinate its innovation and economic development activities with established companies, startups, education, and workforce development organizations to enable the region to become a global lithium leader.

Five for Friday: July 12, 2024

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Five for Friday: Grant Opportunities and More!

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 Brownfields Grants, charging and fueling infrastructure, nutrition, and regional events.

Grant Opportunities & More

FY25 EPA Brownfields Grant Types and Amounts Announced!

The EPA has just announced specifics for the agency’s FY25 Brownfields grants. Approximately $235 million will be available in the form of: Community Wide Assessment, Assessment Coalition, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup grants this application cycle. Grants offered by the Brownfields Program may be used to address reuse strategies for vacant properties or underutilized properties that may have environmental concerns as well as sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum) and petroleum. EPA anticipates issuing the solicitations for funding in September 2024.

Types of Brownfields Grant Funding

Review EPA FY25 Resources

Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grants

The Federal Highway Administration is accepting applications for its Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program. The CFI Round 2 NOFO offers up to $1.3 billion in funding for new applications and for previously submitted applications. The CFI Program is a competitive grant program to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the places people live and work – urban and rural areas alike – in addition to designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs). CFI Program investments will make modern and sustainable infrastructure accessible to all drivers of electric, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas vehicles.

The Program provides two categories of grants:

1. Community Charging and Alternative Fueling Grants (Community Program)
2. Charging and Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program)

On June 6th, FHWA hosted a grant overview webinar, and on June 11th a webinar on reconsideration of Round 1 applications. These recordings are available to view below.

Application Deadline: August 28, 2024

More Info and Recorded Webinars

Local and Regional Healthy Food Financing Partnerships Grants

The USDA’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) provides loans, grants, and technical assistance resources to improve and support access to fresh, healthy, affordable food in urban and rural underserved communities. Applicants may apply for loans ranging from $500,000 to $5 million to implement healthy food projects. Funds may be used to support predevelopment, land acquisition, renovations, and equipment purchases. Applicants may also apply for grants up to $250,000 to implement healthy food projects. Funds may be used to support project management, equipment purchases, and construction.

Applications are open to:

• State, local, Tribal governments, and their agencies
• Nonprofit organizations
• Cooperative businesses
• For-profit businesses

More Info

Fact Sheet

Humboldt/Pershing Brownfields Grant Community Meeting July 24

Humboldt County and the 95-80 Regional Development Authority are hosting an EPA Brownfields Grant Community Meeting on Wednesday, July 24 at 6:00 pm at the Winnemucca Convention Center – East Hall, 50 W Winnemucca Blvd, Winnemucca, NV.

The purpose of the meeting is to share information about the county’s Brownfields Program. Humboldt County was awarded a $500,000 EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant in 2023, which is being used to conduct environmental site assessments and prepare any cleanup and reuse plans for Brownfields sites, along with funding community outreach activities. The program covers the Nevada 95-80 region of both Humboldt and Pershing counties.

Brownfields are vacant properties or underutilized properties that may have environmental concerns related to previous industrial or commercial activities on those properties. Making our community better, welcoming, and pleasant, Brownfields programs also boost the local economy by creating jobs, improving the value of adjacent property, and increasing general tax revenues.

Broadband Technical Assistance for Rural Communities

The USDA’s Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) program provides financial assistance through cooperative agreements to eligible entities to receive or deliver broadband technical assistance and training. Funds can be used to promote broadband expansion in eligible rural areas and includes activities such as project planning and community engagement, operations, financial sustainability, environmental compliance, construction and engineering planning, accessing federal resources, and data collection and reporting.

The USDA is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am PT to cover the following topics:

• An Overview of the Broadband Technical Assistance Program
• Fiscal Year 2024 Program Requirements
• How to Apply and Key Application Resources
• Important Dates and Next Steps
• Questions and Answer Period

Application Deadline: August 20, 2024

Webinar Registration

Fact Sheet

NOFO

Congratulations UNR UCED and Nevada Tech Hub Consortium

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Nevada Tech Hub to Receive $21M

On July 2, 2024, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen joined representatives from the University of Nevada, Reno, Dragonfly Energy, and the Nevada Tech Hub consortium in Reno, Nevada to announce the Nevada Tech Hub as a national recipient of EDA’s Phase 2 Regional Technology and Innovation Hub program. Led by the University of Nevada, Reno, the Nevada Tech Hub’s Phase 2 application, was awarded approximately $21 million over the next five years, including approximately $17.5 million for the Workforce Development Component Project and approximately $3.5 million for the Nevada Native Nations Center.

Only 12 of the 31 designated Tech Hubs were selected for funding. The application process involved over 70 consortium members spanning the public sector, private sector, and various non-profit and community-based organizations encompassing the full life cycle of the lithium loop: extraction, processing, advanced manufacturing and recycling.

The Nevada Tech Hub will leverage this award to support projects that are:
• Working with community colleges, state agencies, industry, and labor unions to bolster the region’s reservoir of skilled workers.
• Providing educational opportunities and wraparound support for students at the secondary and post-secondary levels.
• Promoting awareness of STEM-related occupations across Nevada’s lithium economy, increasing retention of Native students in STEM-related fields, and creating guided pathways to family-sustaining jobs in the growing Hub workforce.
• Supporting the administrative capacity and readiness of Nevada’s Native American and Indigenous communities.
• Creating and maintaining effective and equitable management and decision-making processes, advising on workforce development strategies, and facilitating connections to relevant experts and organizations.

The final grant amount will be finalized in the coming months.