State and Federal Funding References

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This web resource supplements the Inclusive Economic Recovery Strategy (IERS) report. This resource highlights a selection of State and Federal funding programs for economic development activities. Currently available funding opportunities are listed, and for reference, programs that may already be closed. A web link for each program is included and users are encouraged to explore the requirements, deadlines, and availability for the funding programs.

The funding resources are organized by the four Focus Areas discussed in the IERS report:

  • Housing Production and Preservation
  • Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Sector Based
  • Human Capital

We view this resource as a starting point and a living document that we will continue to update.  If you would like to share a funding resource that we may add, please contact economicrecovery@scag.ca.gov.

Federal Resources

Housing Production and Preservation

Program Granting Brief Description
Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) HUD The housing choice voucher program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.
LIHTC HUD The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is the most important resource for creating affordable housing in the United States today. Created by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the LIHTC program gives State and local LIHTC-allocating agencies the equivalent of approximately $8 billion in annual budget authority to issue tax credits for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or new construction of rental housing targeted to lower-income households. 
Home Investments Partnership Program HUD The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) provides formula grants to states and localities that communities use – often in partnership with local nonprofit groups – to fund a wide range of activities including building, buying, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership or providing direct rental assistance to low-income people. HOME is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. HOME funds are awarded annually as formula grants to participating jurisdictions (PJs). The program’s flexibility allows states and local governments to use HOME funds for grants, direct loans, loan guarantees or other forms of credit enhancements, or rental assistance or security deposits.

 

Choice Neighborhoods HUD The Choice Neighborhoods program leverages significant public and private dollars to support locally driven strategies that address struggling neighborhoods with distressed public or HUD-assisted housing through a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation. Local leaders, residents, and stakeholders, such as public housing authorities, cities, schools, police, business owners, nonprofits, and private developers, come together to create and implement a plan that revitalizes distressed HUD housing and addresses the challenges in the surrounding neighborhood. The program helps communities transform neighborhoods by revitalizing severely distressed public and/or assisted housing and catalyzing critical improvements in the neighborhood, including vacant property, housing, businesses, services and schools.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) HUD The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.
Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program HUD The Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program (Section 108) provides Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) recipients with the ability to leverage their annual grant allocation to access low-cost, flexible financing for economic development, housing, public facility, and infrastructure projects.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Program  Granting Brief Description
BUILD/TIGER Department of Transportation The Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development  (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grant program provides a unique  opportunity for the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives.
Capital Investment Grants DOT FTA This FTA discretionary grant program funds transit capital investments, including heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars, and bus rapid transit.
Urbanized Area Formula Grants – 5307 DOT FTA The Urbanized Area Formula Funding program (49 U.S.C. 5307) makes federal resources available to urbanized areas and to governors for transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation-related planning. An urbanized area is an incorporated area with a population of 50,000 or more that is designated as such by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
The National Center for Applied Transit Technology DOT FTA The mission of the National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is to translate emerging transportation technologies for states and localities across the United States. N-CATT will develop learning and planning resources for rural, small-urban and tribal transportation providers and communities, as well as provide community and state-specific technical assistance.
Urbanized Area Formula Grants – 5307 DOT Build America Bureau TIFIA provides credit assistance for qualified projects of regional and national significance.
2020 Emergency Relief Docket FTA FTA also established an Emergency Relief docket that allows transit providers in states where the Governor has declared an emergency related to COVID-19 to request temporary relief from federal requirements under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53 as well as any non-statutory FTA requirements.
Emergency Relief Program FTA The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced that expanded eligibility of federal assistance is available under FTA’s Emergency Relief Program to help transit agencies respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) in states where the Governor has declared an emergency. This includes allowing all transit providers, including those in large urban areas, to use federal formula funds for emergency-related capital and operating expenses, and raises the cap on the federal government’s share of those expenses.

Sector Based

Program Granting Brief Description
Youth Build US Department of Labor YouthBuild is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training anYouth learn vocational skills in construction, as well as in other in-demand industries that include health care, information technology, and hospitality. Youth also provide community service through the required construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighborhoods. Youth split their time between the vocational training work site and the classroom, where they earn their high school diploma or equivalency degree, learn to be community leaders, and prepare for postsecondary training opportunities, including college, apprenticeships, and employment. YouthBuild includes significant support systems, such as a mentoring, follow-up education, employment, and personal counseling services; and participation in community service and civic engagement.d educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24 who have previously dropped out of high school. 
Community Economic Development – Community Development Corporations DHHS Community Economic Development (CED) is a federal grant program funding Community Development Corporations (CDCs) that address the economic needs of low-income individuals and families through the creation of sustainable business development and employment opportunities. CED awards funds to private, non-profit organizations CDCs, including faith-based organizations and Tribal and Alaskan Native organizations. CED-funded projects create or expand businesses, create new jobs for individuals with low incomes, and leverage funding investments in communities.
FY 2020 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs Notice of Funding Opportunity (PWEAA NOFO) EDA EDA’s Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) programs provide economically distressed communities and regions with comprehensive and flexible resources to address a wide variety of economic needs. Projects funded by these programs will support work in Opportunity Zones and will support the mission of the Department by, among other things, leading to the creation and retention of jobs and increased private investment, advancing innovation, enhancing the manufacturing capacities of regions, providing workforce development opportunities, and growing ecosystems that attract foreign direct investment. Through the PWEAA NOFO, EDA solicits applications from applicants in order to provide investments that support construction, non-construction, planning, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects under EDA’s Public Works program and EAA programs (which includes Assistance to Coal Communities).
FY21 Build to Scale (B2S) Program Notice of Funding Opportunity EDA The Build to Scale Program builds regional economies through scalable startups through the Venture Challenge and Capital Challenge.
SBIR/STTR Small Business Association The SBIR and STTR programs fund a diverse portfolio of startups and small businesses across technology areas and markets to stimulate technological innovation, meet Federal research and development (R&D) needs, and increase commercialization to transition R&D into impact.

Human Capital

Program Granting Brief Description
Youth Build US Department of Labor YouthBuild is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training anYouth learn vocational skills in construction, as well as in other in-demand industries that include health care, information technology, and hospitality. Youth also provide community service through the required construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighborhoods. Youth split their time between the vocational training work site and the classroom, where they earn their high school diploma or equivalency degree, learn to be community leaders, and prepare for postsecondary training opportunities, including college, apprenticeships, and employment. YouthBuild includes significant support systems, such as a mentoring, follow-up education, employment, and personal counseling services; and participation in community service and civic engagement.d educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24 who have previously dropped out of high school. 
Community Economic Development – Community Development Corporations DHHS Community Economic Development (CED) is a federal grant program funding Community Development Corporations (CDCs) that address the economic needs of low-income individuals and families through the creation of sustainable business development and employment opportunities. CED awards funds to private, non-profit organizations CDCs, including faith-based organizations and Tribal and Alaskan Native organizations. CED-funded projects create or expand businesses, create new jobs for individuals with low incomes, and leverage funding investments in communities.
FY 2020 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs Notice of Funding Opportunity (PWEAA NOFO) EDA EDA’s Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) programs provide economically distressed communities and regions with comprehensive and flexible resources to address a wide variety of economic needs. Projects funded by these programs will support work in Opportunity Zones and will support the mission of the Department by, among other things, leading to the creation and retention of jobs and increased private investment, advancing innovation, enhancing the manufacturing capacities of regions, providing workforce development opportunities, and growing ecosystems that attract foreign direct investment. Through the PWEAA NOFO, EDA solicits applications from applicants in order to provide investments that support construction, non-construction, planning, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects under EDA’s Public Works program and EAA programs (which includes Assistance to Coal Communities).
National Dislocated Worker Department of Labor National Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) are time-limited funding assistance, authorized by Section 170 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), in response to major economic dislocations or disaster events impacting the workforce. DWGs are supplemental resources providing flexibility to states and communities in responding to these unexpected events requiring workforce services, which exceed the capacity of the state or local area to address with WIOA formula funding resources.
State Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity and Innovation (SAEEI) Department of Labor The purpose of the State Apprenticeship Expansion and Innovation (SAEI) grant program is to support the development of new, or the expansion of existing, Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs), as described in 29 CFR Part 29 (Subpart A) and 29 CFR Part 30. This also includes quality pre-apprenticeship programs that directly lead to grant-funded RAPs during the grant period of performance. The SAEI grants will support states to achieve the following goals: 1) Apprenticeship system expansion to support the development, modernization, and diversification of RAPs; 2) Partnership and alignment to support a One Workforce System vision; 3) Increasing the number of apprentices enrolled in RAPs; and, 4) Innovation in apprenticeship expansion efforts to include program development and recruitment strategies.
Young Adult Reentry Partnership Department of Labor Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, Young Adult Reentry Partnership grants will support partnerships with community colleges, the criminal justice system and employers, employer associations, unions providing training, or labor-management partnerships and focus on occupations – in industries with high local demand – that offer these young adults living wages. ETA seeks applicants serving communities with high rates of poverty and crime, and those who programs offer accelerated learning and work-based learning opportunities including registered apprenticeships, and exhibit strong employer partnerships.
Pathway Home Department of Labor The funding availability announced today is Pathway Home, an adult-focused grant to provide $65 million in funding for organizations to provide workforce services to incarcerated individuals prior to release from a correctional facility. The grant continues services after release by transitioning the participants into reentry programs in the communities to which they will return. The grants will serve adults ages 18 or older who will be released from a state correctional facility or county or local jail within 20 to 180 days of enrollment into the program. This grant announcement is currently open.
Federal Bonding Department of Labor The U.S. Department of Labor established The Federal Bonding Program in 1966 to provide Fidelity Bonds for “at-risk,” hard-to-place job seekers. The bonds cover the first six months of employment at no cost to the job applicant or the employer.
Federal and State Technology (FAST) US Small Business Association This is a one-year funding opportunity for organizations to execute state/regional programs that increase the number of SBIR (innovation)/STTR (research and development) proposals; increase the number of SBIR/STTR awards; and better prepare SBIR/STTR awardees for commercial success.
Veterans Business Outreach Centers US Small Business Association The Veterans Business Outreach Centers Cooperative Agreement provides quality counseling assistance and training events, particularly B2B events to transitioning service personnel and spouses of veterans, veteran and service-disabled small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Service-Disabled Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program (SDVETP) US Small Business Association This cooperative agreement aims to support organizations that currently deliver entrepreneurship training programs to service-disabled veteran entrepreneurs who aspire to be small business owners or currently own a small business.
Program for Investors in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME) US Small Business Association This grant will provide funding for private, nonprofit microenterprise development organizations; microenterprise development programs run by State/Local/Tribal Governments; or Indian tribes interested in providing assistance and guidance to disadvantaged microentrepreneurs and/or microenterprise development organizations.
Emergency Rental Assistance Program US Department of the Treasury  

State Resources

Housing Production and Preservation

Program Granting Brief Description
Housing and Community Development California Department of Housing and Community Development The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) makes loans or grants available through more than 20 programs for: construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable rental and ownership housing, homeless shelters, and transitional housing; construction of public facilities and infrastructure; construction and rehabilitation of parks linked to affordable housing projects; and economic development assistance to increase availability of jobs for lower income workers.
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program Strategic Growth Council The Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program makes it easier for Californians to drive less by making sure housing, jobs, and key destinations are accessible by walking, biking, and transit
Project Home Key California Department of Housing and Community Development

Building on the success of Project Roomkey, Homekey is the next phase in the state’s response to protecting Californians experiencing homelessness who are at high risk for serious illness and are impacted by COVID-19. Administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), $600 million in grant funding will be made available to local public entities, including cities, counties, or other local public entities, including housing authorities or federally recognized tribal governments within California to purchase and rehabilitate housing, including hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, and other buildings and convert them into interim or permanent, long-term housing.

Program closed as of 2020.

Projecet RoomKey Department of Social Services Project Roomkey was established in March 2020 as part of the state response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of Project Roomkey is to provide non-congregate shelter options for people experiencing homelessness, protect human life, and minimize strain on health care system capacity. Project Roomkey gives people who are experiencing homelessness and are recovering from COVID-19 or have been exposed to COVID-19 a place to recuperate and properly quarantine outside of a hospital. It also provides a safe place for isolation for people who are experiencing homelessness and at high risk for medical complications should they to become infected. 
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program California Department of Housing and Community Development Administered by the Strategic Growth Council and implemented by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), the AHSC Program funds land-use, housing, transportation, and land preservation projects to support infill and compact development that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
CalHome Program California Department of Housing and Community Development Enable low- and very low-income households to become or remain homeowners.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Program Granting Brief Description
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program California Department of Housing and Community Development Administered by the Strategic Growth Council and implemented by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), the AHSC Program funds land-use, housing, transportation, and land preservation projects to support infill and compact development that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Advanced Transportation and Manufacturing Sales and Use Tax Exemption – Sales and Use Tax Exclusion Program Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development The California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) offers a full sales and use tax exclusion to manufacturers that promote alternative energy and advanced transportation.
Economic Development Rate Program California Public Utilities Commission This program gives special utility discounts for businesses that require high-energy loads to operate or continue operating in California.
California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) Treasurer The California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) was created in 1994, and is run by the California Pollution Control Financing Authority (CPCFA). The program encourages banks and other financial institutions to make loans to small businesses that have difficulty obtaining financing. CalCAP also provides for specialty financing programs targeted toward creating more charging stations for electric vehicles, helping at-risk small businesses comply with requirement of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, assisting small businesses and property owners finance the costs to seismically retrofit existing buildings and homes, and enabling small fleet owners to purchase trucks that comply with the California’s engine emission standards.

Sector Based

Program Granting Brief Description
California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) Treasurer
The California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) was created in 1994, and is run by the California Pollution Control Financing Authority (CPCFA). The program encourages banks and other financial institutions to make loans to small businesses that have difficulty obtaining financing. CalCAP also provides for specialty financing programs targeted toward creating more charging stations for electric vehicles, helping at-risk small businesses comply with requirement of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, assisting small businesses and property owners finance the costs to seismically retrofit existing buildings and homes, and enabling small fleet owners to purchase trucks that comply with the California’s engine emission standards.
California Small Business Relief Grant Program  Small Business Advocate

Consisted of six rounds of funding, providing relief to small businesses and nonprofits.

Program is now closed, but may reopen as per most recent California Budget, see: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/05/13/california-roars-back-governor-newsom-announces-the-largest-small-business-relief-program-in-the-nation/

California Competes Tax Credit Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development The California Competes Tax Credit is an income tax credit available to businesses who want to relocate, stay, or grow in California. Our team provides no-cost consultations to see if your business qualifies.
Research & Development Tax Credit Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development A business may qualify for an income tax credit if it paid for or incurred qualified research expenses while conducting qualified research activity in California. Qualified research expenses include wages, supplies, and contract research costs.
Finance Center Loan Guarantee Program California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) IBank’s Small Business Finance Center features a loan guarantee program designed to assist small businesses that experience capital access barriers. The Small Business Loan Guarantee program encourages lenders to provide funds to small businesses to help them grow and prosper.

Human Capital

Program Granting Brief Description
CalEITC California Employment Development Department The California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) and the Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) are state tax credits for working Californians.
Workforce and Economic Development California Community Colleges

The Workforce and Economic Development Division (WEDD), driven by the Vision for Success goals, is focused on preparing CCC students and individuals with skills for 21st century jobs and careers, as well as an entrepreneurial mindset to be successful as an employee or entrepreneur, and for the future of work.

See individual community college website for more details.

Employment Training Panel Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development The Employment Training Panel (ETP) provides funding to employers for training that upgrades the skills of their workers.