§3143 Grants for planning and grants for administrative expenses

Summary

Makes grants to eligible recipients to pay for economic development planning and for the administrative costs of groups that do the planning. The planning must be an ongoing effort that involves public officials and private citizens and follows four steps: analyze the local economy, set economic goals, find project opportunities, and make and carry out a program to lower unemployment and raise incomes. Grants must be used together with any other federal planning help to make planning effective and save money. Grants can pay four kinds of administrative costs: work tied to the planning process, project predevelopment, updating plans to match state or local plans, and hiring staff. Staff can help with five things: predevelopment and carrying out projects from a comprehensive plan or planning grant; finding and using other federal, state, and Tribal programs; getting private and philanthropic investment; making recovery plans after disasters; and following professional best practices. Any State plan made with these grants must, as much as possible, be built together by the State, its local governments, and economic development districts. The State must have or make a comprehensive economic development strategy. The Secretary will consider how much the State will use local and district plans. State planning must cover seven public-works topics, including transportation, the environment, workforce strategy, technology (like broadband), and preparing for extreme weather. Each State getting help must send the Secretary an annual report on the planning process.