2012 University Center Economic Development Program Competition

by: Michael Saunders

The Economic Development Administration, otherwise known as EDA, is a federal government agency operating within the United States Department of Commerce that is largely responsible for providing grants to economically distressed communities in an effort to help generate new job opportunities, assist in retaining existing jobs and stimulating industrial and commercial growth.

The grants of initiatives of the EDA are all geared towards the realization of its primary agency mission which is to "lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy."

In keeping with this mission, the Economic Development Administration has recently established the 2012 University Center Economic Development Program Competition wherein they intend to solicit grant applications from higher education institutions stating their intent to establish and operate special University Centers that are focused on leveraging university assets in order to create regional economic ecosystems that will support high-growth entrepreneurship.

Higher education institutions or a consortia of institutions can take part in this program as long as they are willing to establish and operate a University Center, and in the process, form a collaboration with several other EDA partners in order to provide, develop, implement, and support regional strategies and approaches that would certainly pave the way to the creation of more jobs, the development of high-skilled regional talent pools, and the expansion of regional businesses.

  (continued...)

2012 University Center Economic Development Program Competition
  Page 2

About The Author Michael Saunders is an editor of TopGovernmentGrants.com one the the most comprehensive Websites offering information on government grants and federal government programs. He also maintains Websites providing resources on environmental grants and grants for youth programs.

Additional Resources

category - Civic Engagement Grants

Children Youth and Families At-Risk Sustainable Community Project
The The National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in close cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, has established a funding opportunity to support the Children Youth and Families At-Risk Sustainable Community Project (CYFAR).

---

Government Grants Within the United States Disaster Prevention and Relief Sector
According to the Disaster Survival Resources website, there has been about 640 disastrous events (floods, tsunamis, typhoons, earthquakes, cyclones, etc.) that have occurred in the United States since 1980 to 2010. Cumulatively, these catastrophic instances have killed 12, 366 people.

---

Family Planning Services Grants
OPHS has recently established a funding opportunity entitled Family Planning Services Grants, a program wherein the OPHS, along with the HHS, will award grants to eligible individuals who seek to operate voluntary family planning services projects that would provide family planning services to everyone who desires to avail of such services, including low-income families in under-served areas.

---

Law & Social Sciences Program
In line with this mission, the NSF has constituted the Law & Social Sciences Program wherein it aims to solicit proposals that will address social scientific studies of law and law-like systems of rules.

---