BUSY for Sure!

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WNDD Member Mineral County Busy Promoting Community and Economic Development

Kyle Isom, Mineral County Director of Parks and Recreation, said, “We have been staying busy for sure.” Many exciting projects are being identified, explored and underway. The latest update:

Baseball/Softball Field

The County has started rebuilding the baseball/softball field on Armory Rd. Installation of 200 feet of slatted chain link fencing and 60,000 sq ft of hydroseeding is complete. In the near future, the County will install the remaining 186 feet of fence, a 14 foot access gate, new infield dirt and bases.

The Stock Car Track

On March 13th, the Stock Car Board, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, was officially established. The county’s goal is to complete work on the Stock Car venue by year’s end and have racing in Hawthorne in 2024. Currently, the land survey to divide parcels has been complete and 8 sets of bleachers were donated to the track. The track will be available for daytime racing only until lighting can be acquired.

Golf Course

Mineral County has adopted the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Depot’s golf course. The course is in need of maintenance and efforts are underway to restore usage. The County has identified funding for the hydroseed project and will continue to work to improve the condition of the course.

Rodeo Grounds

The County is exploring bringing rodeos back to Hawthorne. While the ballfields are the top priority at the moment, review of the Rodeo Grounds is underway. Some of the items that will need to be addressed include: rebuilding the announcer booth, new dirt, shared use of bleachers with the Stock Car Association and bucking chutes.

The entire Mineral County team is working hard to identify appropriate grants and funding for more projects on the radar.

Share What’s on Your Community’s Radar! Email: CBrandon@wndd.org.

(Photo Source: Hawthorne Little League)

Five for Friday: March 17, 2023

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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, capacity building, climate change and public safety.

Grant Opportunities & More

Applications Open for First Round of $2.5 Billion Program to Build EV Charging in Communities & Neighborhoods Nationwide

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program, offers up to $700 million from Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 to strategically deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure projects in urban and rural communities in publicly accessible locations, including downtown areas and local neighborhoods, particularly in underserved and disadvantaged communities.

Eligible applicants include:

• States or political subdivision of States
• Metropolitan planning organizations
• Unit of local governments
• Special purpose districts or public authorities with a transportation function, including port authorities
• Indian tribes
• Authorities, agencies, or instrumentalities or entities owned by, one or more entities listed above

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law divides the CFI Program into two distinct grant funding categories, and requires that 50% of the funding over five years is made available for each:

• The Community Program will provide $1.25 billion to strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure, and hydrogen, propane, or natural gas fueling infrastructure in communities. Infrastructure may be located on any public road or in other publicly accessible locations such as parking facilities at public buildings, public schools, and public parks, or in publicly accessible parking facilities owned or managed by a private entity.

• The Corridor Program will provide $1.25 billion to strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated alternative fuel corridors (AFCs).

Eligible applicants and projects for both categories are outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Application Deadline: May 30, 2023

CFI NOFO

EDA Pilot Program Helps Build Up Distressed Communities

The U.S Economic Development Administration is requesting the public’s input on the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program).

The program is an economic development initiative that will provide grant funding to distressed communities across the country to create and connect workers to good jobs and support long-term comprehensive economic development by helping to reduce the high, prime-age (25 to 54 years of age) employment gap.

This new authority allows EDA to:
• Target persistently economically distressed areas to support long-term, comprehensive and sustainable economic development and job creation/placement
• Award grants to support development or implementation of an eligible recipient’s Recompete Plan

RFI Deadline: March 27, 2023

Recompete Pilot Program

Humanities Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Office of Challenge Programs is accepting applications for Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants: Capital Projects.

Capital Projects support the purchase, design, construction, restoration, or renovation of facilities for humanities activities. This includes costs related to planning as well as the purchase and installation of related moveable and permanently affixed equipment for exhibiting, maintaining, monitoring, and protecting collections (whether on exhibit or in storage), and for critical building systems, such as electrical, heating ventilation and air conditioning, security, life safety, lighting, utilities, telecommunications, and energy management.

Projects are financed through a combination of federal matching funds and related fundraising from nonfederal third parties. Proposals must enhance the institution’s long-term impact on the humanities and build on careful strategic planning.

Application Deadline: May 17, 2023

NEH Grant

Environmental and Climate Justice Program

EPA is seeking public input on the new Environmental and Climate Justice (ECJ) program that will distribute $3 billion in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding through grants and technical assistance. This Request for Information (RFI) related to the ECJ Grant Program, requests comments on multiple aspects of the program including, but not limited to:

• ECJ Program Design
• Types of Projects to Fund
• Reducing Application Barriers
• Reporting and Oversight
• Technical Assistance

Response Deadline: April 10, 2023

Environmental and Climate Justice Program

RFI Response

Grants to Prevent Drowning and Save Lives

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission will award up to a total of $3.5 million in two-year grants to assist jurisdictions in reducing deaths and injuries from drowning and drain entrapment incidents in pools and spas. The “Pool Safely” Grant Program (PSGP) is a part of CPSC’s national campaign to make drowning and drain entrapment prevention a critical public safety priority.

Applicants must be a state, local government, Indian Tribe or U. S. Territory.

Application Deadline: April 30, 2023

PSGP Grant Program

PSGP FAQs

PSGP Flyer

Homeland Security Grant Webinars

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FEMA Grant to Provide $1.12 billion in Funding Support

Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) invites all HSGP stakeholders (inclusive of the State Homeland Security Program, Urban Area Security Initiative, and Operation Stonegarden) to participate in one or more of the upcoming technical assistance webinars regarding a variety of policy changes associated with the fiscal year (FY) 2023 HSGP. The FY 2023 HSGP will provide $1.12 billion in funding support to state, local, and territorial governments for security-related activities to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to terrorist attacks.


• Tuesday, March 14th: 2-3pm ET – General FY 2023 HSGP Webinar
• Thursday, March 23rd: 2-3pm ET – Election Security National Priority Area
• Tuesday, March 28th: 2-3pm ET – Cybersecurity National Priority Area
• Thursday, April 6th: 2-3pm ET – Updated Controlled Equipment Policy
• Tuesday, April 11th: 2-3pm ET – Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA) Implications for HSGP

Homeland Security Grant Program

Webinar: March 14th

Webinar: March 23rd

Webinar: March 28th

Webinar: April 6th

Webinar: April 11th

HUD Thriving Communities Program Links Transportation Projects and Housing

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The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Thriving Communities Technical Assistance (TCTA) program is designed to support local governments receiving federal transportation infrastructure funds, directly or through state pass through grants.

TCTA can provide local government staff with skills and tools to enable them to address critical housing needs while supporting equitable economic development through community engagement.

Local governments will receive Technical Assistance that focuses on one or more of the following areas:

  1. Identifying and using vacant, abandoned, or underutilized government and/or private land located on or near transportation projects that is suitable for housing development.
  2. Preserving affordable housing and protecting residents and businesses from displacement as new infrastructure is deployed.
  3. Identifying and implementing regulatory and procedural reforms to reduce unnecessary barriers to location-efficient housing that impede housing production and increase development costs.
  4. Improving coordination among public entities (for example, local housing, transportation, planning, and community development departments) and between public entities and state recipients of infrastructure funding; transit authorities and other quasi-public entities; the private sector; and locally based organizations, to support a holistic and regional approach to housing and transportation.

Requests Reviewed as Received on Rolling Basis Starting: March 15, 2023

TCTA Program Info and Application

TAP Program Fact Sheet

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March 31st, 2023

8:30 am to 3:30 pm

The Western Nevada Development District, a US Economic Development Administration Economic Development District, and the University Center for Economic Development, part of the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno, invites you to attend and participate in an annual evaluation and update workshop as part of the Western Nevada Development District’s current five-year 2020 through 2025 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. This strategic economic development planning workshop will be held on Friday, March 31, 2023 and will be held in the City Council Chambers at City Hall in Fernley, Nevada.

Workshop participants will be given an opportunity to evaluate the existing strategic economic development vision, goals, actionable items and priority projects, assess existing local and regional socio-demographic, economic, and housing conditions, complete a revised Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis for the region, and select new priority projects for the coming year.

When:
Friday, March 31st, 2023
Breakfast: 8:30 am till 9:00 am
Lunch: TBD
Workshop: 9:00 am till 3:30 pm

Where:
City Council Chambers
City of Fernley City Hall
595 Silver Lace Boulevard
Fernley, NV

Cost: FREE
Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments included

RSVP by March 20, 2023
Fred Steinmann
Director of the University Center for Economic Development, UNR
775.784.1655
Fred@unr.edu

CEDS Workshop Flyer

Transportation Alternative Program Grants Available!

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TAP Program Helps Fund Small, Non-Traditional Mobility and Transportation Projects

The Transportation Alternatives or TA Set-Aside Program (TAP) provides federal funds for a variety of smaller-scale, non-traditional, community-based transportation projects that improve safety, expand travel choices, and enhance the transportation experience. These projects are intended to integrate modes and improve the cultural, historic, and environmental aspects of our transportation infrastructure.

TAP funds are made available to the State through the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the Nevada Department of Transportation. This program provides up to 95 percent of project-related costs, with the remaining 5 percent provided by project sponsors as a local match. In the Reno-Sparks area the TAP program is administered through RTC Washoe.

Eligible project types may include the following, at any stage of project development, including planning, design, and construction:

• Bicycle, pedestrian, and nonmotorized transportation facilities
• Traffic calming, lighting, and safety-related infrastructure
• Projects to achieve ADA compliance
• Turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas
• Historic preservation related to historic transportation facilities
• Recreational trails
• Safe Routes to School (SRTS), including infrastructure and non-infrastructure
• Micro-Mobility projects, including bike and scooter share
• Removal of outdoor advertising

Eligible applicants include the following types of entities:
• Local governments
• Regional transportation authorities
• Transit agencies
• Natural resource or public land agencies
• School districts/schools
• Tribal governments
• MPOs
• Nonprofit organizations

There is no minimum or maximum limit on grant requests. NDOT recommends that applications request a minimum of $50,000.

RTC Washoe Grant applications through this tranche are due May 19, 2023.

RTC Washoe Grant Application

Projects in other state regions are due through the Nevada Department of Transportation and are due April 14, 2023.

Alternative TAP Grant Applications

TAP Program Fact Sheet

Five for Friday: February 17, 2023

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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 recreation, business accelerators, farming and the arts.

Grant Opportunities & More

Expanding Recreation Economies Across Rural America
Federal Agencies Partnering to Create New Tools and Resources

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced in mid-January that it will create a plan to expand recreation economies to help people thrive across rural America. The USDA Rural Development, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and U.S. Forest Service will partner to develop an annual plan to expand economic opportunities related to recreation in communities surrounding America’s national forests. The annual plan will outline the ways the agencies will partner to conduct program outreach, host informational sessions and workshops, and develop toolkits to help people access the resources they need to thrive in recreation economies.

The agencies will also:

  1. Provide technical and planning assistance to help local, state and Tribal leaders develop regional economic development plans that advance recreation economies
  2. Provide funding under Rural Development and NIFA programs to help U.S. Forest Service gateway communities expand resilient recreation infrastructure and business development projects that create jobs
  3. Develop and maintain strategic partnerships

USDA Rural Development Stakeholder Announcement

USDA RISE Grant Program: From Innovation Centers to Job Accelerators

The Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program offers grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas.

RISE grant funds can be used to:

• Build or support a business incubator facility
• Provide worker training to assist in the creation of new jobs
• Train the existing workforce with skills for higher-paying jobs
• Develop a base of skilled workers and improve their opportunities to obtain high-wage jobs in new or existing local industries

The RISE project must serve a rural region small enough to allow close collaboration among partners. It also must include important elements of the region’s prioritized industry cluster (concentrations of related industries).

Grant amounts are awarded competitively with a minimum of $500,000 and a maximum grant amount of $2,000,000.

Application Deadline: April 20, 2023

RISE Grant Program

Farmers Market Promotion Program Promotes Farm-to-Table Initiatives

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), requests applications for the fiscal year 2023 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP). FMPP’s purpose is to support the development, coordination, and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer markets to increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. FMPP achieves this goal through the creation, coordination, and delivery of outreach, training, and technical assistance to domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agritourism activities, online sales or other direct producer-to-consumer (including direct producer-to-retail, direct producer-to-restaurant and direct producer-to-institutional marketing) market opportunities.

Approximately $15.4 million is available to fund FMPP applications under this solicitation. FMPP Capacity Building projects range from $50,000 to $250,000, while Community Development Training and Technical Assistance projects range from $100,000 to $500,000.

Application Deadline: May 2, 2023
Webinar: March 15, 2023 at 10 am PT

2023 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP)

Webinar

Nevada BLM Visitor Services Partnerships

The BLM’s Recreation and Visitor Services Program oversees a broad and complex set of recreation related programs, which provide a multitude of recreation opportunities and experiences. These recreation resources and visitor services support strong local economies and public land conservation. BLM Nevada has an opportunity to work with partner organizations to assist with the following:

• Increase and enhance access to BLM public lands and waters
• Increase and enhance recreational opportunities
• Enhance public satisfaction at BLM recreation sites and areas
• Collect visitor and recreation resource data by conducting inventories and visitor assessments
• Conduct inventory, monitoring, data management, assessment, planning on BLM public lands and waters
• Provide enriched visitor services information, interpretation and education, including websites
• Protect visitor health and safety
• Improve accessibility for persons with disabilities
• Improve motorized and non-motorized trails including trail construction and maintenance, comprehensive travel and transportation inventory and assessment

Program funding totals $1.6 million with awards ranging from $20,000 to $750,000.

Eligible institutions include, state and local governments, non-profits and Native American Tribal Governments.

Application Deadline: April 10, 2023

NOFO: Nevada BLM Recreation and Visitor Services Program

Challenge America Bolsters Arts Programs to the Underserved

The National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America offers support primarily to small organizations for projects in all artistic disciplines that extend the reach of the arts to groups/communities with rich and dynamic artistic and cultural contributions to share that are underserved. Challenge America features an abbreviated application, a robust structure of technical assistance, and grants for a set amount of $10,000. Grants require a cost share/match of $10,000 consisting of cash and/or in-kind contributions. Total project costs must be at least $20,000 or greater.

Challenge America supports arts projects in all artistic disciplines, including Artist Communities, Arts Education, Dance, Design, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Media Arts, Museums, Music, Musical Theater, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Arts, Theater, and Visual Arts.

Possible projects include, but are not limited to: arts programming, including commissioning or presentation of artists or artwork; marketing and promotional activities; and organizational planning.

This category may be a good entry point for organizations that are new to applying for federal funding.

Application Deadline: April 27, 2023

Challenge America Bolsters Arts Programs

Microloan Program Rollout Features $5.3 million In Financing for Nevada’s Small Businesses

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A Critical Investment in the Community Lending Ecosystem!

Nevada is the first state in the nation to launch a novel Microloan program under the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) featuring a newly developed refinancing mechanism to strengthen Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) lending to small businesses.

Battle Born Growth Microloan, overseen by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), will receive $5.3 million for the first three-year tranche and nearly $16 million in total. The program works to support small businesses from traditionally underserved communities. It partners with mission-driven lenders such as CDFIs.

Small Businesses seeking less than $250,000 in financing are encouraged to consult the dedicated website at NVSmallBiz/Microloans. The website contains a matching platform created in partnership with Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF). On this platform, small businesses will be matched with participating lenders.

At the launch, the following CDFIs and community lenders are participating: Rural Nevada Development Corporation (RNDC), MoFi, NDC, CRF, and Access Community Capital.

The Nevada Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be providing free assistance with credit counseling, financial statements, business planning, general business guidance, and more. Lenders will be offering fixed-rate loans up to $250,000 with rates from (currently) 8.75%-11.75% depending on terms. Length of loans can range from between three and six years.

The Microloan Program was built by and for non-profit community lenders so they can increase their capacity to serve the state’s un-banked small businesses This is a critical investment in the community lending ecosystem that will drastically increase access to credit for businesses who are often left behind.

NV Small Biz Microloans

This Just In! Access to More Speaker Presentations

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WNDD Summit Gives the Latest in Grant Information

An abundance of insight in to the world of grants was shared with attendees at the WNDD 2023 Summit. So much so, that we want to share a few more guest speaker presentations in case you missed something. They are perfect reference tools as you work towards getting that next grant for your community.

WEP and CF Programs: Gus Wegren, USDA RD

Business and Cooperatives Programs: Chandler Allen, USDA RD

USDA RD Rural Development Programs & NV Contacts

Brownfields & Other Programs: Lisa Hanusiak, Brownfields PM

WNDD Summit

What You Missed at the WNDD Summit!

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Guest Speakers Provide Access to Summit Presentations

Representatives from entities all over the WNDD region were in attendance at the 2023 WNDD Summit held on January 30th and January 31st, 2023 at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno. Attendees learned the latest grant writing, management tools and techniques from a wide range of speakers representing state, federal and private organizations working in the grant sector.

Many thanks to the guest speakers and sponsors of this worthwhile event. The Summit could not have happened without your support.

Some guest speakers have provided access to their Summit presentations and are available here, and at WNDD.org.

WNDD Introduction: Chris Brandon, WNDD Executive Director

The Roadmap to Grant Success: Don Vetter, Vetter PR, Inc.

Grants 101: Nicole Kelleher and Mayita Sanchez, OFA

Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG): Jessica Sanders, CDBG Program Administrator

WNDD Summit