EDA Short Form Application Act

Simpler EDA grants for rural areas

If enacted, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development would be required to create a short form application that rural applicants could use for any EDA grant. A "rural community" would be a town, Tribal area, or territory with 10,000 people or fewer in the most recent decennial census, or a place the Assistant Secretary says is not in an OMB metropolitan area. The Assistant Secretary would have to get input from a representative group of rural stakeholders on application length, required documents, standardizing budget templates and forms, and cutting duplicate questions that repeat federal sources such as SAM.gov or Census data. The Assistant Secretary would also have to publish redacted sample successful applications, decision guides that explain how applications are reviewed and scored, and standardized guidance for rural applicants. The short form would have to be available despite any other provision of law.