More Participation Needed! Take the WNDD Speed Test

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In the News: KOLO Explores the Nevada Speed Test

KOLO Reporter, Terri Russell explores why Northern Nevadans need to take the Nevada Speed Test.

The Nevada Speed Test is hosted by Western Nevada Development District (WNDD) and is part of the Western Nevada Broadband Initiative, a network of public and private partners working to expand internet access and build a stronger digital infrastructure in urban and rural communities across the WNDD region.

“Higher internet speeds really lead to better economic wellbeing, higher incomes and lower unemployment rates,” says Lisa Granahan, Douglas County Economic Vitality Manager and WNDD Board Member.

Mapping results from participation will aid in identifying underserved communities as well as bring neighborhoods and communities up to the best service possible by applying for grants and other federal dollars.

KOLO Video

Mark Your Calendars – Sustainable Disaster Recovery Panel Discussion

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Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Have you wondered what happened to small cities after a catastrophic event?
Or, how redeveloped industrial properties can make an economic difference in communities?

Learn how:
Greensburg, Kansas rebounded after an EF-5 tornado
Puerto Rico is managing recovery after Hurricanes Maria and Irma
And, more…

Listen to the Panel Discussion from experts with first-hand knowledge of these experiences.

Panel Includes:
• David Doyle, Region 7
• Carmen Guerrero, Region 2
• Elliott Laws, Administrative Trustee, RACER Trust and former EPA Assistant Administrator

Register Today!

NEW! USDA Online Conference

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Placemaking in Small & Rural Communities Online Conference
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the University of Kentucky are hosting a new online conference on May 23 and 24, 2022 from 7 am till 2:00 pm PT.

Rural leaders from across the country are invited to attend the Placemaking for Small and Rural Communities Online Conference. The conference will showcase effective placemaking strategies for rural areas and connect attendees with experts and funders.

The hosts will also unveil a new interactive digital toolkit to connect rural leaders with technical assistance providers, funders, and guides on how to implement placemaking in their own communities.

The conference is free, but registration is required.

Read More!

Register Today!

‘Build to Scale’ Funding Opportunity

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EDA Accepting Applications

Economic Development Administration (EDA) is accepting applications for the FY22 Build to Scale (B2S) program, which is designed to invest in regional economies through scalable business startups.

The program will deploy $45 million to further technology-based economic development initiatives that accelerate high-quality job growth, create economic opportunities, and support the next generation of industry leading companies.

Application deadline: June 13, 2022, 8:59 p.m. PT

The FY22 Build to Scale program is comprised of two competitions:

Venture Challenge: seeks to support high-growth, technology-centric entrepreneurship to stimulate innovation, increase economic prosperity, and create high-skill, high-wage jobs.

Capital Challenge: increases access to entrepreneur-ready, equity-based capital by providing operational support for early-stage investment funds, angel networks, and investor training programs.

Eligibility

Open to cities, counties, states, other political subdivisions of states, and Indian tribes; or entities supported by a state or political subdivision of a state that is one of the following: a nonprofit organization, institution of higher education, public-private partnership, science or research park, federal lab, venture development organization, economic development organization, or a consortium of any of the aforementioned.

Build to Scale Program

Five for Friday: Grant Opportunities April 15, 2022

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Curated by Western Nevada Development District (WNDD)

This Friday round up, focuses on opportunities for economic development around the region in the areas of workforce development, economic development and equality, health and engagement, and infrastructure.

Grant Opportunities

Economic Development: Research & National Technical Assistance (RNTA)

EDA provides strategic investments on a competitive merit basis to support economic development, foster job creation, and attract private investment in economically distressed areas of the United States. Under this NOFO, EDA solicits applications from applicants in order to provide investments that support research and technical assistance projects under EDA’s R&E and NTA programs.

Grants and cooperative agreements made under these programs are designed to leverage existing regional assets and support the implementation of economic development strategies that advance new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities.

Application Deadline: Accepted Continuously

RNTA

 

USDA Strengthen Rural Cooperatives and Expand Economic Opportunities for People in Rural America

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced that the department is accepting applications for grants to help start, expand or improve rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses.

USDA is offering priority points to projects that advance key priorities under the current Administration to help communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, advance equity and combat climate change. These extra points will increase the likelihood of funding for projects seeking to address these critical challenges in rural America.

USDA is making the grants available under the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program to help improve economic conditions in rural areas through cooperative development. For fiscal year 2022, the maximum award is $200,000. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis through a national competition.

Nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply for grants to provide technical and cooperative development assistance to individuals and rural businesses.

Electronic Application Deadline: June 6, 2022, 8:59 p.m. PT

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development

 

BroadbandUSA – National Telecommunications and Information Administration

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has developed a comprehensive website dedicated to connecting communities to funding opportunities that support broadband planning, digital inclusion, and deployment projects.

Application Deadlines: Various/Ongoing

Nevada State Broadband Connectivity Strategy
BroadbandUSA

 

Aetna Foundation – Cultivating Healthy Communities Grant Program

Specifically for non-governmental agencies, the Cultivating Healthy Communities Grant Program seeks to support communities’ efforts to become healthier places to live, work, learn, play, and pray. Proposals should address the social determinants of health and participants’ physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being. The program is especially interested in projects that advance resident or youth-led initiatives and approaches that foster social engagement and reduce isolation.

Application Deadline: Applications Accepted Continuously

Cultivating Healthy Communities Grant Program

 

American Rescue Plan – Indigenous Communities Grants

Through this Indigenous Communities NOFO, EDA aims to assist indigenous communities to recover economically from the coronavirus pandemic. Even before the pandemic, indigenous communities faced high levels of economic distress and unique economic development challenges, resulting in severe inequalities in opportunity for members of these communities. The pandemic greatly exacerbated those challenges and inequities and will continue to cause deep economic injury to indigenous communities in unprecedented ways.

Application Deadline: Rolling

American Rescue Plan – Indigenous Communities Grants

Pre-Development Training and Accelerator Program

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Hosted By: Milken Institute and RCAP
Join the Cohort-Get Informed, Provide Input

Register Your Interest Today!

EDA has partnered with the Milken Institute and the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) to provide communities with access to a pre-development training and accelerator program this year under an EDA Research and National Technical Assistance (RNTA) grant. Communities with a pipeline of construction and non-construction projects, conduct major pre-development activities (including: architectural and engineering work, market and environmental assessments, business plan development, etc.) who seek to become application-ready to apply for funds for project implementation are invited to register their interest in participation in the first cohort.

If you are interested, submit the Interest Form by Thursday, March 17, 2022. You will receive news about upcoming accelerator trainings, and joining the national pre-development caucus, featuring hundreds of organizations focused on scaling community infrastructure projects.

Questions can be addressed to publicfinance@milkeninstitute.org.

Interest Form

RAISE Funding Grant Applications Now Open

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Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) to Modernize Infrastructure

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has opened the application process for the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program which is designed to assist a variety of projects involving streets, transit and other infrastructure.

The program is available to communities of all sizes in efforts to fix and modernize infrastructure. The 2022 program received an additional $1.5 billion over the nearly $1 billion received in November 2021. Funding requests have outstripped availability nearly 10 to 1 last year. Competition is fierce and new, elevated criteria has been included for proposed projects. Focus has been put on mobility and community connectivity and how projects will address mobility and expand connectivity for all users, especially, pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders.

Some $15 million has been earmarked for projects with areas of persistent poverty or qualified historically disadvantaged communities. Further, DOT stated that more competitive applications will address climate change, racial inequity and workforce development.

Applications are now available and due April 14, 2022.

Learn More

USDA Invests $1 Billion to Improve Community Infrastructure in Rural Towns

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Funding Will Increase Access to Health Care, Education and Public Safety in Rural Communities

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that USDA is investing $1 billion to build and improve critical community facilities in 48 states, Puerto Rico and Guam. This infrastructure funding will increase access to health care, education and public safety while spurring community development and building sound infrastructure for people living in rural communities.

USDA Deputy Secretary, Dr. Jewel Bronaugh, stated that investing in infrastructure improvements is a top priority of the current administration. This announcement makes loans and grants available to assist rural communities invest in facilities and services that are deemed vital such as: health care facilities, schools, libraries, and first responder vehicles and equipment.

The announcement highlighted 731 projects under five over-arching programs:
• Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants
• Community Facilities Loan Guarantees
• Community Facilities Technical Assistance Training Grants
• Community Facilities Disaster Grants
• Economic Impact Initiative Grants

Nevada Congressman, Mark Amodei has been integral in securing $8.1M of the Community Facilities Direct Loan for the Elko Institute for Academic Achievement.

Learn More

WNDD Economic Recovery Update – Winter 2021/2022

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WNDD LAUNCHES NEVADA SPEED TEST FOR IMPROVED INTERNET ACCESS

Happy New Year and welcome to the Winter 2021/2022 edition of the Economic Recovery and Resiliency Update from the Western Nevada Development District (WNDD)!

This newsletter is part of WNDD’s effort to build a more resilient economy in our region. The activities and progress of WNDD and the Action Teams will be reported to help WNDD members and other businesses and organizations plan and implement their recovery and resiliency efforts.

This publication is part of a Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Supplemental Award for the United States. It intends to help troubled areas attract industry, retain and develop businesses, and create long-term sustainable private-sector jobs and investments.

We look forward to sharing new information with you each month.

Sheryl Gonzales

Read the Update!

New Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

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Allocates More Than $1.5 Billion to Brownfields Program

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law last month, will dedicate more than $1.5 billion to the U.S. EPA Brownfields program. The Act includes hundreds of millions of dollars allocated to Multipurpose Grants, Assessment Grants, Cleanup Grants, Revolving Loan Fund Grants, and technical assistance and is intended to improve equity, stimulate redevelopment and reuse, create jobs, and mitigate environmental degradation.

U.S. EPA released an outline of how it will distribute the funding, including key information about funding limits for multi-purpose, assessment, cleanup, and revolving loan fund grants, plus upcoming grant timelines.

Check out the outline to the funding allocation below and join the National Brownfields Coalition for a conversation about opportunities arising from the Act and the state of brownfields nationally on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. (PT).

Registration: State of the Redevelopment Field

Read the funding breakdown here: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: A Historic Investment in Brownfields

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Take the Nevada Speed Test Today!