States' Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) (Delta Region) - FY 2025
| Agency: | US Other |
|---|---|
| Office: | Delta Regional Authority (DRA) |
| Multipart Grant: | No |
| Next Due: | 08/25/2025 (Application) |
|---|---|
| Solicitation Date: | 07/14/2025 |
| Match Required: | Varies |
| Actual Funds: | Unspecified |
| Award Range: | $50,000 (Min) / $500,000 (Max) |
Summary:
The purpose of this program is to target federal resources toward communities in the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions. This program provides direct investment into community-based and regional projects that address the funding agency's congressionally mandated four funding categories.
The strategic investment goals of this program are to:
- Invest in public infrastructure: expand and invest in the resiliency of the region's public infrastructure to improve residents' quality of life and increase economic opportunity
- Nurture local workforce ecosystems: improve networks of agencies, organizations, businesses, and educational institutions providing workforce development opportunities
- Promote business growth and entrepreneurship: continue to strengthen the competitiveness of the region's employers and attract new employers to the region
- Support community placemaking and capacity building: expand efforts to enhance sustainable and inclusive local placemaking, quality of life, and community capacity
To best build the foundations for long-term economic development and to complement other federal and state resources in the region, funding will be focused on the activities in the following order or priority:
- Basic public infrastructure in distressed counties and isolated areas of distress: basic public infrastructure includes water and wastewater facilities, electric and gas utilities, broadband delivery, and solid waste landfills, all of which are fundamental services necessary to sustain and promote growth and/or attract businesses
- Transportation infrastructure for the purpose of facilitating economic development in the region: transportation infrastructure includes basic physical structures needed to support and/or create a transportation system, such as local roadways, bridges, rail, port facilities, airports, or other structures deemed central to an overall transportation system
- Business development, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship: business development includes areas and efforts that include small business, entrepreneurship, the creation of new businesses, and the retention or expansion of existing businesses in local communities
- Job training or employment-related education, with an emphasis on the use of existing public educational institutions located in the region: job training or employment-related education for a specific employer or industry sector, to fill immediate job openings or retain current or employment-related education for a specific employer or industry sector, or to fill immediate job openings or retain current jobs
Eligibility is limited to projects located within the Delta region, as defined by the Delta Regional Authority Act of 2000, as amended. Refer to the Eligibility section for details.
Eligibility Notes:
Eligible applicants are:
- Counties/parishes, cities, or other political subdivisions of a state, including special purpose districts of state or local governments engaged in economic or community development activities, or consortia of political subdivisions
- Public or private nonprofit organizations or associations
- Regional development organizations
- Economic development organizations
- Workforce investment boards
- Community-based organizations
- Faith-based organizations
- Public institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher education
- Trade/technical schools
Projects must be located within the Delta region, as defined by the Delta Regional Authority Act of 2000, as amended, and be targeted toward communities or regions that have been recently impacted, or can reasonably demonstrate that they will be impacted in the near future, by the loss of employment in a locally or regionally significant industry sector, or identify opportunities for improving the competitiveness of a locally or regionally significant industry sector through expanded or enhanced workforce training and skills development. The Delta region includes certain counties and parishes in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee. If projects extend beyond the Delta region, only that portion that is within the Delta region is eligible for funding. A map of the Delta region can be found online at dra.gov/states.
The following entities are not eligible to receive funding through this program:
- Private universities
- For-profit entities
Eligible Applicants:
Local GovernmentAcademic Institutions
Consortia
Non Profits
Application Notes:
Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. on August 25, 2025.
Applications must be submitted online at dra.communityforce.com.
Applications must include:
- Project name
- Project summary
- Project description
- Project purpose
- Project output and outcomes
- Community demand
- Employer engagement
- Budget and budget narrative
The following are required in order to submit an application:
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
- SAM (System for Award Management) registration
Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam.
Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Project information (75 points)
- Evidence of community demand or employer needs (15 points)
- Funding information (10 points)
Refer to the NOFA file for additional application information.
| Match Required: | Varies |
|---|---|
| Actual Funds: | Unspecified |
| Award Range: | $50,000 (Min) / $500,000 (Max) |
|---|
Match Notes:
For projects providing business development or job training, applicants must provide at least a 10 percent match via cash and/or in-kind contributions.
For projects providing transportation or basic public services to residents of one or more distressed counties or isolated areas of distress, matching funds are not required. A map of distressed counties and isolated areas of distress can be found online at dra.gov/states.
Priority consideration will be given to projects with higher amounts of matching contributions.
In general, matching contributions may not include federal funds. Applicants are encouraged to contact the program staff, using the information provided in the Contact section, if planning to use federal funds as matching contributions.
Matching contributions may not include funding sources of the funding agency.
Funding Notes:
An unspecified amount of funding is available to support awards typically ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 through this program. In general, the funding agency expects to allocate funds to each of the eight states in the Delta region based on the allocation formula detailed on page 6 of the NOFA file.
Funds will be provided on a reimbursement basis.
Award announcements will be made on September 30, 2025.
The project period may last up to 24 months.
Fringe benefits are limited to 15 percent of the portion of salaries funded by this program.
The funding agency discourages indirect costs; however, consideration may be given to allow indirect expenses and/or an approved indirect cost rate not to exceed 10 percent of the total award amount. The preferred scenario would include indirect costs as an in-kind contribution by the applicant.
Funds may not be used for:
- Application preparation costs
- Youth-oriented activities with no direct connection to entrepreneurship or workforce development
- Pass-through efforts to support or enhance private property or property owners
- Residential developments
- Saving or preserving landmarks, historic or otherwise
- Emergency vehicles, equipment, or accessories
- Maintenance and/or deferred maintenance projects
- Project administration fees
- Stipends paid to program participants
- Expenses accrued prior to the date of the notice to proceed, unless prior approval was obtained in writing from the funding agency
Refer to pages 27-32 of the NOFA file for additional unallowable costs.
Contacts:
Program Staff
sedap.cif@dra.gov
Agency Address
Delta Regional Authority
236 Sharkey Avenue, Suite 400
Clarksdale, MS 38614
Contact Notes:
Questions should be emailed to the program staff with the subject line "SEDAP NOFA." The body of the email must include the contact's name, applicant organization, and phone number. Questions may also be directed to the appropriate local development district (LDD) listed online at dra.gov/resources/local-development-districts.
Applications must be submitted online at dra.communityforce.com.
The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.
Files:
NOFA File: US13760_NOFA_FY2025.pdf (585.5 Kb)Award File: US13760_Award_FY2025.pdf (356.5 Kb)
File Notes:
The NOFA file contains the full solicitation for this program. The Award file contains information on previous award recipients.
Grant Keywords
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Community DevelopmentEconomic Development
Training & Vocational Services
Transportation