A practical guide to grants for community economic development organizations, federal EDA funding, USDA, CDFI Fund, foundations, and local sources.
Community economic development, small business support, workforce, CDFI work, and community wealth-building access funding across federal, state, and foundation sources.
TL;DR
- Who funds it? EDA (Commerce), Treasury CDFI Fund, USDA RD, DOL, HUD CDBG, SBA resource partners, foundations, community foundations.
- Who can apply? CDCs, CDFIs, EDOs, chambers, nonprofits, universities, state and local governments.
- What gets funded? Small business support, workforce, CDFI activity, regional economic strategy, broadband, infrastructure.
Federal Funding
EDA (Economic Development Administration) in the Department of Commerce, public works, planning, regional innovation, build-back-better regional challenges.
Treasury CDFI Fund, CDFI awards, Native CDFI, Healthy Food Financing, Bond Guarantee Program.
USDA Rural Development, Rural Business Development Grants, Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant, Community Facilities, broadband programs.
HUD CDBG and Section 108 for economic development components.
DOL workforce alignment with economic development.
SBA resource partners, SBDC, WBC, VBOC.
Foundation Funders
- Surdna Foundation.
- Heron Foundation.
- Annie E. Casey Foundation.
- Local economic development foundations.
- Community foundations.
What Gets Funded
- Small business technical assistance and capital.
- Workforce development.
- Regional and sector strategies.
- Broadband.
- CDFI capacity and lending capital.
- Manufacturing and supply chain.
- Inclusive and equitable economic development.
Tips for a Competitive Application
- Show regional strategy alignment.
- Demonstrate measurable outcomes (jobs, capital, businesses).
- Address equity in economic outcomes.
- Plan for cost share and match.
How Grantboost Helps
Grantboost surfaces economic development funding across EDA, CDFI Fund, USDA, HUD, DOL, SBA, foundations, and corporates, with drafts in your organization’s voice (see training AI on your past proposals).
Read next:
- USDA Grants: A Guide to Department of Agriculture Funding
- HUD Grants: A Guide to Department of Housing and Urban Development Funding
- DOL Grants: A Guide to Department of Labor Funding
Further Reading
- Economic Development Administration (EDA)
- Small Business Administration
- Minority Business Development Agency
- HUD official site
- Grants.gov (federal funding portal)
- Wikipedia: Economic Development Administration
Disclaimer: Grant programs, eligibility rules, deadlines, and policies vary by region and change frequently. The information in this article is for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current rules in your area. Always consult a local grant writer or qualified expert in your region for advice specific to your organization, project, and jurisdiction.