§2009bb–2 Economic and Community Development Grants

Summary

The Authority can approve grants to States, Indian tribes, local governments, and public and nonprofit organizations for projects the program approves. Grants can pay for job training, work-related education, and business development (especially starting new businesses). They can fund transportation, renewable energy transmission, and telecommunications to help the local economy, but those infrastructure grants may only go to States, tribes, local governments, and nonprofit groups. Grants can also help very distressed, underdeveloped areas pay for basic public services or equip industrial parks, and can support other goals of the program. Money for these grants can come entirely from this program’s appropriations, be combined with other federal grant funds, or come from any other source. Federal funds must focus on basic public infrastructure in distressed counties and isolated areas of distress; transportation and telecommunications for economic development; business development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship; and job training or job-related education, especially using existing public educational institutions in the region.