Category: Federal Programs

  • SSBCI as a Blueprint: Building More Adaptive State Economic Development Systems

    With nearly $10 billion allocated to states, territories, and Tribal Nations (“states”), the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) is a unique federal funding program that fueled the development of innovative loan and venture capital programs. Together, these programs help expand access to capital for entrepreneurs and small businesses through the states as policy and program laboratories.

    As the program moves towards its sunset, the next test for states is to learn key lessons from SSBCI to improve their entire economic development ecosystem. Here are a few highlights:

    • Design for the market, not the program. SSBCI gives states flexibility to use different financing approaches (whether they are loan participation, collateral support, loan guarantee, capital access, direct equity, or equity fund investments) that are tailored to local needs. The broader lesson is important: economic development programs should begin with a clearly identified market failure or opportunity rather than with a predetermined program or incentive. Economic developers should use this lens to continually assess where private markets are failing and adjust products accordingly. There is no need to stay with a legacy program if it is not showing results. Flexibility and program modification should be viewed as management tools, not signs of failure.
    • Build delivery systems, not stand-alone programs. SSBCI largely depends on networks of banks, CDFIs, investors, technical assistance providers, universities, and other intermediaries to reach businesses. The same principle applies to workforce, entrepreneurship, innovation, cluster development, and business retention programs. States can achieve greater impact when programs operate through connected networks rather than institutional silos. Partner recruitment, training, communication, and relationship management therefore become core economic development functions. A strong product has limited impact if users and stakeholders do not know how to use or leverage it.
    • Connect services to program outcomes. SSBCI’s integration of technical assistance (TA) and capital illustrates another transferable lesson. TA is most valuable when it helps businesses reach a tangible next step whether it is financing, investment, contracting opportunities, expansion, or another measurable outcome. Treasury’s SSBCI TA Program explicitly connects technical assistance with capital and opportunities created by other major federal investments. Economic developers have long worked across agencies and building on those relationships to develop interconnected services can push projects to the finish line and improve the competitiveness of a region.
    • Use data for management and adaptation. States should move beyond simple reporting activity like businesses served, dollars awarded, or projects completed. Data should instead focus on trying to understand at a more detailed level who is benefiting, what interventions work, where gaps persist, and when programs need adjustment. Treasury’s annual and quarterly SSBCI datasets provide an example of the evidence states can use for this type of management approach.
    • Plan for sustainability from the beginning. Treasury describes sustainability as a key feature of SSBCI, with recycled capital potentially supporting state financing programs for years. Economic developers can apply the same thinking across their portfolios: when temporary federal funding arrives, ask not simply how to spend it, but what capabilities, institutions, partnerships, and financing mechanisms should those resources help create that will remain afterward. That means treating today’s investments as durable infrastructure. Experienced program staff, relationships, networks, technical assistance, and improved data systems can become the foundation for permanent economic development durability strategies.

    Although SSBCI 2.0 was passed to help the nation recover from the COVID pandemic, the ultimate measure of SSBCI may be what remains after Treasury sunsets their program support in 2028. States that use these programs to institutionalize successful financing tools and partnerships can emerge with stronger capital ecosystems, and a more permanent capacity to respond to the next financing gap or economic disruption.

    But the post-SSBCI question therefore extends well beyond capital access. States can apply what they have learned to workforce development, innovation, entrepreneurship, infrastructure, industry strategies, business assistance, and future federal initiatives. The goal should be to move from administering individual programs to building adaptive economic development systems. These systems that identify market needs, engage the right partners, connect services, measure results, adjust based on evidence, and preserve successful capacity after individual funding streams end.

    If that happens, one of SSBCI’s most important legacies will not be a particular loan or investment. It will provide the broader foundation and lasting lessons for how states practice economic development.

  • The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act: What State Leaders Should Know

    The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act: What State Leaders Should Know

    What the New Federal Housing Law Means for State Economic Development

    Housing has evolved from a quality-of-life issue to a core economic development challenge. State leaders underscored this reality at SEDE’s fall meeting in New York, noting that companies are increasingly unwilling to commit to locations where their workforce cannot afford to live nearby.

    The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act may offer part of the solution. This legislation passed both chambers with bipartisan support, has recently become law, and represents the most significant federal housing package since 1990.

    This law contains many provisions, some (like a five-year ban on digital currency issuance at the Fed) are altogether unrelated to housing. Below is a summary of the relevant provisions for state economic development agencies.

    • Housing Support for Middle-income Workers

    Most federal housing assistance stops at incomes well below an area’s median income level, leaving a swath of middle-class workers without access to housing assistance. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act raises the income ceiling on HOME homeownership assistance (a major federal grant for building and repairing affordable homes) from 80 percent to 100 percent of area median income and orders a federal study to define “workforce housing” for households earning 80–120 percent of area median income.

    • New Grant Funding for Successful Housing Models

    A new $200 million annual grant fund will provide funds to communities that show measurable increases in housing supply. These grants will fund CDBG-eligible activities plus local initiatives that expand housing supply — zoning reform, permitting capacity, and infrastructure tied to housing. Separately, HUD’s Community Development Block Grant allocations to cities will be adjusted based on housing growth. This incentivizes local governments to approve additional housing. ED leaders can help communities compete for these dollars to benefit site development and workforce strategies.

    • A Streamlined Approval Process

    On the regulatory side, many small infill projects, developments of 15 homes or fewer, and office-to-apartment conversions are now exempt from lengthy federal environmental reviews. These changes take effect on their own with no new funding required.

    • Support for Manufactured Housing

    Manufactured homes are among the least expensive forms of new housing. The new law removes an outdated requirement to build manufactured homes on a permanent steel frame, something which should reduce the cost and time to deployment of new manufactured housing. New grants will also fund infrastructure in manufactured housing communities.

    • Newly Rationalized Disaster Recovery Grants

    The block grant program that funds long-term disaster recovery has run on improvised rules since Katrina. The operating rules are now written into law with set timelines, and states can pre-certify their financial controls before a disaster strikes. In practice, these changes will mean faster deployment of funding after a disaster and the ability for states to set up and certify their recovery systems ahead of time, rather than building them after a disaster has already hit. This is a meaningful planning tool for any state with storm, flood, or wildfire exposure.

    • Institutional Investors

    Restricts large institutional investors from buying additional single-family homes once they have acquired 350 or more. The threshold counts homes acquired after the law takes effect, and investors are not required to sell homes they already own. Several exemptions apply, including for investors purchasing or building single-family homes specifically for the rental market.

    • Programs Authorized but Not Funded

    The law will create many new programs but does not include new appropriations to fund them. Therefore, the grant programs will only exist if Congress funds them in future spending bills. For state leaders, authorized but not appropriated programs may be a worthwhile advocacy target.

    What Does This Mean for Leaders?

    Taken together, these provisions reframe housing as workforce infrastructure — the same connection state leaders drew in New York, where the availability of housing near job sites emerged as a direct constraint on project wins and talent attraction. Much of the law’s potential impact now depends on implementation: which programs get funded, how federal agencies write the rules, and how effectively states position their communities to compete. SEDE will continue tracking that process and will keep members informed as guidance is issued and appropriations decisions take shape in the months ahead.

  • Urban Institute: How Has Federal Spending on Place-Based Programs Changed Over Time?

    Between 2010 and 2024, federal spending on the country’s largest recurring place-based programs climbed from roughly $44.1 billion to $60.7 billion in inflation-adjusted terms—yet direct program spending fell over that same span.

    Urban Institute’s report traces this shift across 13 programs and finds that tax expenditures like the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and Opportunity Zones now account for 84 percent of tracked spending, up from 66 percent in 2010, handing the private sector a larger say in where federal dollars land.

    If you are deciding whether current funding matches the needs of your community, or you are interested in who now directs these investments, tyou should read this report.

    Explore the full breakdown here.

  • States Take Center Stage: Economic Development Under the One Big Beautiful Act

    Congress enacted the One Big Beautiful Act (OBBA) in July 2025 with clear implications for how states drive growth, competitiveness, and return on public investment. The law amends education and tax policy, but its effects extend well beyond those domains. OBBA tightens the connection between federal resources and state-defined economic outcomes. It places states at the center of validating demand, measuring results, and coordinating systems that shape regional growth.

    At its core, the Act reflects a shift in federal expectations. Federal benefits for credentials and training increasingly depend on earnings, employment, and demonstrated market relevance. For state economic development leaders, this creates an opening to rethink how workforce systems, higher education institutions, and federal place-based tools support broader state growth strategies.

    For states, the most consequential change is the elevation of the state’s role in directing investments in talent pipelines. The new Workforce Pell framework allows federal aid to support short-term, industry-driven training when states certify that the training program  meets labor market demand and deliver earnings above what typical workers with the previous level of education make in that state and thus justifying the investment.. Economic development executives now have a stronger basis to engage governors and state workforce boards, which hold decisive authority over which credentials align with the state’s economic priorities.

    This structure reinforces demand-driven talent development. It encourages tighter alignment among employers, training providers, workforce agencies, and economic development organizations. It also increases the strategic value of state labor market information and longitudinal earnings data. Regions that already integrate these functions gain an advantage. Fragmented systems face growing exposure.

    The Act also reshapes higher education’s role in state economies. OBBA imposes stronger performance expectations across both short-term credentials and degree programs. Programs that consistently produce low earnings outcomes face new disclosure requirements and the risk of losing eligibility. At the same time, new limits on graduate and parent borrowing and the elimination of Grad PLUS are likely to affect enrollment patterns and institutional finance models across state higher education systems.

    For states, these changes matter not only as education policy but also as economic strategy. Institutions will face pressure to reassess their program mix, pricing, and alignment with industry demand. States that treat higher education as a coordinated economic asset, rather than a stand-alone sector, will be better positioned to manage these shifts.

    On the place-based side, the Act raises expectations for existing investment tools without expanding them. Qualified Opportunity Zones remain in place, but outcome requirements increase. Federal oversight now places greater emphasis on whether Zones generate jobs, support business formation, and improve economic conditions in designated communities. Investment volume alone is no longer sufficient.

    This matters for state economic development agencies because in many areas, Opportunity Zones can influence where private capital flows. The new reporting framework increases scrutiny of designation decisions and long-term results. States must now demonstrate that Zones advance broader development objectives rather than operate as passive tax preferences.

    Taken together, these provisions send a clear federal signal. Talent development and place-based investment are being treated as interdependent components of economic development. Both are expected to deliver measurable economic returns. Both rely on state leadership to define priorities and validate outcomes. And both reward regions that align people, institutions, capital, and data around shared growth goals.

    For state economic development executives, the Act brings both opportunity and responsibility. It expands state influence over key levers of growth while raising expectations for performance. States that coordinate workforce, higher education, and investment strategies stand to capture greater value from federal policy. States that cannot demonstrate results face increasing risk as federal support becomes more conditional.

    The One Big Beautiful Act reforms education finance and federal tax incentives. More importantly, it signals that federal economic development policy will increasingly run through the states, with accountability as the price of authority.

  • Podcast: Data Under Pressure: What’s Breaking (and What Still Works) in Economic Intelligence

    From The Ribbon Cut Podcast:

    Public economic data systems are being stretched thinner at the same time local decision-making depends on them more than ever. In this episode of The Ribbon Cut, Susan and Charles are joined by Ken Poole to explain what’s happening behind the scenes at federal data agencies, and why staffing cuts, privacy constraints, and rising demand for localized detail are changing how workforce and economic data should be interpreted.

    In this episode:

    • Why public data systems are struggling to keep up with local demand.
    • How staffing losses at agencies like BLS impact continuity and reliability.
    • Where privacy constraints limit the granularity communities need.
    • Why private data sources are filling gaps—and where caution is required.
    • What this shift means for defensible, data-backed decision-making.

    For economic developers, analysts, and consultants who rely on workforce and employment data, this episode provides essential context for navigating today’s increasingly fragile data environment.

    Listen here.

  • 10 Big Wins from the EDA Reauthorization – #10 Could Change Everything

    By now, you probably have heard the good news – EDA reauthorization made it through both houses of Congress as part of the Water Resources Development Act! This reauthorization was 20 years in the making and will help transform EDA into a more modern-day economic development. As we look to the future, state leaders, economic development district leaders, and university economic development professionals have much to gain from the act’s provisions.

    Below are the 10 biggest wins which, from our perspective, will have a significant long-term impact on regional economic growth.

    1. Increased Coordination: Enhancing Federal, State, and Regional Collaboration

    A key theme of this reauthorization is increased coordination (Sec. 2212) among federal, state, and regional economic development entities. The Secretary of Commerce is now obligated to convene regular meetings with these stakeholders to align strategies and reduce duplication of efforts. This collaborative approach will help streamline resources and ensure that economic development efforts are both strategic and effective.

    2. Workforce Training Grants: Addressing Industry Staffing Shortages

    The bill allows EDA to support workforce development in new ways (Sec. 2221) to address talent shortages in key industries. States and higher education institutions can leverage EDA as a partner in training for sectors with high demand for skilled workers. These grants will support the development of new training facilities and the purchase of equipment, ultimately creating pathways to high-quality jobs and helping to bridge skills gaps.

    3. State Capacity Building: Empowering States and Universities to Support Distressed Communities

    Another powerful feature of the bill is the emphasis on state capacity building (Sec. 2248). States and universities can be key partners in this initiative, especially in distressed counties where project management, financial planning, and workforce development expertise may be lacking. By leveraging their resources along with EDA, states and universities can help elevate locally driven economic strategies, create job opportunities, and foster long-term sustainability in the most economically challenged regions.

    4. University Centers: A Vital Resource for Local Innovation and Workforce Development

    One of the most exciting developments for universities in this reauthorization is the formal recognition of university centers (Sec. 2217). 72 of these centers already exist, and under the reauthorized act they provide strategic planning support, capacity building, and support for research and technical assistance in innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. By partnering with local governments and businesses, universities play a pivotal role in helping distressed communities revitalize their economies and promoting innovation-based economic development, and this bill will boost their impact on communities and regions.

    5. Broadband Infrastructure: A Game-Changer for Underserved Areas

    The bill’s focus on expanding broadband infrastructure (Sec. 2233) through targeted grants for rural and underserved areas is a major win for states and regions looking to close the digital divide. This initiative will unlock new opportunities for remote work, education, and access to essential services in these areas.

    6. Critical Supply Chain Site Development: Preparing for the Future of Manufacturing

    The creation of a new Critical Supply Chain Site Development Grant Program (Sec. 2244) could be a game-changer for states that are preparing for expected re-shoring of manufacturing activity. This program will support the EDA’s role as an active player in developing manufacturing-ready sites, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas. By preparing sites for critical industries, including those tied to national security, this program offers a forward-looking solution for states seeking to boost their manufacturing capabilities and create new jobs in the process.

     7. Disaster Recovery and Resilience: Strengthening Communities in the Face of Adversity

    EDA remains a leader in responding to natural disasters. The establishment of an Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience (Sec. 2228) ensures that communities affected by natural disasters will receive the long-term support needed for economic recovery. For states that have suffered from hurricanes, floods, or wildfires, this office will provide vital resources and technical assistance. With this support, universities can partner with local governments to help affected communities rebuild smarter, stronger, and more resilient.

     8. Renewable Energy: Revitalizing Brownfield Sites

    The bill’s emphasis on renewable energy technologies (Sec. 2220) offers a significant opportunity for states committed to sustainable development. By focusing on redeveloping brownfield sites, this provision supports green infrastructure projects that create jobs and promote environmental resilience using technologies like solar, wind, and geothermal. States and universities can leverage these resources to drive sustainable economic growth.

     9. Authorization of Several Regional Commissions – including two new ones

    The new law also includes authorization for several regional commissions—Northern Border, Southwest Border, Great Lakes Authority, Delta Regional Authority, Denali Regional and the Denali Housing Fund — and the establishment of two new ones —the Mid-Atlantic and the Southern New England Regional Commissions. A much larger swath of the U.S. is covered by the 10 state-federal Regional Commissions as Congress continues to highlight the importance of targeting investments to rural and distressed communities.

    10. Greater Flexibility on Cost Share, especially in collaboration with the Regional Commissions

    EDA can now cover up to 60% of the costs for most projects and has greater flexibility to help small or under-resourced communities meet their requirements. For instance, funds contributed by Regional Commissions can now count toward the non-federal share of project costs. For communities with 10,000 or fewer people and meeting other criteria, EDA may be able to fund up to 100% of a project.

    In sum, the Economic Development Reauthorization Act of 2024 provides economic development leaders with an array of new tools to support innovation, workforce development, infrastructure improvements, and economic resilience. With a focus on strategic collaboration, financial flexibility, and targeted investments in underserved communities, this legislation offers a roadmap for Federal involvement in supporting state and regional efforts to address current and future economic challenges. We look forward to working with Federal leaders as they translate this important new authorization into policy over the next several years.

    Click on this link for our longer, more in-depth analysis.

  • Webinar: Update on the NSF Regional Innovation Engines

    NSF will host a webinar to present the NSF Regional Innovation Engines initiative.  The NSF Engines program will provide up to $160 million to each Regional Engine for up to 10 years to support the development of diverse regional coalitions to engage in use-inspired research and development, translation of innovation to society, and workforce development — with the goal of growing and sustaining regional innovation ecosystems throughout the U.S. State and local governments, non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, for-profit organizations are eligible to apply, meaning your organization may be able to apply as a lead and/or partner with an eligible applicant.

    VIDEO: Learn more about the NSF Engines Funding Opportunity

    OVERVIEW: NSF Engines Fact Sheet for State and Local Governments and Tribal Nations

    You can access the recording here.

    For more information on the NSF Engines program, its funding model, and the NSF process for selecting awards (“merit review”), view NSF Engines recordings on NSF’s YouTube channel or download the overview presentation slide deck.

    What’s Next?

    • Letters of Intent (LOI) are due on June 18, 2024. The one-page letter must be submitted in research.gov. Lead organizations must be registered in sam.gov. To lead an NSF Engines proposal, you need to submit a LOI but you can join an existing team as a core partner after the LOI deadline.  NSF will publish the LOI data.
    • We encourage you to learn more about the program and its competitive process for making awards by reading the NSF Engines program solicitation.
    • Review the NSF Engines Fact Sheet.
    • Check out previous NSF awards that have been made to organizations in your state or region using the NSF Engine’s data visualization tool. 
    • If you are interested in serving as a reviewer, please complete the Reviewer Interest Form. Members of teams submitting proposals are eligible to be reviewers and encouraged to volunteer.
    • For anything else, email us at engines@nsf.gov.
  • CHIPS Hub

    On August 9th, 2022, the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act was signed into law to support American manufacturing, supply chains, and technological development. Users can access resources and reports below to better understand CHIPS and access opportunities to impact transformative manufacturing offered by the act and other programs.

    Resources

     NIST MEP CHIPS Home

     Senate CHIPS Explainer

     Department of Commerce CHIPS Press Release

     Department of State CHIPS Update

     CHIPS Frequently Asked Questions

    Webinars and Reports

      States and the CHIPS Act: Preliminary Findings

      CHIPS: One Page Summary

     CHIPS: The Intersection with States (SEDE)

     What are the CHIPS Act incentives? (SMART Incentives)

     How states can help the CHIPS Act succeed (SMART Incentives)

    Federal Innovation Awards

    Check out the map below for federal awards, both those under the CHIPS and Science Act and other innovation-related awards!

    Innovation Awards Map
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    Where is CHIPS Funding Going?

  • SSBCI – Rebuilding Manufacturing Through Access to Capital

    | May 5, 2023 |

    Manufacturing has long been a staple of America’s economic engine even with recent employment declines. Today, the sector is seeing a strong resurgence due to private investment in new industries and products, public investment in R&D and business development assistance, and credit support through such programs as the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). A new report, The State Small Business Credit Initiative and Rebuilding the U.S. Manufacturing Base, discusses the sector’s revival and the importance of SSBCI in supporting its growth.  CREC contributed to this report and this blog highlights some of the report’s key findings.

    The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) reauthorized and expanded the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) which was originally passed as part of The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. Through SSBCI, state and territories provide credit enhancements to small businesses through equity/venture capital programs, loan participation programs, loan guarantee programs, collateral support programs, and capital access programs tailored to local market conditions, and all designed to support private financing. The new SSBCI provides $10 billion to support small businesses and empower them to access the capital needed to invest in job-creating opportunities.

    SSBCI has proven to be a powerful supporter of manufacturing growth. The first SSBCI supported more than 21,000 loan or investment transactions and nearly $11 billion in private investment for manufacturers. These deals ultimately created or retained 240,000 manufacturing jobs.

    States are using the new SSBCI funds to support manufacturers and have designed loan participation, collateral support, loan guarantees, capital access and equity investment programs to provide the credit and investment enhancement needed to facilitate private financing. The report highlights some uses of SSBCI by selected states:

    • Reducing Lender Risk for Smart Technology – Fixed Asset Lending. Iowa, Minnesota, and West Virginia are among the states that create programs that focus on helping manufacturers modernize their operations with cutting edge technology.

     

    • Expanding Access to Working Capital. Traditional financial institutions often have a difficult time providing working capital to small manufacturers. Many states including North Carolina, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington are using SSBCI to support working capital financing.

     

    • Expanding Opportunity for Underserved Groups. The report notes how Washington, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Hawaii have created programs that focus on increasing access to capital for traditionally underserved small businesses and entrepreneurs. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are often key partners in this financing space.

     

    • Improving Flexibility Regarding Allowable Uses of Loan Proceeds. With a rapidly changing manufacturing sector, flexible programs are key to success. Arizona, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and California are five states that have incorporated flexibility in their program designs to better meet borrower needs.

     

    • Investing in Innovation/Start-Up Funding – Equity/Venture Capital Programs. Several states recognize the importance of equity/venture capital programs in the funding of early-stage manufacturers. Michigan, New York, and Hawaii are among the states that have developed venture capital programs geared toward the needs of manufacturers.

     

    Manufacturing remains an essential component of the American economy. Do yourself a favor and check out this important report that underscores the importance of manufacturing and how SSBCI is playing a critical role in supporting the sector’s growth in urban, suburban, and rural locations for all Americans.