October 8, 2020
Environmental Conservation
Clean Ohio Fund Now Accepting Applications
The Clean Ohio Program is now accepting applications for greenspace conservation.
The Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program is dedicated to environmental conservation including the acquisition of green space and the protection and enhancement of river and stream corridors. Grant recipients agree to maintain the properties in perpetuity so that they can be enjoyed and cherished for generations to come.
Who can apply?
Local governments, park and joint recreation districts, conservancy districts, soil and water conservation districts and non-profit organizations are eligible to receive grants for conservation projects from the Clean Ohio Fund. The grant provides for up to 75 percent of costs. Applicants must provide a 25 percent local match, which can include contributions of land, labor, or materials.
Timeline for grant applications and awards:
- Friday, February 26, 2021 Clean Ohio Applications Due by 4:00 PM
- Friday, March 12, 2021 NRAC Meeting – Applicant Interviews. Determination of eligibility and NRAC members’ open discussion of each application. Required: Each applicant shall present a visual summary of their project(s).
- Week of March 15th, 2021 SITE VISITS Required: Each applicant is required to meet selected NRAC members on-site at a pre-arranged time and lead a tour of their project land(s). Friday,
- March 26th, 2021 NRAC Meeting – Final Evaluation and Scoring and Project Ranking
For a list of previous projects awarded funding click HERE.
Complete information including applicant methodology is available on the OVRDC website HERE.
Entrepreneurship and Small Business
Updated Sept 2nd: Treasury Releases New Guidelines for Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) Recipients
On August 28, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an FAQ document outlining new requirements for Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) recipients. The Treasury Department recently updated the FAQs and its Guidance for State/Local Governments as of September 2, 2020.
The updated material is posted on the Treasury Department webpages at these links:
Coronavirus Relief Fund Guidance for State, Territorial, Local, and Tribal Governments (updated 9/2/2020) ·
Coronavirus Relief Fund Frequently Asked Questions (updated 9/2/2020) https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Coronavirus-Relief-Fund-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf
USDA RD Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program
Next Deadline is Dec 31: USDA RD Rural Econ Development Loan and Grant Program
USDA is accepting applications for grants for projects that promote economic development and job creation in rural areas through its Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. Application deadlines for FY21 are:
- First Quarter, Sept. 30, 2020
- Second Quarter, Dec. 31, 2020
- Third Quarter, March 31, 2021
- Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2021
Applications must be submitted to the USDA Rural Development State Office for the State where the Project is located. For more information, please reach out to the Rural Development State Office contact for our region:
HILLSBORO AREA OFFICE
Area Director: Ashley Kelly
514 Harry Sauner Road, Suite 3
Hillsboro, Ohio 45133
Phone: 937-393-1921 ext. 127
Email: ashley.kelly@usda.gov
SBA Funding for SBDCs to Address Economically Distressed Areas
NEW! Apply by Oct 15th
The Small Business Administration has identified a total amount of approximately $500,000 in funding has been identified available for this SBDC Portable Assistance Project. Eligible applicants are existing SBDC Lead Centers. The purpose of each project must be to mitigate the effects of job losses and other negative effects of business and/or government closings and downsizings within each respective SBDC Service Area. SBA expects to make 5 awards of not more than $100,000 per award. There is no matching fund requirement. Applications are due October 15. The solicitation can be found here.
Questions about this Funding Opportunity should be directed to the Office of Small Business Development Centers at the SBA at hq.osbdc@sba.gov.
Infrastructure
EPA Water Infrastructure Financing Programs (WIFIA)
Letter of Intent Due Oct 15th
In July, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 2020 notice of funding availability under its Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. This funding accelerates investment in critical water infrastructure through long-term, low cost, supplemental credit assistance under customized terms to creditworthy water and wastewater projects of national and regional significance.
This year’s notice of funding availability prioritizes construction-ready projects in three areas:
- updating aging infrastructure
- reducing exposure to contaminants
- water reuse and recycling
EPA will accept letters of interest from prospective WIFIA borrowers through October 15. For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/wifia.
FEMA’s FY20 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant (FMA) Programs
Opened Sept 30 – Applications due January 29
On August 4, 2020, FEMA posted the Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Notification of Funding Opportunities for the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program and the new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) pre-disaster mitigation grant programs.
FEMA’s two competitive mitigation grant programs provide states, local communities, tribes and territories funding for eligible mitigation activities to strengthen our nation’s ability to build a culture of preparedness by reducing disaster losses and protecting life and property from future disaster damages.
This year there is $160 million available in funding for FMA and $500 million for BRIC priorities:
- incentivize public infrastructure projects
- fund projects that mitigate risk to one or more lifelines
- fund projects that incorporate nature-based solutions
- fund adoption and enforcement of modern building codes
The FY20 BRIC and FMA application period open on September 30, 2020.
Applications must be received in the FEMA GO Portal by January 29, 2021. Note that FEMA will require applicants to have a current FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan at the time of application and award. Visit the FY20 HMA NOFO webpage for more information.
