Latest News
All the news that is relevant for the WNDD Region
Thriving Communities Program USDOT
Congratulations to Mineral County and community partners Walker River Paiute Tribe and Mineral County School District for their successful application to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Thriving Communities Program.
The County is working to implement a shared community revitalization plan by merging the community capacity needs for the Babbitt Industrial Park site with the infrastructure needs of the town of Hawthorne. Thriving Communities Program support will help to advance local storm water infrastructure improvements to repair roadways from flooding events and improve community walkability.
Through the Thriving Communities Program, USDOT selects and funds Capacity Builder teams to provide deep-dive technical assistance, planning, and capacity building support to under-resourced and disadvantaged communities across the U.S.
The goal is to assist communities with the technical tools and organizational capacity to comprehensively plan for and deliver quality infrastructure projects and community development projects that enable their communities and neighborhoods to thrive.
The FY 2023 Thriving Communities Program opportunity for Capacity Builders and communities is expected to open in summer 2023. USDOT will update the Thriving Communities Program website with more information when it is available.
The Western Nevada Development District and the University Center for Economic Development, part of the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno, conducted the annual evaluation and update workshop for WNDD’s 2020 through 2025 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy last Friday. This strategic economic development planning workshop was hosted by the City of Fernley in the City Council Chambers.
Workshop participants included WNDD members and key community stakeholders who were given an opportunity to evaluate the existing strategic economic development vision, goals, and actionable items. They also prioritized projects, assessed existing local and regional socio-demographics, and economic and housing conditions. The workshop completed a revised Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis for the region, and teed up the final selection of revised priority CEDS projects for the coming year.
Shout out to Frederick Steinmann, DPPD, Director of the University Center for Economic Development for facilitating a brisk and meaningful workshop.
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 broadband, placemaking, infrastructure, and the arts.
Grant Opportunities & More
USDA’s Community Connect Grants Reopen
The 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:
• State and local governments
• Federally recognized Tribes
• Nonprofits
• For-profit corporations
• Limited liability companies
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/or all participating essential community facilities (such as public schools, fire stations, public libraries, and public safety stations).
Application Deadline: June 20, 2023
Placemaking Grants and Technical Assistance for Rural Communities
The National Endowment for the Arts seeks rural communities of 50,000 people or less to apply for the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) program which funds technical assistance to support rural communities with placemaking. Selected applicants emerge from CIRD programs with greater capacity and a wealth of resources to lead their community through current and future community design challenges. Design strategies may include:
• Historic preservation and adaptive reuse of community buildings
• Designing quality affordable housing that supports livable, equitable communities
• Creating public or civic spaces that support and integrate cultural expression and local identity
• Developing recreational trails for mobility, active transportation, and economic development
• Designing spaces and places that improve access to healthy food and local food systems
• Integrating cultural identity into the built environment to drive heritage tourism
For questions, contact: cird@ruralhome.org
Application Deadline: April 21, 2023
Want Better Internet? Share your Opinion
The High Speed NV Initiative is a project of the Governor’s Office of Science Innovation and Technology with the goal to ensure that all Nevadans have access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet. Citizen listening sessions are being conducted through April in all 17 counties. Discussion topics range from access to affordable and reliable internet, to cybersecurity and digital skills training.
Find Listening Dates & Take Survey
Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program has $5 billion in appropriated funds available over the next 5 years. The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians; bicyclists; public transportation, personal conveyance, and micromobility users; motorists; and commercial vehicle operators.
The following activities are eligible for the SS4A program:
• Develop or update a comprehensive safety action plan (Action Plan)
• Conduct planning, design, and development activities in support of an Action Plan
• Carry out projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan
Grants can range from $100,000 up to $2.5 million.
Application Deadline: July 10, 2023
Nevada Arts Council: Folklife Community Grants
The Nevada Arts Council Grants Program reflects a significant commitment by the State of Nevada to support the creation of art and access to the arts for its citizens. Nevada Arts Council grants support the efforts of nonprofit arts and community organizations, public institutions, and individual artists to make cultural activities and experiences widely available to those who live in or visit Nevada.
The Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Folklife Community Grant (FLC) supports programs with folk artists and culture bearers presented by small community organizations. Eligible projects focus on the transmission or presentation of folk arts or traditions that are practiced, valued, and shared within culturally specific communities in Nevada. Funds also support Nevada’s individual artists, dance, opera and theatre companies, symphonies, orchestras, choral groups, and local arts councils statewide.
Application Deadline: June 1, 2023
Register for Upcoming REAP Webinars!
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has announced two virtual events that will provide updates on funding available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers can also apply for new energy-efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.
Eligible borrowers include rural small businesses and agricultural producers. Businesses must be in rural areas with populations of 50,000 or fewer. Agricultural producers can be in rural or nonrural areas.
The webinars will be held over Zoom and will be led by USDA staff.
Upcoming Webinars
IRA REAP Stakeholder Call: March 31, 2023, at 11:30 AM PT
IRA REAP Training Webinar: April 4, 2023, at 11:30 AM PT
Webinar Registration: March 31, 2023
Register for Informative Broadband Webinars Today!
A new funding window has opened for the USDA’s Community Connect Grant Program. The Community Connect Program provides financial assistance in the form of grants to eligible applicants that will provide, on a “community-oriented connectivity” basis, broadband service that fosters economic growth and delivers enhanced educational, health care, and public safety benefits.
The USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is hosting two webinars to provide information about the Community Connect Program and will cover the recently published Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
This webinar will include:
• A brief overview of the Community Connect Program
• The current NOFO
• A walkthrough of the application process
• Next steps and important dates
• An opportunity to ask questions about the NOFO
The USDA will present this webinar twice. Attendees should select the date that works best for their schedule. The webinars will include the same information at each session.
Webinar: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM PT
Webinar: Tuesday, April 11, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM PT
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)
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
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
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
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
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