Public Works & Economic Development
Agriculture Innovation Center Program
Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development
Summary: Funding to establish and operate Agriculture Innovation Centers that provide technical and business development assistance to producers seeking to engage in developing/marketing of Value-Added Agricultural Products.
Eligible Applicants: political subdivisions, nonprofits, institutions of higher education, commercial organizations
Available Funding: $8 million
Local Match Requirement: 1/3 of total project costs
Deadline: March 6, 2023
Build to Scale (B2S) Program
Agency: U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Summary: Funding to further technology-based economic development initiatives that accelerate high quality job growth, create more economic opportunities, and support the next generation of industry leading companies.
Eligible Applicants: political subdivisions, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education
Eligible Geographies: communities with demonstrated economic distress or special need.
Available Funding: $45 million
Local Match Requirement: 50%
Deadline: TBA
Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants
Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Summary: Helps eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water.
Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, nonprofit organizations
Eligible Geographies: rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less.
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: TBA
Public Works/Economic Adjustment Assistance (PW/EAA)
Agency: U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Summary: Funds projects that create/retain jobs, increase private investment and foreign direct investment, advance innovation, enhance the manufacturing capacities of regions, and provide workforce development opportunities
Eligible Applicants: political subdivisions, nonprofits (w/political subdivision), and institutions of higher education
Eligible Geographies: Communities with demonstrated economic distress or special need.
Available Funding: Approximately $5 million for Ohio in FY2023
Local Match Requirement: 50%
Deadline: Accepted year-round
Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program (Tech Hubs) - Phase 1
Agency: U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Summary: Initiative designed to drive regional technology- and innovation-centric growth by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy critical technologies. This program will invest directly in regions with the assets, resources, capacity, and potential to transform into globally competitive innovation centers in approximately 10 years while catalyzing the creation of good jobs for American workers at all skill levels, both equitably and inclusively. In Phase 1, EDA will fund Strategy Development Grants and will Designate certain regions as Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs). A Tech Hub’s geography is a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
Eligible Applicants: Consortia, which must include one or more of each of the following: (1) institutions of higher education; (2) political subdivisions; (3) industry groups or firms in relevant technology, innovation, or manufacturing sectors; (4) economic development or similar entities focused primarily on improving science, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, or access to capital; and (5) labor organizations or workforce training organizations. In Phase 2, only consortia that EDA designates in Phase 1 will be eligible to apply.
Available Funding: $15 million for Phase 1; applicants can request up to $500,000 for strategy development grants. Designation is unfunded but is a prerequisite for applying for Phase 2 Implementation Grants. The EDA anticipates funding 5-10 Tech Hub Implementation Grants between $50-75 million each.
Local Match Requirement: 20%
Deadline: August 15, 2023
Residential Public Infrastructure Program
Agency: Ohio Department of Development (ODOD)
Summary: Funds safe and reliable drinking water and proper disposal of sanitary waste.
Eligible Applicants: Non-entitlement counties and municipalities
Local Match Requirement: 20%
Deadline: January 31, 2023
Revolving Funds for Financing Water and Wastewater Projects
Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Summary: Capitalizes revolving loan funds to provide financing to extend and improve rural water/wastewater systems
Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations
Eligible Geographies: rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less.
Local Match Requirement: 20%
Deadline: TBA
Rural Business Development Grant Program
Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development
Summary: Funding to support small and emerging private businesses to start or expand. Funds can be used to purchase or develop land, buildings, and equipment; to cover costs for feasibility studies and business plans and provide other technical assistance; to improve rural transportation, establish revolving loan funds, and support rural distance learning programs that provide educational or job training.
Eligible Applicants: Local governments and nonprofits primarily serving rural areas
Eligible Geographies: Projects must be located in rural areas or towns outside the urbanized periphery of any city with a population of 50,000 or more.
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: February 28, 2024
Rural Decentralized Water Systems Grant Program
Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Summary: Capitalizes revolving loan funds to increase access to clean, reliable water and septic systems for households in eligible rural areas.
Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations
Eligible Geographies: rural areas and towns with populations of 50,000 or less.
Local Match Requirement: 10%
Deadline: TBA
Rural Industrial Park Loan Program
Agency: Ohio Department of Development
Summary: Promotes economic development by providing low-interest direct loans to assist eligible applicants in financing the development and improvement of industrial parks and related off-site public infrastructure improvements.
Eligible Applicants: Local governments, nonprofits, port authorities, CICs, and private developers
Local Match Requirement: The loan may be used to finance up to 75% of allowable project costs with loan amounts from $500,000 to $2,500,000. A minimum of 10% equity contribution from the borrower is required.
Deadline: N/A
State Capital Improvement Program
Agency: Ohio Public Works Commission
Summary: Grants, loans, credit enhancements, and grant/loan combinations for capital improvement projects, including roads, bridges, culverts, water supply, stormwater, sanitary sewer. Additional funding opportunity for villages and townships with populations under 5,000.
Eligible Applicants: Counties, municipalities, townships
Available Funding: Varies by District; contact respective District
Local Match Requirement: Varies; higher amount of match improves competitiveness
Deadline: Varies by District; contact respective District for verification
Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program
Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Summary: Funding (primarily loans, limited grants) for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.
Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, nonprofit organizations
Eligible Geographies: rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less.
Funding request ceiling: Up to 40-year payback period, based on the useful life of the facilities financed; fixed interest rates, based on the need for the project and the median household income of the area to be served
Local Match Requirement: N/A
Water and Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants
Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Summary: Helps eligible low-income communities plan and develop applications for proposed USDA Rural Development water or waste disposal projects.
Eligible Applicants: State and local governments, nonprofit organizations
Eligible Geographies: rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less.
Local Match Requirement: 25%
Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants
Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Summary: Helps qualified, private nonprofits provide technical assistance and training to identify and evaluate solutions to water and waste problems; helps applicants prepare applications for water and waste disposal loans/grants; and helps associations improve the operation and maintenance of water and waste facilities in eligible rural areas.
Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations
Eligible Geographies: rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less.
Local Match Requirement: 25%
Deadline: December 31, 2022
*Prepared by the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO). Funding opportunities provided for general informational purposes. NEFCO does not guarantee accuracy of information listed (i.e., eligibility requirements, application deadlines, matching requirements, etc.). Please consult appropriate funding agency for additional information.