Build Back Better Regional Challenge (FY21 American Rescue Plan)

The Build Back Better Regional Challenge is designed to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build back better by accelerating the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building local economies that will be resilient to future economic shocks.

The $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge will provide a transformational investment to 20-30 regions across the country that want to revitalize their economies. These regions will have the opportunity to grow new regional industry clusters or scale existing ones through planning, infrastructure, innovation and entrepreneurship, workforce development, access to capital, and more.

Phase 1: 50-60 regional coalitions of partnering entities will be awarded ~$500,000 in technical assistance funds to develop and support three to eight projects to grow a regional growth cluster.
Phase 2: EDA will award 20-30 regional coalitions $25 million to $75 million, and up to $100 million, to implement those projects.
As part of the $300 million Coal Communities Commitment, EDA will allocate at least $100 million of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge funding to support coal communities.

Historical

Grants.gov link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=334735

Application Deadline: Phase 1 deadline: October 19, 2021; Phase 2 deadline: March 15, 2022