Sec. 202. Federal economic and workforce development assistance programs
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/bill/118/hr/8491/ih/section-202A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary, acting through the Economic Development Administration, shall use the amounts made available under section 201(c)(1) to provide grant assistance under covered programs described in subsection
(c)for eligible projects described in subsection (d). The Secretary shall— allocate amounts made available to carry out this section among the covered programs in accordance with the criteria described in paragraph (2); and not later than 30 days after allocations are determined under subparagraph (A), provide public notice of the availability of grant assistance under this section through a Federal Funding Opportunity announcement. Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and publish criteria for the allocation of amounts made available to carry out this section among the covered programs. On allocation by the Secretary of amounts from the Coal Area Economic Revitalization Fund for a covered program under this section, the head of the applicable participating agency shall manage grant selection (including eligibility requirements in addition to the eligibility requirements listed in subsection (d)), awards, and execution of projects with respect to such amounts. Except as otherwise provided in this section, projects that receive grant assistance under this section shall be subject to the eligibility rules, permitted activities, and reporting requirements of the covered program under which the grant is made. A project shall be eligible for assistance under this section if the purpose of the project is to assist impacted communities— to organize community stakeholders, analyze and inventory community assets, evaluate needs and resources, or develop comprehensive economic development strategic plans; to undergo in-depth labor market analysis and workforce development and dislocated worker planning associated with the provision of training and employment services; to implement linked economic and workforce development strategies to promote local and regional economic growth; to accelerate job creation by leveraging local assets; to train and place workers in family-supporting, high-demand jobs (including registered apprenticeship and other on-the-job training models); to create linkages between community stakeholders, economic development organization, public and private entities, and the labor force that drive local and regional economic growth; or to carry out other purposes approved by the Secretary. In selecting projects to receive assistance under this section, the head of a participating agency shall— give priority to project applications that establish a clear linkage between the proposed project and the means by which the project will result in local and regional economic growth and diversification, job creation, or job training and reemployment for dislocated workers, without regard to any formula used by a participating agency to disburse other funds; and consult directly with impacted communities to determine the greatest needs of the impacted communities and give priority to projects that address those needs. In providing assistance under this section for projects for economic diversification, the head of a participating agency shall give consideration for priority, at a minimum, to the following activities and costs: Analysis activities that build from strategic economic development plans, including— economic and workforce data collection; and supply chain and industry cluster analysis. Outreach and targeted assistance to economic development organizations, unions, workers, and other stakeholders. Remediation and redevelopment of coal economy sites, as appropriate. Provision of business planning and market exploration services. Development of business incubator programs. Facilitation of access to private capital investment and capacity building to effectively use capital investment. Promotion of exports from entities in the impacted area. Workforce training and dislocated worker services and supports for impacted workers. Costs associated with registered apprenticeship and on-the-job training models. Temporary or short-term relocation or commuting costs for available jobs in other parts of the applicable State or region. Staffing, operating, and administrative costs for the recipient organization. Comprehensive strategies that— integrate all of the activities and costs described in subparagraphs
(A)through (K); and leverage other investments from the applicable participating agency and other Federal departments and agencies. The Secretary shall— provide a single staff point of Federal contact (with staffing assistance from other participating agencies, as needed) for grants awarded under this section; and coordinate cross-agency activities at the regional level that direct additional Federal resources to impacted communities.