FY 2025 Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Description

The Tech Hubs Program seeks to strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness and national security through place-based investments in regions with the assets, resources, capacity, and potential to become globally competitive in the technologies and industries of the future within approximately 10 years, and for those industries, companies, and the jobs they create to start, grow, and remain in the United States. Only 19 applicants are eligible to apply to this FY 25 Tech Hubs NOFO. These are Tech Hub consortia which were: designated in October 2023 as Tech Hubs, have received Consortium Accelerator Awards (CAAs), and have not received any other EDA Tech Hubs Implementation funds. Through strategic, local investments, the Tech Hubs Program unleashes the potential of American regions with the assets, talent, and capacity to become global leaders in critical technologies within the next decade. These investments will fuel U.S. manufacturing, accelerate the commercialization of cutting-edge research, enhance the nation’s warfighting capabilities, and ensure that high-quality, high-paying jobs return to and remain on American soil. The Tech Hubs Program is not intended to fund basic and fundamental research. Instead, the Tech Hubs Program is intended to advance American capacities to commercialize, deploy, manufacture, and deliver future-focused technologies at scale. Further, this competition is designed to deviate from the status quo of federal grant competitions by requiring applicants to demonstrate that any funded project is a bargain for the American taxpayer. EDA can provide funding to support a wide range of non-construction and construction activities, broadly organized into workforce development, business and entrepreneur development, technology development and maturation, infrastructure (construction), and governance. This is a two-stage competition. After Stage I, Tech Hubs and their proposed component project portfolios will undergo a technical and merit review based on the merit criteria outlined in the NOFO. EDA will notify applicants of the component projects it determines should advance to Stage II. A consortium may have all, some, or none of its proposed projects advance to Stage II. After Stage II, EDA will convene an investment review committee (IRC) to evaluate the merits of each application based on the extent to which the application meets program specific award and application requirements set forth in the NOFO. Thereafter, the Selecting Official will make selections in accordance with the selection criteria set forth in the NOFO. Applications will only be accepted electronically through the Economic Development Grants Experience (EDGE) at https://sfgrants.eda.gov/s/.

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