The U.S. Economic Development Administration’s rolling Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance opportunity supports projects that create jobs, attract private investment, strengthen infrastructure, and help communities respond to economic change. Within Economic Adjustment Assistance, the Assistance to Coal Communities pathway offers Kentucky’s coal-impacted regions funding for construction, workforce development, planning, revolving loan funds, and other economic diversification efforts.
In this webinar, Grant Ready Kentucky explains how the programs fit together, who may qualify, what EDA looks for in a competitive application, and how applicants can document distress, align projects with their regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, and prepare matching funds. To learn more, visit our companion resource, Two Core EDA Programs, One Open Application: What Kentucky’s Coal Communities Need to Know.
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EDA Grant Webinar: Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions after watching the webinar? We’ve pulled together answers to the most common questions about EDA eligibility, match requirements, timelines, and application requirements—including what communities need to know whether or not they have been impacted by coal.
Is this opportunity only for coal-impacted areas of the state? No. This is a statewide opportunity, not limited to eastern or western Kentucky. Coal impact simply unlocks an additional special need pathway with a lower match requirement.
What EDA programs and coal-community funding pathways were covered, and what do they fund?
The webinar covered EDA’s Public Works program, which primarily funds construction projects such as water and sewer improvements, industrial parks, harbors, brownfield redevelopment, broadband and fiber, and workforce or manufacturing facilities; and Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA), EDA’s most flexible program, which supports both construction and non-construction activities, including planning grants, feasibility studies, and implementation projects tied to a region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. Within EAA, the Assistance to Coal Communities (ACC) pathway provides roughly $80 million for coal-impacted regions. While the solicitation provides specific eligibility guidelines, communities can also demonstrate coal impact based on local economic changes or decline—for example, the first ACC grant went to a Florida community after CSX documented significant layoffs tied to reduced coal logistics.
What if my communities were not coal-impacted? Is there still a strong path forward? Yes. Communities can qualify for the same reduced match,by documenting a 24-month unemployment rate above the national average or a per capita income at 80 percent or less of the national average.
How much match is required, and does it change? Match can range from 20 percent to 40 percent depending on the level of distress in the community, and regions serving a mix of distressed and non-distressed counties will see an averaged, or aggregate, rate.
Can planning funds and implementation funds both be used for the same project? Yes, to both. Organizations can apply for planning funds to do early feasibility work and then come back with a stronger implementation application.
What award amounts are typical? Public Works averages between $600,000 and $5 million, with a sweet spot around $2 to $3 million. Economic Adjustment Assistance runs 150,000 to 2.5 million. Coal Communities awards run 500,000 to 3 million. Planning grants run 100,000 to 350,000. Applicants are encouraged not to self-select out of a range and to email Emily Hathcock, Kentucky EDA Representative, to discuss it.
Does the match have to be cash, or can in-kind contributions count? Construction projects require a cash match because EDA operates on a reimbursement basis. Planning projects have some flexibility for in-kind contributions, but the in-kind item must be an expense that would otherwise be eligible for a grant. Donated land, for example, does not qualify.
How can Kentucky's Grant Match Program help cover the required match? The Grant Match Program accepts applications monthly, due on the first of each month, and recently received an additional $ 100 million, split across two fiscal years. The state match required from applicants ranges from 2 to 10 percent depending on county population. A key change this year is that GRANT Program applications must be submitted within 90 days of the related federal grant application, shortened from the previous 12-month window.
What is the expected timeline from application to award? A conservative estimate is 6 to 9 months from submission to decision. EDA has been working through a backlog tied to disaster funding, and timing can also be affected by the end of the federal fiscal year.
What are EDA's two review gates? An eligibility screen (whether the project responds to the funding notice, aligns with at least one of five investment priorities, and has match funds available, committed, and unencumbered) is followed by a merit review that weighs feasibility, community support, degree of distress, job creation, and private investment.
What documentation is needed to show job creation or retention? EDA applications require more than a letter of support; employers must be actively engaged. EDA looks for Form ED 900B or a letter of commitment with specific numbers for jobs retained or created and dollar amounts for private investment, which may include equipment purchases, workforce training costs, or facility expansion.
Can EDA funds be combined with other federal dollars on the same project? It depends on the source. Appalachian Regional Commission and Delta Regional Authority funds are compatible, but other federal sources, such as ARC's larger ARISE or AMLER programs, may need to be carved out into a separate, EDA-only phase of the project.
Does bringing a second state into a regional application make it stronger? Multi-state applications can be stronger, though the team needs a clearly identified lead applicant so EDA knows which office and region will process the request.
What is a Preliminary Engineering Report, and who can complete it? Engineers or architects must be properly procured in accordance with federal procurement rules (2 CFR 200 D 200.318) before they begin work. If they are not procured properly first, even if they are willing to help as a favor, their work becomes ineligible for reimbursement. An environmental narrative is also required for any construction grant.
My community does not have a large employer like Toyota. Can we still be competitive? Yes. Communities are encouraged to focus on emerging sectors rather than a single large employer. That could mean several smaller businesses, a downtown revitalization strategy, tourism, remote-worker attraction, or workforce training tied to housing and infrastructure recovery efforts.
What data sources can I use to document economic distress? Census data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, StatsAmerica, and EDA's newer NERDI tool. Grant Ready Kentucky also maintains a resource with 24-month unemployment and per capita income figures for every Kentucky county, though it is a snapshot that should be reconfirmed closer to submission.
Do I need a documented coal closure within the past 15 years to apply? A coal impact event within the past 15 years is only required if you are applying through the Assistance to Coal Communities pathway. Standard Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance applications do not require it.
If I do not hear back on my Grant Match Program application, who should I contact? Applicants should reach out directly to Emily Hathcock, Kentucky EDA Representative, with questions about application status, especially for projects covering multiple counties.
If my county has no coal impact event, how do I show eligibility for Public Works or Economic Adjustment Assistance? Eligibility in that case comes from the rolling 24-month unemployment rate and per capita income comparison rather than coal history.
Beyond unemployment and per capita income, what other data points help strengthen a narrative of distress? Additional figures, such as educational attainment, free and reduced-price lunch rates, Opportunity Zone status, or persistent poverty designations, are helpful when tied directly to the project itself. Opportunity Zone status is worth citing if the project aims to attract business to that area.
Can we partner with a for-profit company to provide workforce development? EDA cannot serve as a pass-through to a private company and cannot fund a private company directly, but workforce training that prepares people for jobs with a private employer may still qualify depending on the specific project.
This FAQ accompanies the above recorded webinar and the EDA grant resource on Grant Ready Kentucky’s Resource Page. For direct assistance with your application, contact Emily Hathcock at ehathcock@EDA.gov. For questions about the Kentucky Grant Match Program, contact Joseph Gearon at joseph.gearon@ky.gov.