May 13, 2020
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross today announced that the Department’s Economic
Development Administration (EDA) is now accepting applications from eligible grantees for
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) supplemental funds (EDA
CARES Act Recovery Assistance) intended to help communities prevent, prepare for, and
respond to coronavirus.
“President Trump is working tirelessly to make sure Americans stay safe during this crisis
and that our economy is loaded to spring back when this global scourge recedes,” said
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. “EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance funds will
support the long-term recovery of communities across the nation that have been impacted
by the coronavirus pandemic.”
“EDA’s CARES Act Recovery Assistance is designed to provide a wide-range of financial
assistance to communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of
this pandemic,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “We intend to
deploy our CARES Act funding as quickly, effectively, and efficiently as possible, and in a
manner that meets the needs of our communities.”
On March 27, 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed the $2 trillion CARES Act into law.
The CARES Act provides EDA with $1.5 billion of which $1.467 billion is available for grant
making. The remaining funds will be transferred to cover salaries and expenses and
oversight activities.
The Secretary’s announcement comes as EDA has published an Addendum to its Fiscal Year
2020 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity
(FY20 PWEAA NOFO) making the funds available.
Under this announcement, EDA will make CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants under the
authority of its Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program, which is intended to be
flexible and responsive to the economic development needs and priorities of local and
regional stakeholders.
EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance investments will support a wide range of nonconstruction
and construction activities, including Revolving Loan Funds, in regions across
the country experiencing severe economic dislocations brought about by the coronavirus
pandemic.
Examples of projects that EDA may fund through its CARES Act Recovery Assistance
include economic recovery planning and preparing technical assistance strategies to address
economic dislocations caused by the coronavirus pandemic, preparing or updating
resiliency plans to respond to future pandemics, implementing entrepreneurial support
programs to diversify economies, and constructing public works and facilities that will
support economic recovery, including the deployment of broadband for purposes including
supporting telehealth and remote learning for job skills.
Eligible applicants under the EAA program include a(n):
District Organization;
Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes;
State, county, city, or other political subdivision of a State, including a special
purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure
development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions;
Institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; or
Public or private non-profit organization or association acting in cooperation with
officials of a political subdivision of a State.
For more information, please visit the EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance page.