Funding Opportunity: DOT, EDA, Road Runners and People for Bikes Grants

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June 11, 2018

Dear Members, Partners and Friends:

It takes good roads and transportation for travelers to visit your destinations and it takes community resources and partnerships to build a strong tourism program. Here are two funding sources that can help you build your tribal economies. Also included are two funding sources for running and biking recreation programs.
Good luck!
PS: Not a member? Click here to find out how you can join.
Deadline: July 19, 2018
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published its Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to apply for $1.5 billion in discretionary grant funding through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program.
BUILD Transportation grants replace the pre-existing Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program. As the Administration looks to enhance America’s infrastructure, FY 2018 BUILD Transportation grants are for investments in surface transportation infrastructure and are to be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. BUILD funding can support roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports or intermodal transportation.
Projects for BUILD will be evaluated based on merit criteria that include safety, economic competitiveness, quality of life, environmental protection, state of good repair, innovation, partnership, and additional non-Federal revenue for future transportation infrastructure investments.
To reflect the Administration’s Infrastructure Initiative, DOT intends to award a greater share of BUILD Transportation grant funding to projects located in rural areas that align well with the selection criteria than to such projects in urban areas.  The notice highlights rural needs in several of the evaluation criteria, including support for rural broadband deployment where it is part of an eligible transportation project.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 made available $1.5 billion for National Infrastructure Investments, otherwise known as BUILD Transportation Discretionary grants, through September 30, 2020.  For this round of BUILD Transportation grants, the maximum grant award is $25 million, and no more than $150 million can be awarded to a single State, as specified in the FY 2018 Appropriations Act. At least 30 percent of funds must be awarded to projects located in rural areas.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
To provide technical assistance to a broad array of stakeholders, DOT is hosting a series of webinars during the FY 2018 BUILD grant application process. Details and registration information regarding these webinars will be made available at https://www.transportation.gov/BUILDgrants/outreach.
The deadline to submit an application for the FY 2018 BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grants program is July 19, 2018. For more information, please visit https://www.transportation.gov/BUILDgrants.
2018 EDA Regional Innovation Strategies Notice of Funding Opportunity
Deadline: August 28, 2018
In order to retain and increase global competitiveness and to realize job growth, regions must build public and private capacity for entrepreneurship and innovation to invent, improve, and bring to market new products and services. Funding is available for capacity-building programs that provide proof-of-concept and commercialization assistance to innovators and entrepreneurs and for operational support for organizations that provide essential early-stage funding to startups.
Applicants must have multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaborations that draw upon the resources of community and regional public, corporate, university, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations foster dynamic, resilient regional economies, job growth, and globally competitive communities.
Regional innovation clusters are geographically bounded network[s] of similar, synergistic, or complementary entities that-
(A) are engaged in or with a particular industry sector and its related sectors;
(B) have active channels for business transactions and communication;
(C) share specialized infrastructure, labor markets, and services; and
(D) leverage the region’s unique competitive strengths to stimulate innovation and create jobs.
Proof-of-concept and commercialization programs can be physical or virtual, existing or new. Applicants must provide a matching share from non-Federal sources of at least 50 percent of the total project cost; i.e., applicants must match each Federal dollar requested with at least one dollar of local match.
Informational Webinar
EDA will conduct an informational webinar for this NOFO on Thursday, June 14, 2018, from 3:00-4:00 pm EDT. To register, click here. Link to a recording at http://www.eda.gov/oie/ris/.
To learn more and read more about how EDA supports innovation and entrepreneurship, please visit:  www.eda.gov/success-stories/innovation-entrepreneurship.
Road Runners Club of America Accepting Applications for Kids Run the Nation Fund Grants
Deadline: August 31, 2018
Through the fund, grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded to running clubs and other nonprofits organizations in support of structured youth running programs that utilize RRCA youth running materials. Program goals must include motivating kids to run regularly (at least once a week for multiple weeks), as opposed to participating in a single event, and the program may culminate in participation at a kids’ race.
Funds may be used to purchase marketing materials; host a program website; offset fees for permits or usage fees for a local park or running track; purchase hydration supplies; purchase  participation awards (ribbons, shirts, patches, etc); and/or purchase mileage logs or other written materials for the program.
For More Information
Contact 703-525-3890 or office@rrca.org, visit the RRCA website, click here.
People For Bikes Invites LOIs for Fall 2018 Community Grant Program
The PeopleForBikes Community Grant Program supports bicycle infrastructure projects and targeted advocacy initiatives that make it easier and safer for people of all ages and abilities to ride. The program accepts applications from non-profit organizations with a focus on bicycling, active transportation, or community development, from city or county agencies or departments, and from state or federal agencies working locally. Requests must support a specific project or program; we do not grant funds for general operating costs.
Grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to support bicycle infrastructure projects such as bike paths, lanes, trails, and bridges; mountain bike facilities; bike parks and pump tracks; BMX facilities; and end-of-trip facilities such as bike racks, bike parking, and bike storage. Grant requests in which PeopleForBikes funding would amount to 50 percent or more of the project budget will not be considered.
For More Information
Contact Zoe Kircos, Director of Grants and Partnerships, at 303-449-4893 x 106 or zoe@peopleforbikes.org