• History of the program

• Build to Scale Program Overview

•Venture Challenge

•Capital Challenge

• How to apply

Agenda

2
StevensonWydler 

Technology 

Act of 1980

Section 27, 15 U.S. Code § 3722 

Planning and technical assistance of a regional 

innovation initiative to improve the 

connectedness and strategic orientation of the 

regional innovation initiative

increasing the availability and investment of 

private and philanthropic financing that supports 

innovation-based business ventures

facilitating commercialization of products, 

processes, and services, including through 

demonstration, deployment, technology transfer, 

and entrepreneurial activities
Investments to date

$15 

$10 

$17 

$15 

$21 

$23 

$35 

$38 

$45 

$50 

$0 $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 $60

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Millions
Program Impact
Addressing Community Needs

Healthy 

Ecosystems

Innovation 

Engines

Business Support

Technology Infrastructure

Basic Infrastructure
Entrepreneurial Support Organizations

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Entrepreneurial 

Support 

Organization

Entrepreneurs Suppliers/

Contractors

Scalable 

Startup 

Companies

Individuals
Eligibility

• State or city

• Indian tribe

• other political subdivision 

of a State (i.e. 

municipality, county, etc.)

*consortia of any of the 

listed entities

Non-public entities (that require Local 

Government Support) include: 

• nonprofit organization

• institution of higher education

• public-private partnership

• science or research park

• Federal laboratory

• venture development organization

• economic development organization or 

similar entity that is focused primarily 

on improving science, technology, 

innovation, or entrepreneurship

50% Match Requirement
Program 

Goals

• build public and private capacity for innovators 

to invent, improve, and bring to market new 

products and services 

• expand regional knowledge ecosystems to realize 

economic and job growth

• accelerate regional economies that are focused 

on industries of the future

• catalyze regional leadership through TBED 

strategies

• empower communities to provide proof-ofconcept and commercialization assistance to 

technology innovators and entrepreneurs

• equitably and inclusively increase access to 

capital for technology-enabled entrepreneurs
2023
• Programming grant designed to provide entrepreneurial support organizations 

funding to accelerate scalable startup companies

Example Programs:

• Tech Incubator/Accelerator models

• Coaching

• Tech Transfer and commercialization

• Catalyzing regional Technology-Based Economic Development (TBED) strategies

Venture Challenge
Venture Challenge

10

BUILD

▪ Up to $750,000 Federal Share, 3 

years

▪ Piloting a new model or implementing 

Venture a proven solution

Challenge Build

Scale

Ignite

SCALE

▪ $750,000-$2 Million Federal Share, 

3 years

▪ Adapts or builds on existing proven 

program model to scale
Venture Challenge - Ignite

10

• Up to $300,000 Federal Share

• 18-24 month period of performance

• Focus on nascent TBED communities

Example Programs:

• Governance, partnership building, and community planning for regional TBED 

strategies

• Feasibility studies, community needs assessments, and impact analyses, etc.
Capital Challenge 

• Addressing barriers entrepreneurs face in gaining access to equitybased capital

Example programs:

• Forming a new investment fund

• Investor recruitment and education programming

• Expanding an existing investment fund

CANNOT use grant funds to capitalize a fund
Capital Challenge

10

FORM

▪ Up to $400,000 Federal Share, 3 years

▪ Piloting a new model or implementing 

a proven solution

Capital 

Challenge

Deploy

Form

DEPLOY

▪ $400,000 - $750,000 Federal Share, 3 

years

▪ Existing proven program model to scale
2023
Application Process

Locate your UEI

Register your organization in 

SAM.gov

Create an account in EDGE –

https://sfgrants.eda.gov/s/

Fill out and submit your 

application by July 28th, 2023
Required Forms

• SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance

•Project Area and FIPS Codes (attachment)

• SF-424A – Budget Information

• CD-511 – Certification Regarding Lobbying

Additional Forms (if applicable)

• SPOC/EO 12372 Compliance Documentation

• Organizational Documentation

•Certificate of Good Standing

•Articles of Incorporation

•Organization Bylaws

• Indirect Cost Rate (ICR) Agreement

• SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
Project Narrative

• Executive Summary

• Vision, Mission, Goals, Roles

• Ecosystem Resources and 

Assets

• Proposed Solutions

• Partnerships

• Goals and Outcomes

• Program Sustainability

• Scope of Work

A good Project Narrative should....

• Be clear and concise

• Identify a defined gap and 

propose feasible strategies to 

address it

• Leverage partnerships

• Contain key milestones

• Use metrics to estimate the 

long-term impact

• Identify a clear and achievable 

scope of work
Budget Narrative and Staffing Plan

• Itemized breakdown by year

• Align with the Scope of Work

• Cost categories should correspond with SF-424A and SF-424

• Staffing Plan with Key Personnel

• Indirect Costs

Watch out for...

• Unallowable costs (see Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 Subpart E) 

• Budget misalignment with the rest of the application
Matching Share Commitment Letters

Should include....

• whether the contribution is cash or in-kind

• a valuation and description for in-kind contributions

• the source of the contribution

• States verifying match (whether cash or in-kind)

• is committed to the project

• will be available as needed

• is neither conditioned nor encumbered in any way that would preclude its use 

consistent with the requirements of EDA investment assistance

A provider of matching share, whether cash or in-kind contributions, may not 

serve as a contractor under the award for which it provides matching share.
State/Local Government Support

Required for non-public entities

✓ Letters of support must come from a state or 

a political subdivision of a state (county, city, 

municipality, etc.)

× Federal or Non-governmental entities will 

NOT meet this requirement (U.S. Congress, 

Economic Development Districts, Councils of 

government, chambers of commerce, etc.)
Summary of Criteria

Leveraging Ecosystem Resources and Assets – 15%

Proposed Solution and Implementation – 30%

Capacity and Feasibility – 15%

Likelihood of Growing Innovation Economies –

20%

Continued Effects– 5%

Equity – 15%

Merit Review Criteria
Common Application Mistakes

Undermatching Missing 

documentation

Ineligible entities

No direct 

investments into 

companies or 

entrepreneurs
Competition Timeline

Competition 

Launch

June 1, 2023

Applications Due

July 28, 2023

Awards 

Announced

Fall 2023

Anticipated Start 

Date

November 1, 

2023
Questions? 

www.eda.gov/funding/programs/build-to-scale

oie@eda.gov