U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

The President of the Senate

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Dear Mr. President and Mr. Speaker:

I am pleased to submit the annual report on the activities of the U.S. Economic

Development Administration (EDA), U.S. Department of Commerce, for Fiscal

Year 2010, in compliance with Section 603 of the Public Works and Economic

Development Act of 1965, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 3213)

EDA‘s focus on innovation, regional collaboration and job creation is vital to the 

Department of Commerce’s effort to increase America’s global competiveness in

the 21st century.

Sincerely,

Gary Lock

Secretary of Commerce
4 

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U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Table of Contents

Statement from the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development ......................................................... 

Statement of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010 ..................................................................................................................... 8

Economic Development Administration Overview.................................................................................................................... 

EDA’s Investment Programs......................................................................................................................................................... 

EDA Highlights for Fiscal Year 2010 ............................................................................................................................................ 12

I. Performance Goals and Results: Government Performance and Results Act............................................................... 19

Retrospect ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 26

II. Economic Development Assistance Programs................................................................................................................... 31

Public Works and Economic Development Assistance................................................................................................... 3

Economic Adjustment Assistance.......................................................................................................................................32

Revolving Loan Fund Program........................................................................................................................................34

Economic Development Planning Assistance...................................................................................................................3

Technical Assistance .............................................................................................................................................................3

University Center Economic Development ..................................................................................................................36

Local Technical Assistance............................................................................................................................................37

National Technical Assistance ......................................................................................................................................37

Research and Evaluation.......................................................................................................................................................3

Trade Adjustment Assistance ..............................................................................................................................................3

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Program .......................................................................................................38

Community Trade Adjustment Assistance Program...................................................................................................39

Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund .........................................................................................................

FY 2008 Supplemental Appropriations Update .................................................................................................................44

Assistance to Areas affected by Natural Disasters ...................................................................................................44

III. 2010 EDA Award Programs ................................................................................................................................................... 47

Innovation Awards 2010......................................................................................................................................................... 4

IV. Appendix

State by State Investment Information ..............................................................................................................................

EDA Reauthorization Act of 2004 Reporting Requirements ..........................................................................................

Projected Private Sector Investment Ratio.....................................................................................................................

EDA Leveraging Goals for Private Sector Investments .................................................................................................

Realized Private Sector Dollar to Federal Dollar Investment Ratio by State............................................................

Table of Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................................................... 11
6 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

I am pleased to report to 

Congress the accomplishments 

of the U.S. Economic 

Development Administration 

(EDA), U.S. Department of 

Commerce, for Fiscal Year 2010.

As the only government agency with 

economic development as its sole 

mission, EDA plays an important 

role in the national effort to outinnovate, out-build and out-educate 

the rest of the world and enhance 

America’s long-term competitiveness.

Over the past year, EDA has 

demonstrated its effectiveness through 

its work to spur innovation, help create 

jobs, mitigate the effects of natural and 

man-made disasters, and lead multiagency economic development initiatives.

A model of smart, lean government, 

EDA does more while spending 

less—every dollar the agency invests 

leverages another $6.90 in private/public 

investment. Its work is generating real 

returns. In FY 2010, EDA awarded 

investments that totaled approximately 

$285 million, excluding supplemental 

funds. Of this amount, approximately 

$191.5 million funded construction 

projects that are expected to help 

create or retain about 48,500 jobs and 

generate nearly $6 billion in private 

investment, according to grantee 

estimates at the time of the award.

During FY 2010, EDA helped America’s 

regions plan for long-term stability and 

create the conditions for the private sector 

to succeed. EDA’s approach prevents 

a “race to the bottom” in which cities, 

counties, and states, undercut each other 

in order to attract short-term growth. 

Statement from the U.S. Assistant 

Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development
| 7

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

By bringing together business leaders, 

government officials, universities, and 

nonprofits, EDA helps regions capitalize 

on shared strengths, multiplying their 

economic power and creating jobs. To 

drive global competitiveness, EDA is 

developing regional innovation clusters, 

like the energy efficiency buildings 

cluster found in Philadelphia, which 

EDA joined with the Department of 

Energy and other federal agencies to 

award $129 million to further develop. 

Last year, EDA underwent a 

comprehensive reorganization to remove 

barriers to success and implemented 

several important changes to its grant 

application and review process to be 

more efficient and transparent, ensure 

applicants receive more timely responses 

and significantly reduce the time it 

takes to evaluate applications while 

maintaining exemplary levels of customer 

service. An important part of the 

reorganization was to bring the Office 

of Innovation and Entrepreneurship 

(OIE) to EDA as the agency promotes 

innovation and regional collaboration. 

Through the work of OIE, EDA led the 

first i6 Challenge competition to reward 

American innovation and accelerate 

technology commercialization.

FY 2010 was a pivotal year for EDA. 

We launched the Jobs and Innovation 

Partnership to bolster cluster 

development; helped to lead the strategy 

to revitalize Florida’s Space Coast 

through the Task Force on Space Industry 

Workforce and Economic Development; 

and promoted U.S. exports by hosting 

the joint EDA and U.S. International 

Trade Administration Clean Tech Trade 

and Investment Mission to Lyon, France, 

and Brussels, Belgium, that for the first 

time included U.S. community delegates 

as well as businesses. And in response 

to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 

the Gulf Coast, EDA led the White 

House National Incident Command’s 

Economic Solutions Team, which 

deployed 21 economic development and 

assessment teams to Florida, Louisiana, 

Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas to 

conduct 3-day assessments and help 

develop regional recovery plans. 

The FY 2010 annual report provides 

an important picture of EDA’s 

accomplishments as the agency 

continues to collaborate to accelerate 

long-term economic and job growth.

Sincerely,

John R. Fernandez 

U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce 

for Economic Development
8 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Statement of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010

(in thousands of dollars)

EDA PROGRAM CATEGORY APPROPRIATIONS

Fiscal Year 2010

Public Works and Economic

Development Assistance 133,280 

Economic Adjustment Assistance 38,620 

Economic Development Planning

Assistance 31,000 

Technical Assistance 9,800

Research and Evaluation 1,500

Trade Adjustment Assistance* 13,918

Global Climate Mitigatio

Incentive Fund 25,000

Economic Development Assistance 

Program Subtotal 253,118

Supplemental Appropriations Act, 

2010 (P.L. 111-212) 54,00

Supplemental Subtotal 54,000

Salaries and Expenses 38,000 

Trade Adjustment Assistance

Program Transfer* 1,8

Salaries and Expenses Subtotal 39,882 

TOTAL 347,000

* Appropriations reflect transfer of $1,882,000 from Trade

 Adjustment Assistance to Salaries and Expenses (S&E).

$347

million
| 9

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Established under the Public Works and 

Economic Development Act of 1965, as 

amended (42 U.S.C. § 3121 et seq.) (PWEDA), 

the Economic Development Administration 

(EDA) has helped communities generate 

jobs, retain existing jobs, and stimulate 

industrial and commercial growth for 45 

years. As the only federal agency with economic 

development as its exclusive mission, EDA 

promotes the economic ecosystems in which jobs 

are created, through a wide range of technical, 

planning, and public works and infrastructure 

investments. With a proven track record, and a 

return on investment of $6.90 for every federal 

dollar invested, EDA strives to advance global 

competitiveness, create high-paying jobs, and 

effectively leverage public and private resources. 

EDA’s investments establish a foundation for 

sustainable job growth and the building of durable 

regional economies throughout the United States. 

This foundation builds upon two key economic 

drivers—innovation and regional collaboration. 

Innovation is the key to global competitiveness, 

new and better jobs, a resilient economy, and the 

attainment of national economic goals. The new 

global economy is built on centers of competition, 

and those regions that work together to leverage 

resources and use strengths to overcome 

weaknesses will fare better than those that do not. 

Guided by the basic principle that communities 

must be empowered to develop and implement 

their own economic development and revitalization 

strategies, EDA works directly with local 

economic development officials through a 

bottom-up approach that both supports and relies 

upon a well-established network of local and 

regional economic development professionals. 

This collaborative approach results in grant 

investments that are well defined, timely, and 

linked to a long term sustainable economic 

development strategy. Linking EDA’s investments 

to a community’s strategic economic development 

plan enables the Federal Government to better 

leverage public and private sector investments. 

EDA’s flexible programs and structure enable 

nimble operations and allow for innovation 

and responsiveness to changing economic 

needs and conditions faced by our local and 

state government partners. EDA’s economic 

footprint is wide and its tool-box is extensive, 

and includes technical assistance, post-disaster 

recovery assistance, trade adjustment support, 

strategic planning and research and evaluation 

capacity, thereby allowing the bureau to 

offer the most effective investment to help 

communities succeed in our global economy. 

Economic Development Administration Overview

“The only way to fully restore America’s economic strength is to make the long term investments that will lead to new jobs,

new industries, and a renewed ability to compete with the rest of the world.” -President Barack Obama

eda’s mission

To lead the federal economic 

development agenda by promoting 

innovation and competitiveness, 

preparing American regions 

for growth and success in the 

worldwide economy.
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

10 |
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

EDA’s Investment Programs

PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Supports the construction, expansion, 

or upgrade of essential public infrastructure and facilities

ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE: Provides a wide range of technical, planning, and 

public works and infrastructure assistance in regions experiencing adverse economic changes 

that may occur suddenly or over time (e.g., strategy development, infrastructure construction, 

revolving loan fund capitalization) 

PLANNING ASSISTANCE: Assists local and regional organizations (District Organizations, 

Indian Tribes, and other eligible entities) with their short- and long-term planning efforts

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Provides focused assistance (e.g., project planning, economic impact 

analyses, feasibility studies) to public and nonprofit leaders to help in economic development 

decision-making; also includes the University Center Economic Development Program, which 

makes the resources of universities available to the economic development community

RESEARCH AND EVALUATION: Supports research of cutting-edge economic development 

practices, as well as information dissemination efforts to national audiences

TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR FIRMS: Supports a national network of 11 Trade 

Adjustment Assistance Centers that assists U.S. small and medium-sized businesses impacted 

by increased imports with the development and implementation of business recovery and global 

competitiveness strategies to retain and create jobs

COMMUNITY TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE: Provides planning and/or implementation 

project grants to communities that have experienced or are threatened by job loss resulting from 

international trade impacts

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION INCENTIVE FUND: From amounts otherwise 

made available for the economic development assistance programs authorized under 

PWEDA, promotes EDA’s policies and strategies which contribute to environmentally 

sustainable development

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12 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

EDA Highlights for Fiscal Year 2010

Rethi

With the dawn of a new decade, economic 

development practitioners faced a new reality: 

the “if you build it, they will come” economic 

development strategies of the 20th Century 

could no longer guarantee the United States’ 

competitiveness in the global economy. In order 

to build a foundation for sustainable growth, the 

nation needed to spur innovation and cultivate 

competitive, high-performing regional economies. 

To this end, EDA introduced the Jobs and 

Innovation Partnership. 

EDA’s Jobs and Innovation Partnership is the 

agency’s overarching framework for approaching 

economic development. The Partnership is built 

upon two key pillars: innovation and regional 

collaboration. Innovation—or the implementation 

of new ideas or recombination of old concepts in 

new ways—is the key to new and better jobs, a 

resilient economy, and global competitiveness. 

Regional collaboration is also essential. Regions 

that work together to leverage resources and build 

upon their unique comparative assets are better 

poised for economic success.

At its core, the Jobs and Innovation Partnership 

puts a premium on Regional Innovation Clusters 

(RICs)—geographic concentrations of firms 

and industries that do business with each other 

and have common needs for talent, technology, 

and infrastructure. RICs serve as the platform 

for linking, aligning and organizing multiple 

initiatives across the Administration and across 

the nation’s economically integrated metropolitan 

and rural areas. The Partnership is designed 

to increase the efficiency and effectiveness 

of EDA’s investments by cultivating public/

private partnerships centered around identifying 

mechanisms to capitalize on regional assets 

and collaboration to create jobs and encourage 

business expansion. This integrated strategy is 

particularly important given the current fiscal 

crisis facing local, state, and federal governments, 

and the national jobs and growth outlook. 

By focusing on regional assets, EDA made 

investments in 2010 that maximized available 

resources, amplified regional capabilities, and 

leveraged entrepreneurial knowhow. A strong 

example of this approach in action is EDA’s recent 

work in Oklahoma. In FY 2010, EDA invested $1 

million to establish the OKC Technology Business 

Launch Program at i2E, Inc., a nonprofit focused 

on growing technology-based companies in 

Oklahoma. i2E assists advanced technology 

businesses in their earliest stages of development, 

working with over 1,300 Oklahoma entrepreneurs 

since its creation in 1997. EDA’s investment builds 

on this success and the city’s strong network of 

entrepreneurs by helping i2E expand its assistance 

to new companies, providing essential business 

development services such as an ExecutivesIn-Residence program, Chief Financial Officer 

assistance, commercialization advisory services, 

and angel investor match-making. Located in the 

Presbyterian Health Foundation Research Park, 

a state-of-the-art research facility that supports 

biomedical research companies commercialize 

newly developed machines and technology, EDA’s 

$1 million in the OKC Technology Business Launch 

Program is expected to assist the growth of 

aproximately 25 companies per year.

The Jobs and Innovation Partnership also affirmed 

EDA’s commitment to bolstering the nation’s 

Shortly after assuming office, President Barack Obama called on Americans to build “a new foundation for growth 

and prosperity.” In 2010, EDA accepted this challenge head on. In order to set the stage for long-term prosperity, 

EDA had to rethink traditional economic development practices and enhance the way the agency did business. 
| 13

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

R&D commercialization efforts. The link between 

commercialization and economic development is 

inextricable: new products create new industries 

which, in turn, create new jobs. In this vein, in 

2010, EDA created the i6 Challenge, a national 

competition to target investments in America’s 

innovation and commercialization infrastructure. 

From a field of over eighty applications, EDA 

awarded $1 million each to six teams that 

presented the most innovative ideas to drive 

improvements in the pace, scope, and scale of 

technology commercialization. The i6 Challenge 

resulted in several new efforts to bring experts 

in science and academia together with public 

and private sector businesses and entrepreneurs, 

primarily in the medical and bioscience industries. 

In reframing the federal economic development 

agenda, EDA also recognized a critical need to 

effectively leverage its expertise in economic 

development to assist communities in need across 

the country. Following the Deepwater Horizon 

oil spill, EDA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary Brian 

McGowan led the White House National Incident 

Command (NIC) Economic Solutions Team to 

assist Gulf Coast communities recover from the 

economic effects of the spill. During the summer 

of 2010, the Economic Solutions Team worked 

extensively with Federal interagency partners and 

affected Gulf Coast communities in considering 
14 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

EDA Highlights for Fiscal Year 2010

Over 20 teams, consisting of 125 federal officials and 105 economic development experts, were deployed to the Gulf Coast region (Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, 

Mississippi and Texas) in August 2010 to conduct economic assessments in 19 counties affected by the by the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A total of 672 

meetings were held with approximately 1,281 people representing 854 entities. The findings informed the development of a comprehensive framework for Gulf 

Coast recovery provided in Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus’ report, America’s Gulf Coast: A Long Term Recovery Plan After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Photo by Ben Sherman, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| 15

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

the economic recovery needs of the region. Under 

EDA’s leadership, multiple teams comprised of 

federal agency representatives and economic 

development organizations and experts deployed 

to the Gulf Coast region to conduct a series of 

economic development needs assessments in 19 

counties affected by the oil spill. These qualitative 

assessments provided multi-disciplinary, 

customized, and capacity-building technical 

assistance for impacted communities and enabled 

each community to develop its own strategies for 

economic recovery.

Furthering EDA’s best practices leadership, 

Department of Commerce Secretary Gary 

Locke created the National Advisory Council 

for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE) 

in FY 2010 to ensure that the best ideas from 

entrepreneurs, university, and nonprofit leaders 

from around the country are captured in effective 

federal policy-making. Led by EDA’s Office of 

Innovation and Entrepreneurship, NACIE offers 

policy recommendations that will facilitate 

economic growth through entrepreneurial 

activity, the commercialization of new ideas and 

technologies into high-growth, innovation-based 

businesses, access to capital, and ultimately job 

creation. The Council also serves as a vehicle for 

ongoing engagement with the entrepreneurship 

community and other stakeholders.

Chnging t

To create significant and lasting change in the 

domestic economic development agenda, EDA not 

only needed to rethink its approach to economic 

development, but also to look inward and evaluate 

the agency’s effectiveness. One thing was very 

clear: in order to meet the needs of its stakeholders 

in the 21st century, EDA needed to move at the pace 

of business. 

With this in mind, the agency embarked on a 

comprehensive internal study of its grant making 

process in FY 2010. EDA leadership engaged 

stakeholders in a collaborative process to create 

a new grant application system that would 

significantly reduce the time it takes to respond 

to each application while maintaining exemplary 

levels of customer service. This evaluation process 

culminated in an overhaul of the agency’s grantmaking process. The new process, which was 

launched at the beginning of FY 2011, will increase 

EDA’s efficiency, accountability, competitiveness, 

and transparency.

To further improve the agency’s function, EDA 

performed an agency-wide reorganization in 2010. 

The Penn State-led Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster is the winner of the federal EnergyRegional Innovation Cluster (E-RIC) competition, a ground-breaking $129.7 million multi-agency 

grant program that delivers coordinated, targeted grants to spark the growth of innovative, energyefficient building systems and technologies. 

Photo by Pennsylvania State University
16 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

EDA Highlights for Fiscal Year 2010

For the first time, U.S. community delegates joined U.S. companies at the joint EDA and U.S. International Trade Administration Clean Tech 

Trade and Investment Mission to Lyon, France, and Brussels, Belgium, in 2010.

Photo by EDA
| 17

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

This reorganization clarified reporting relationships 

and strengthened communications and coordination 

between EDA’s Regional Offices and Headquarters. 

The reorganization also formally established the 

Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE) 

at EDA. Originally created by Secretary Locke, 

OIE works closely with the White House, other 

Commerce Department agencies and a range of 

public and private stakeholders to support highgrowth, innovation-based entrepreneurship and 

to accelerate commercialization of research at 

federally funded labs. 

In order to amplify its reach, EDA also changed 

the way it interacted with other Federal partners, 

working hand-in-hand with other federal agencies 

to promote and advance regional collaboration. In 

2010, the White House Interagency Taskforce for 

the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters 

(TARIC) was launched. TARIC’s primary objectives 

include monitoring trends in regional innovation 

clusters, coordinating with federal staff in regional 

offices, and facilitating a unified federal response 

to requests for assistance from regions related 

to economic development, education, workforce 

development, and entrepreneurship. Through 

TARIC, EDA took a leadership role in this initiative, 

coordinating the first-ever joint Federal Funding 

Opportunity (FFO) involving six other federal 

agencies: the Department of Energy (DOE), DOC’s 

National Institute of Standards and Technology/

Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the 

Department of Labor, the Department of Education, 

the Small Business Administration, and the National 

Science Foundation. The result was a multiagency 

Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (E-RIC) Initiative, 

an interagency program designed to promote and 

accelerate commercialization of energy efficient 

building system technology in order to enhance 

U.S. economic, technological, and commercial 

competitiveness in the field. The E-RIC project 

awarded $129 million and programmatic support, 

including $3 million in EDA Public Works assistance, 

to the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster 

for Energy Efficiency Buildings (GPIC). Through a 

consortium of 11 academic institutions, two DOE 

laboratories, and five industry partners, GPIC will 

construct the Energy-Efficient Buildings System 

Design Hub in the Philadelphia Navy Yard Clean 

Energy campus. 

EDA extended its reach internationally as well. For 

the first time, U.S. community delegates joined U.S. 

companies at the joint EDA and U.S. International 

Trade Administration Clean Tech Trade and 

Investment Mission to Lyon, France, and Brussels, 

Belgium, in 2010. The U.S. delegation, co-led by 

EDA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary McGowan, 

consisted of 20 community delegates from across 

the U.S. seeking foreign direct investment and 

several companies looking to find new trading 

partners in support of President Obama’s National 

Export Initiative (NEI).
18 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

U.S. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

section one

As the only government agency with economic development as its sole 

mission, EDA helps coordinate and advise Federal partners looking to 

implement economic development initiatives, but who lack the agency’s 

institutional knowledge and experience.
| 19

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Performance Goals and Results:

Government Performance and Results Act

The Government Performance 

and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) 

requires Federal agencies to develop 

strategic plans, performance 

goals, and measures to report 

on their programs’ performance. 

The Department of Commerce’s 

overarching strategic goals and 

outcome-oriented objectives focus 

on the performance of its bureaus. 

EDA uses the GPRA review process 

to improve performance, enhance its 

programs and refine its measures.

It is crucial that the activities undertaken by 

EDA with public dollars demonstrate a return 

on investment through measurable, quantifiable 

performance outcomes. EDA primarily measures 

its performance against two goals, the bureau’s 

ability to: 1) promote private enterprise and job 

creation in economically distressed communities; 

and 2) improve community capacity to achieve and 

sustain economic growth. Beginning in FY 2010, 

EDA added a new, High Priority Performance Goal: 

Raise the percentage to 12 percent of construction 

projects involving buildings or structures funded 

under EDA’s Economic Development Assistance 

Programs that are certified by the U.S. Green 

Building Council under the Leadership in Energy 

and Environmental Design (LEED) certification 

system or a comparable third-party certification 

program. This goal contributes to the Department 

of Commerce’s Priority Goal focused on 

sustainable manufacturing and building practices.

Each goal has a series of quantifiable performance 

measures that are linked to the agency’s 

strategic goals, its Balanced Scorecard, and 

the performance plans of senior executives. 

EDA’s performance measures are also tied to 

its annual budget request and appropriations. 

The results of EDA’s economic development 

investments are often realized years later as 

they are transformed into jobs and privatesector investments, thereby fueling economic 

growth that raises living standards and improves 

the quality of life. EDA recipients provide data 

for each grant investment at three-, six-, and 

nine-year intervals from the date of the grant 

award. EDA aggregates these data to report 

the actual results of investments using a 

formula-driven calculation to project investment 

targets for these measures. These formulas 

are dependent on the amount of funding 

appropriated to EDA within a defined fiscal year. 

In FY 2010, EDA met or nearly met all of its targets. 

Only three of EDA’s targets were not met: (a) jobs 

created/retained after nine years (for FY 2001 

investments); (b) percentage of Trade Adjustment 

Assistance Center (TAAC) clients taking action 

as a result of the assistance facilitated by the 

TAACs; and (c) percentage of District Organizations 

and Indian Tribes implementing economic 

development projects from the Comprehensive 

Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) process 

that leads to private investment and jobs. 

high priority 

performance goal: 

Raise the percentage to 12 percent 

of construction projects involving 

buildings or structures funded by 

Economic Development Assistance 

Programs that are certified by the 

U.S. Green Building Council’s 

Leadership in Energy and 

Environmental Design (LEED) 

certification system or a comparable 

third-party certification program. 

goal one:

Promote private enterprise 

and job creation in economically 

distressed communities

goal two:

Improve community capacity to 

achieve and sustain economic growth

section one
20 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Investments in the green economy are essential to improving our nation’s competitiveness. 

We must use them to build vibrant, regional innovation ecosystems that support job creation and 

economic growth. To support that concept, EDA has developed a two-pronged approach to foster 

environmentally sustainable economic development and sustainable building practices in FY 2011. 

First, EDA has adopted a set of investment priorities which direct agency funding toward projects 

that encourage environmentally-sustainable economic development, support emerging industrial 

clusters related to energy, foster cutting-edge environmental technologies, and support sustainable 

manufacturing practices. Second, EDA, as directed by Congress, has implemented the Global Climate 

Change Mitigation Incentive Fund (GCCMIF) to invest in projects that foster job creation while limiting 

the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, enhance energy efficiency, curb greenhouse gas emissions, 

and promote green building practices. It is through this two-pronged approach that EDA has, in the 

past, successfully contributed to the Department of Commerce’s Priority Goal focused on sustainable 

manufacturing and building practices (in FY 2010, EDA met its Priority Goal target of 12 percent of 

its total infrastructure construction projects being LEED-certified or certified under an equivalent 

certification system).

Performance Goals and Results:

Government Performance and Results Act

High

Perfo

Raise the percentage to

12 percent of construction 

projects involving buildings 

or structures funded by EDA’s 

Economic Development 

Assistance Programs that

are certified by the U.S. 

Green Building Council under

the Leadership in Energy

and Environmental Design 

(LEED) certification system

or a comparable third-party 

certification program.

section one
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

EDA invested $1 million in the BioGenerator, the Donald Danforth Plant 

Science Center, the Economic Council of St. Louis County, the St. Louis 

Development Corporation, St. Louis University, the University of Missouri, 

and Washington University-St. Louis, Missouri, to advance bioscience 

technology commercialization in the St. Louis region by building an 

entrepreneurial infrastructure that is market-based around the needs of 

existing bioscience firms and investors. This project will strengthen the 

biosciences as a key regional economic engine for the future, growing new 

companies and fostering innovation and job creation. This investment, funded 

through the i6 Challenge, in partnership with the National Institutes of 

Health and the National Science Foundation, is part of a $2 million project.

| 21

Photo by Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Inr

Goal One includes Public Works and Economic Development Assistance, Economic Adjustment Assistance, and the 

Revolving Loan Fund program. These critical investments enable communities to attract new businesses or to support 

existing businesses that will generate new higher-skill, higher-wage jobs for unemployed and underemployed residents. 

EDA es ip

MEASUREMENT 1: Private-sector dollars invested in distressed communities as a result of EDA investments.

MEASUREMENT 2: Jobs created or retained in distressed communities as a result of EDA investments.

performance goal one:

22 |
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

| 23

Year of 

Investmen

Measurement

Year

Private Investment Jo

Target Actual Difference % of Target Target Actual Difference % of Ta

1999 2002 420 640 220 152% 11,300 29,912 18,612 265%

2005 1,040 1,781 747 171% 28,400 47,374 18,974 167%

2008 2,080 4,173 2,093 201% 56,900 57,701 801 101%

2000 2003 400 1,251 851 313% 11,300 39,841 28,541 353%

2006 1,020 1,059 39 104% 28,200 42,958 14,758 152%

2009 2,040 2,210 170 108% 56,500 45,866 -10,624 81%

2001 2004 480 947 467 197% 14,400 21,901 7,501 152%

2007 1,200 2,118 918 177% 36,000 49,806 13,806 138%

2010 2,410 2,758 348 114% 72,000 66,527 -5,473 92%

2002 2005 390 1,791 1,401 459% 11,500 19,672 8,172 171%

2008 970 1,393 1,402 144% 28,900 30,719 1,819 106%

2011 1,940 57,800

2003 2006 320 1,669 408 522% 9,170 11,833 8,172 129%

2009 810 855 1,457 105% 22,900 24,533 8,173 107%

2012 1,620 45,800

2004 2007 330 810 743 245% 8,999 16,274 8,172 181%

2010 824 2,281 277% 22,497 26,695 8,173 119%

2013 1,649 44,994

2005 2008 270 1,013 219 375% 7,227 14,819 7,592 205%

2011 674 18,193

2014 1,349 36,386

2006 2009 265 484 1,285 182% 7,019 9,137 2,118 130%

2012 662 17,548

2015 1,324 35,386

2007 2010 259 1,544 1,285 597% 6,628 9,159 2,531 138%

2013 647 16,570

2016 1,293 33,141

2008 2011 245 6,256

2014 612 15,640

2017 1,223 31,280

2009 2012 437 11,183

2015 1,093 27,958

2018 2,186 55,915

2010 2013 261 6,333

2016 652 15,834

2019 1,303 31,667
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Imo

Goal Two includes investments under the Planning Assistance; Economic Adjustment Assistance (planning and 

technical assistance components); Local Technical Assistance, the University Center, Research and National 

Technical Assistance, and Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms programs. 

EDA investments in the economic growth of distressed communities help lay the foundation for job creation and fuel economic 

growth, thus raising living standards and improving the quality of life. EDA’s optimal use of limited public funds relies on the 

economic leverage achieved from its strategic and focused investments in distressed communities. 

performance goal two:

24 |





| 31

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

EDA’s Public Works and Economic 

Development investments help distressed 

communities revitalize, expand, and upgrade their 

physical infrastructure. This program enables 

communities to attract new industry; encourage 

business expansion; diversify local economies; 

and generate or retain long-term, private sector 

jobs and investment through the acquisition 

or development of land and infrastructure 

improvements needed for the successful 

establishment or expansion of industrial or 

commercial enterprises. 

Public Works investments help facilitate the 

transition of communities from being distressed 

to becoming competitive in the worldwide 

economy by developing key public infrastructure, 

such as technology-based facilities that utilize 

distance learning networks, smart rooms, and 

smart buildings; multitenant manufacturing and 

other facilities; business and industrial parks with 

fiber optic cable; and telecommunications and 

development facilities. EDA continues to invest 

in its traditional Public Works projects, including 

water and sewer systems improvements, industrial 

parks, business incubator facilities, expansion of 

port and harbor facilities, skill-training facilities, 

and brownfields redevelopment. 

Economic Development Assistance Programs

Publc Wor

The U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded Tulane University a $3 million grant to help build RiverSphere, a research center, education facility, 

exhibition space and a business incubator focused on water sustainability and renewable energy. This project is a catalyst for the creation and support of “green” 

energy jobs and will help make New Orleans an exporter of sustainable energy technologies and intellectual capital throughout the country.

Photo by EDA

section two
32 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Economic Development Assistance Programs

Econo

The Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program uses a flexible set of tools to respond to the wide range of economic development challenges in 

communities and regions across the nation, including globalization, natural resource depletion, corporate restructuring, and natural disasters. 

EAA is the most effective single program in EDA’s arsenal to address areas impacted by globalization, especially manufacturing dependent communities 

that need to develop and implement regional strategies that will transform and diversify their economies and position them competitively in the global 

marketplace. EAA funds can be used to design the transition strategy, construct or upgrade public infrastructure, and capitalize locally or regionally 

administered Revolving Loan Funds that directly assist innovative entrepreneurs in growing 21st century businesses. 

Additionally, the EAA program, with its forward-looking ‘imminent threat’ authority, allows EDA to initiate interventions before a community’s economy 

bottoms out, when economic trends may clearly indicate the need for intervention but the trailing economic eligibility indicators employed in other programs 

may not provide adequate access to other assistance. 

ECONOMIC DISTRESS CRITERIA for Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Investments

EDA’s Public Works and 

Economic Adjustments 

Assistance investments 

may be awarded if the 

region meets any one of 

the following economic 

distress factors:

• Low per capita income; or

• High unemployment; or

• A special need circumstance, including:

- closure or restructuring of an industrial firm or loss of a major employer;

- substantial out-migration or population loss;

- underemployment;

- military base closures or realignments, defense contractor reductions-in-force;

- natural or other major disasters or emergencies;

- extraordinary depletion of natural resources;

- negative effects of changing trade patterns;

- other special or extraordinary need, as determined by the Assistant Secretary 

of Commerce for Economic Development

section two
EDA’s Public Works Program: Building More than Infrastructure

The Ohio-Pennsylvania Interstate region has lost over 2,500 jobs in the past few years and thousands more since the 

collapse of the western Pennsylvania steel industry. The region, under the leadership of the Governors of Pennsylvania and Ohio, 

has developed a comprehensive strategy to respond to the loss of steel manufacturing through economic diversification with an 

emphasis on technology innovation. 

In 2010, EDA awarded a $4,208,000 investment to the city of Hermitage, a western Pennsylvania city located midway 

between Pittsburgh and Erie, to construct the Technology Innovation & Development Center (Tech Center) in the LindenPointe 

Innovative Business Campus. The LEED-certified facility will provide training opportunities to bolster the emerging semiconductor 

and electronics clusters, as well as, the existing biomedical and biotechnical clusters. The Tech Center programs address a need to 

improve the skills of the workforce to meet the requirements of high-tech clusters. The EDA investment is expected to create 100 

jobs and generate $10 million in private investment.

Publ ic 

rks Pr

og

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Hermitage, Pa. (April 28, 2010) 

Groundbreaking ceremony for the 

Technology Center of Excellence at 

the LindenPoint Innovative Business 

Campus in Hermitage, Pennsylvania.

Photo by EDA
EDA’s Economic Adjustment Assistance Program: Sparking Change

The Atlanta Metropolitan Area was greatly impacted by the collapse of the real

estate market and an overall decline in commerce. The result was a metropolitan 

area unemployment rate that greatly exceeded the national average, jumping from a high, 

but manageable 6.2% in 2008 to 10.2% in 2010. In an effort to diversify its economy and 

capitalize on its educational and medical research institutions, a public/private partnership 

consisting of Georgia Tech, Saint Joseph’s Translational Research Institute, Piedmont 

Healthcare and the Georgia Research Alliance established the Global Center for Medical 

Innovation, Inc. (GCMI). With the help of a $1.3 million Economic Adjustment grant from 

EDA, GCMI will accelerate the development and commercialization of next-generation 

medical devices and medical technology. 

Located near the Georgia Tech campus, GCMI will allow researchers, entrepreneur

and small medical device firms develop, test and manufacturer innovative and life-saving 

medical devices according to “Good Manufacturing Practices” published by the U.S. 

Food and Drug Administration. The immediate and direct impact will be the creation and 

retention of 161 jobs and private capital investment of $72.2 million; however, the longterm impact could be much greater as a similar facility does not exist in the Southeast. 

In central Oregon, the data center industry is one of the fastest growing segments in the regional economy. Building on this growth, EDA 

made $2.75 million investment in the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians of Roseburg, Oregon, to help renovate an existing building for use 

as the Roseburg Incubator and Data Center. The facility will provide work space and technical assistance local entrepreneurs seeking to develop of 

business ventures and will provide secure data servers that will help local businesses meet their data storage needs. The business incubator and data 

storage facility will work to strengthen the entrepreneurial sector, create higher-skill, higher-wage job opportunities in Douglas County, and provide 

greater opportunity for Native American tribal communities in central Oregon. 

E

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Atlanta, Ga. (October 25, 2010) 

Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI), 

recognized as winner of the Atlanta region 

i6 Challenge at the Southeast Workforce and 

Economic Development Conference hosted by 

EDA and the U.S.

Photo by EDA
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

| 33
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

34

Economic Development Assistance Programs

Revolvi

As part of the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program, EDA’s regional offices award competitive grants 

to establish Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs). EDA’s RLF recipient, in turn, disburses money from the RLF to make 

loans at interest rates that are at or below market rate to small businesses or to businesses that cannot 

otherwise borrow capital. As the loans are repaid, the grantee uses a portion of interest earned to pay 

administrative expenses and adds principal and interest repayments to the RLF’s capital base to make new 

loans. A well-managed RLF award actively makes loans to eligible businesses, continues to revolve loaned 

funds (interest and principal), and does not have a termination date.

As of April 2011, the RLF program encompassed 575 RLFs, with a combined capital base of $862 million, 

which represents a 4% increase in the capital base over September 2010 (see RLF table below). The majority 

of these RLFs reported concentrating on making loans in the range of $25,000 to $175,000, although a 

number of RLF operators made much smaller (as little as $1,000) or much larger ($1 million+) loans.

REVOLVING LOAN FUND PROGRAM (RLF TABLE)

Region # of Reporting 

Units

Capital Base 

Current Period

Capital Base 

Previous Period

Percent 

Change

Atlanta 76 $126,752,587.29 $121,337,139.94 4.46%

Austin 37 $54,005,192.52 $44,256,196.12 22.03%

Chicago 107 $129,540,887.57 $129,112,998.85 0.33

Denver 104 $87,176,459.31 $85,875,452.46 1.51%

Philadelphia 156 $323,879,051.46 $307,507,386.41 5.32

Seattle 95 $141,251,303.08 $140,929,318.51 0.23%

EDA Totals 575 $862,605,481.23 $829,018,492.29 4.05 

Eco

Pla

The Economic Development Planning Assistance 

program provides essential investment support 

to District Organizations, Native American 

organizations, states, sub-state planning regions, 

urban counties, cities and other eligible recipient 

to assist in planning. The two categories of 

the Planning Assistance program are: Planning 

investments for District Organizations, Indian 

Tribes and other eligible entities; and Short-Term 

Planning investments to states, sub-state planning 

regions and urban areas. Eligible activities under 

this program include developing, maintaining 

and implementing a Comprehensive Economic 

Development Strategy (CEDS) and related shortterm planning activities. 

section two
EDA’s Revolving Loan Funds: Providing Critical Capital

Northeast Minnesota has several of the most distressed counties in the State. For generations, the area’s economy ha

relied on mining, wood products, and tourism; however, in recent years, these sectors demonstrated erratic economic behavior 

which led to dramatic population declines over the last decade. The region recognized an opportunity to diversify and build a new 

manufacturing/innovation cluster in the field of general aviation aircraft development. The EDA was an instrumental partner in 

supporting their transformation. For example, the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC), which serves the seven 

county area of Northeast Minnesota, uses its EDA-funded RLF to support new and expanding aeronautics-related manufacturers. 

Leveraging its EDA-funded RLF, Arrowhead Regional Development Commission, has created 893 jobs and over $80,000,000 in total 

project financing.

EVO

VIN

OAN F

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EDA’s Economic Development Planning: Preparing for the Future

To promote business opportunities in northern Michigan, EDA awarded $50,000 in short-term planning for the Northern Lakes Economic

Alliance business incubator in March 2010. With this EDA investment, the Alliance strengthened and expanded its extant business incubator 

serving Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan and Emmet counties. The Alliance, with EDA support, provided incubator essential business services 

including entrepreneurial training through the Business Resource Centers, but also expanded its reach to local businesses through interactive 

website resource and marketing. This project has resulted in the creation of a three-county Northern Lakes Economic Alliance Regional Center 

for Entrepreneurial Activity. The incalculable benefits of Alliance services and networks are expected to grow in this region and further spur 

high-skilled jobs and private investment.

E

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| 35

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

| 35
Tec

Under section 207 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. § 3147), EDA administers the University Center Economic Development, Local Technical 

Assistance Program, and National Technical Assistance Program. These programs help promote economic development and 

alleviate unemployment, underemployment and out-migration in distressed regions by:

• Investing in institutions of higher education and consortia of institutions of higher education to establish and operate University Centers 

specifically focused on leveraging university assets to build regional economic ecosystems that support high-growth entrepreneurship; 

• Supporting regional economic strategies through accelerated research and technology commercialization which target industry sectors that 

have the potential to generate high-skilled jobs;

• Disseminating information and collaborate with other EDA partners by providing resources to implement regional strategies that support 

job creation, the development of high-skilled regional talent pools, and business expansion in the region’s innovation clusters; and

• Financing local feasibility studies, market research, economic impact analyses, and other projects leading to local economic development.

Economic Development Assistance Programs

Unive

Dev

Institutions of higher education have 

extensive resources, including specialized 

research, outreach and technology transfer 

and commercialization capabilities, as well as 

recognized faculty expertise and sophisticated 

laboratories. The EDA-supported University 

Center (UC) program is specifically designed 

to marshal the resources located within 

colleges and universities to support regional 

economic development strategies in regions 

of chronic and acute economic distress. The 

UCs, which EDA considers long-term partners 

in economic development, are required to 

devote the majority of their funding to respond 

to technical assistance requests originating 

from organizations located in the economically 

distressed portions of their service regions.

The UCs have a long history of promoting and 

facilitating economic development in their 

service regions. They have been among the 

first to recognize emerging technical assistance 

needs. As early as FY 1980, EDA-funded UCs 

were among the first to recognize and respond 

to the needs of small- and medium-sized 

manufacturers and processors for technology 

transfer and commercialization assistance. 

Most UCs focus their efforts on assisting 

units of local governments and nonprofit 

organizations in planning and implementing 

regional economic development strategies and 

projects. Typical activities provided by the UCs 

include targeted commercialization of research, 

workforce development, and business counseling 

services. Other UCs may focus their efforts on 

helping local organizations with conducting 

preliminary feasibility studies, analyzing 

data, and convening customized seminars 

and workshops on topics such as regional 

strategic planning and capital budgeting. 

EDA began administering the University 

Center Economic Development Program on 

a competitive, multi-year basis in FY 2004, 

holding competitions each fiscal year in two of 

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

36 | [continued] section two
EDA’s University Center Program: Bringing Research to Work

Chosen as an EDA University Center recipient in 2010, the Advanced Manufacturing Institute at Kansas Sta

University provides services to businesses of all sizes—entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies—and offer a 

wide range of resources to integrate businesses with onsite KSU field experts for engineering, product design, and 

manufacturing research. 

The UC’s client companies have unique access to the resources of partner organizations, including th

Kansas Opportunity Innovation Network (KOIN), the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation, and the Kansas 

Department of Commerce (KDOC), intended to forge new domestic and global partnerships to exploit market 

opportunities. Through these partnerships, the UC also provides resources and support for State-wide economic 

development planning efforts. For example, the UC has collaborated with KDOC to develop a plan to support the 

State’s emerging wind industry manufacturing supply chain. 

u

r

sit y

ent

r

og

m

Funded by EDA in 2010, the 

Advanced Manufacturing Institute 

at Kansas State University provides 

services to local regional planning 

organizations to support regionallyidentified, bottom-up strategies that 

help support business expansion and 

job creation. In addition, the UC 

provides services to businesses of all 

sizes—entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 

companies—and offer a wide range 

of resources to integrate businesses 

with onsite KSU field experts for 

engineering, product design, and 

Photo by Advanced Manufacturing Institute at Kansas State University manufacturing resea
EDA’s National Technical Assistance: Bringing New Tools to Development

In FY 2010, EDA awarded $480,000 to the State Science and Technology Institute (SS TI), located in Westerville, Ohio

create the Regional Innovation Accelerator Network (RIAN). Through this project, RIAN is connecting the existing but disparate 

venture development organizations around the country into a virtual community through a new interactive website, a regular series 

of webinars and information exchanges, and committee work that is developing commonly accepted principles and standards 

for performance metrics. The result, in addition to community building, is the identification of best practices and lessons learned 

that are being shared among peers and with other regions as they consider the development and exploitation of the VDO model 

appropriately modified to their regional assets, existing strengths and entrepreneurial needs. 

RIAN is helping to advance EDA’s goals of rethinking the nation’s approaches to regional economic development by focusing on 

making innovation based initiatives more capital efficient, impact oriented and structured on the fundamental characteristics of 

exciting new and successful concepts of forming and supporting venture development organizations. 

l 

c

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r

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EDA’s Research and Evaluation Program: Encouraging Thought Leadership

Regional Innovation Cluster Mapping Proj

In FY 2010, EDA provided a strategic investment through the 

Research and Evaluation Program to Harvard University to support 

the development and dissemination of the regional innovation 

cluster mapping initiative. EDA’s focus on regional innovation 

clusters as the central strategy for fostering job growth and 

economic prosperity is an evolution of the Agency’s extensive 

work to promote place-based strategies that are capable 

of helping communities across the nation—both urban 

and rural—grow and prosper. This investment is 

designed to help provide data and resources that will 

help policymakers and practitioners across the country 

better understand what RICs are and where they are 

geographically located, effectively utilize best practices 

to cultivate cluster development and expansion, and 

employ proven metrics to evaluate the performance 

of their regional cluster efforts.

anatomy of a cluster
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

EDA’s six regional offices. In FY 2010, EDA’s 

regional offices in Austin and Denver held their 

third round of competitions. During this year, 

EDA invested $7.33 million in 54 UCs, including 

second and third year funding awarded to 

University Centers selected in prior years.

Local

The Local Technical Assistance program, 

one of EDA’s smallest programs in terms of 

funding, is nevertheless an extremely flexible 

and useful economic development tool. 

Projects analyze the feasibility of potential 

economic development projects, such as an 

industrial park or a high-technology business 

incubator. Feasibility studies are an effective 

tool for determining whether the market 

will support a particular activity or site.

While Local Technical Assistance investments 

are typically small in size and scope, they 

can prevent costly mistakes and misguided 

investments, such as costly infrastructure 

improvements to support obsolete industries. 

Targeted market feasibility studies can help 

communities overcome these hurdles and 

identify tomorrow’s higher-wage employers. 

Because of these feasibility studies, many 

communities have received funding under 

EDA’s Public Works or Economic Development 

Assistance program and other Federal- or statefunded programs to implement those projects.

Natio

The National Technical Assistance program

assists in formulating and implementing new 

economic development tools. These tools 

support local governments’ efforts to partner 

with private industry and attract private 

investment to revitalize regions and local 

communities. Providing timely information 

on best practices in economic development 

is critical to practitioners’ efforts to alleviate 

economic distress and promote economic 

development. This program identifies and 

funds the collection and dissemination of new 

knowledge, analysis and technical information, 

which helps communities assess their economic 

development opportunities and supports the 

overall EDA strategy of enhancing regional 

cooperation, fostering innovation, increasing 

productivity and developing industry clusters.

Ree

Through the Research and Evaluation 

program, EDA builds the knowledge base for 

sound market-driven regional and local economic 

development. This work is critical to ensure that 

EDA’s initiatives and investments are consistent 

with current best practices in economic 

development. Program evaluations ascertain 

EDA’s impact on measures such as return on 

taxpayer investment, private capital investment 

leveraged and the creation of higher-skill, higherwage jobs. Projects under the Research and 

Evaluation program may be carried out through 

grants or cooperative agreements, as well as 

through studies conducted in-house, to maximize 

the impact of this modestly funded program.

section two

| 37
38 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Trade

for Fi

Chapter 3 of title II of the Trade Act authorizes 

the TAAF program, under which technical 

assistance is provided to firms that have lost 

domestic sales and employment due to increased 

imports of similar or competitive goods. EDA 

administers the TAAF program through a national 

network of 11 non-profit Trade Adjustment 

Assistance Centers (TAACs) funded by EDA. The 

TAACs are sponsored by universities or non-profit 

organizations and serve as the primary pointof-contact for firms as they proceed through the 

certification and adjustment proposal processes.

Under the Trade Act of 1974, only manufacturing 

firms had been eligible for the TAAF program, 

and petitioning firms were required to present 

data from the most recent 12 months, compared 

with data from the immediately preceding 12 

months, to show the requisite decline in sales.

The TGAAA made three changes to the existing 

TAAF program that applied to all firms applying 

for TAAF program assistance in FY 2010:

1] Service sector firms became eligible 

for assistance under the program; 

2] A petitioning firm was allowed longer “look 

back” time periods in which it may present data 

for certification eligibility purposes. Firms were 

allowed to present data from the most recent 12 

months compared with average annual financial 

data from the preceding 12, 24, or 36 months 

to show the requisite decline in sales; and

3] EDA had to make a determination on a 

petition within 40 days from the date 

of acceptance of the petition. 

Effective February 13, 2011, the TGAAA 

amendments expired; accordingly, the TAAF 

program reverted back to the program in effect prior 

to enactment of the TGAAA. The TAAF program 

is now operating under the Trade Act of 1974, as 

amended by the Omnibus Trade Act of 2010. 

Trade

for Frms Pro

Overall, there was an increase in the demand 

for assistance under the TAAF program in 

FY 2010, as demonstrated by the increase 

in the number of petitions for certification 

and Adjustment Proposals submitted to EDA 

for approval. In FY 2010, EDA approved 330 

petitions (an additional 114 from FY 2009), a 

53 percent increase as compared to FY 2009; 

and approved 265 Adjustment Proposals (an 

additional 93 from FY 2009), a 54 percent 

increase as compared to FY 2009. 

EDA improved processing time for petitions and 

Adjustment Proposals in FY 2010. Although there 

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) Program

The Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009 

(TGAAA), which was included within the American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act of 2009, made some amendments to the Trade Act of 

1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. § 2341 et seq.), including authorizing the 

establishment of the Community Trade Adjustment Assistance (Community 

TAA) program. EDA administers the Community TAA program. 

as of 

february 13, 2011: 

Service sector firms are no 

longer eligible for assistance; 

Petitioning firms may use a 

12-month “look back” period 

only to demonstrate their 

eligibility and not a 24- or 

36-month look back period; and 

EDA must make a determination 

on a petition within 60 days 

from the date of acceptance 

of the petition.

section two
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

was a spike in petitions and Adjustment Proposals, 

EDA successfully met the 40-day processing deadline 

to make a final determination for petitions accepted 

for filing; and the 60-day processing deadline for 

approval of Adjustment Proposals as required in the 

TGAAA. In fact, the average processing time for 

petitions has started to decline below the 40-day 

requirement and the average processing time for 

Adjustment Proposals is below 30 days. 

Two years after completing the program, 

participating firms’ sales decreased by 14 percent, 

employment decreased by 16 percent, and 

productivity increased by 3 percent. During the 

same period, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 

that nationwide employment decreased 12 percent 

and productivity increased by 9 percent. In other 

words, U.S. companies as a whole fared better than 

companies that used the TAAF program. 

Esbli

Adjus

Chapter 4 of the Trade Act establishes the 

Community TAA Program, which helps to create 

and retain jobs by providing project grants to 

communities (cities, counties, or other political 

subdivisions of a State or a consortium of political 

subdivisions of a State) that have experienced, 

or are threatened by, job loss resulting from 

international trade impacts.

Assistance under this program can be used to 

support a wide range of technical, planning, and 

infrastructure projects to help communities adapt 

to pressing trade impact issues and diversify their 

economies, including: 

• Infrastructure improvements such as site 

acquisition, site preparation, construction, 

rehabilitation, and equipping of facilities;

• Market or industry research and analysis; 

• Technical assistance, including organizational 

development such as business networking, 

restructuring or improving the delivery of 

business services, or feasibility studies; 

• Public services; 

• Training; and 

• Other activities justified by a strategic 

plan that satisfies applicable statutory 

and regulatory requirements.

To be eligible to apply, communities must 

be certified under one of the following three 

Trade Adjustment Assistance programs: 

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers, 

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms, or 

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers.

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED FROM ELIGIBLE COMMUNITIES are competitively evaluated in order to maximize the economic 

revitalization impact of the program based on the extent to which applications address the following six criteria:

Support small and medium-sized communities, defined as communities with a population of 100,000 or less. 

Assist the most severely impacted communities, in terms of the number of workers in the community that are 

receiving assistance from Trade Adjustment Assistance programs.

Deliver a high return on investment in terms of creating and saving jobs, leveraging public-private partnerships, 

and utilizing best practices in project management. 

Support Regionalism, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship by strengthening regional cluster strategies and fostering 

technology commercialization. 

Support Global Trade/Competitiveness by supporting “high growth/high potential companies” and advancing 

business clusters with significant export potential.

Grow the “green economy” by promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency, “greening” existing 

processes or functions, and through “green building” (e.g., a structure certified under the LEED certification system).

1

2

3

4

5

6

section two

| 39
40 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund

Investments in environmental sustainability are essential to improving our nation’s competitiveness since green 

sectors are growing faster than the rest of the economy.1 We must use them to build vibrant, regional innovation 

ecosystems that support job creation and economic growth. 

EDA’s Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund (GCCMIF) helps to advance the green economy2 by strengthening the linkages between 

economic development and environmental quality. The purpose and mission of the GCCMIF is to finance projects that foster economic development by 

advancing the green economy in distressed communities. The GCCMIF supports projects that create jobs and increase private capital investment while reducing 

the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, enhance energy efficiency, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and protect natural systems.

GCCMIF assistance is available to finance a wide-range of projects, including strategy development and construction. To access the GCCMIF, an applicant must 

provide appropriate information to allow EDA to verify that the proposed project fulfills the objectives of the fund by both project type AND project output. 

Spec

of

RENEWABLE ENERGY. The development, production, or use of energy derived from sources that do not 

deplete finite natural resources, including wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY. A reduction in the energy produced or the energy consumed for the same level 

of output with the goal of lowering energy costs. 

REUSE/RECYCLING/RESTORATION. The reuse of a given product (or products), or production of a new 

or innovative product from recyclable materials. This might include waste management practices that reduce 

raw material usage and the amount of waste that ends-up in landfills. This category also includes ecosystem restoration. 

GREEN BUILDING. New construction or renovation that is certified by the U.S. Green Building Council under its 

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or other comparable certification program. 

1

 “Innovating the Green Economy in California Regions” UC-Berkeley’s Institute for Urban & Regional Development (http://communityinnovation.berkeley.edu): 

The study found that the green economy accounts for just 1% of California jobs but is growing 50% faster than the economy overall.

2

 The green economy, for the purposes of the GCCMIF, is the development and use of products and services that contribute to economic growth and alleviate 

economic distress by respecting and revitalizing the environment.

section two
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

section two

U.S. Assistant Secretary Fernandez tours the EDA-funded Salt City Business Park in Hutchinson, 

Kansas during a visit to discuss clean technology and advanced manufacturing strategies.

| 41

Photo by EDA
42 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund

In addition, an applicant must demonstrate that the project will result in one (or more) of the following outputs:

• Development and/or manufacture of a green end-product. Investments that produce an end-product that furthers or contributes to sustainability 

in general and/or the environmental quality of the associated community or region. The ‘end-product’ can take numerous forms (i.e., activity, item, 

plan, or program). 

• Greening of an existing function or process. Investments that result in green enhancements to the resource, energy, water, and/or waste, etc. efficiency 

of an existing function or process. The ‘enhancements’ reflect changes to the life-cycle process of an existing function so that the function is performed 

in a more sustainable manner.

• Creation or renovation of a green building. Investments that result in the construction or renovation of a structure using green building techniques 

that result in a net positive outcome in terms of energy, materials, and/or water use efficiency. Such buildings or structures must have LEED or other 

comparable green building certification. 

The flexibility of GCCMIF allows for the funding of a wide-variety 

of projects focused on job creation and innovation.

In FY 2010,e of th 

• A revolving loan fund to support the establishment of new industries 

focused on renewable energy;

• A commercialization center for energy efficient technologies;

• Infrastructure for a wind turbine assembly facility;

• A green technology feasibility/growth study;

• A LEED-certified renewable energy training center;

• Hydrogen and fuel cell cluster strategy;

• Sustainable manufacturing solutions incubator.

section two
EDA’s Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund: Growing a Green Economy

To offset the serious job and tax losses in Delaware from the shrinking automotive, banking and commodities industries, 

EDA awarded a $500,000 grant under GCCMIF the State of Delaware to support the establishment of the Clean Technology and Renewable 

Energy Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Initiative that will provide lower cost, higher risk capital not readily available from traditional lending 

sources to expanding private sector green energy component manufacturing firms. The goal of the RLF is to attract private sector investment 

and entrepreneurial growth in environmentally conscious clean technology and renewable energy products and businesses. This fund will 

make low interest, longer term loans to private sector companies involved in the development, design, and manufacturing of alternative 

energy equipment. The fund will be managed by the Delaware Economic Development Office. Eligible alternative energy equipment includes 

wind, solar, geothermal, fuel cells and biomass. The recipient estimates that the project will create 200 jobs.

To help generate economic opportunity through the commercialization of key technologies, EDA awarded the University of 

South Florida $1M to support the construction of an incubator for the testing and development of aquaculture wastewater treatment 

technologies. This investment will support the University of South Florida’s research commercialization objectives by fostering the 

application of technologies that will dramatically reduce the aquaculture industry’s demand, through recycling and reuse, on the 

critical supply of fresh water. This recipient estimates that the project will create 149 jobs.

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U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

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In October 21, 2010 Mitchell Technical Institute was awarded $1.67 million from the U.S. Economic 

Development Administration (EDA). The grant will allow MTI to own its own operational wind turbine at 

the Crow Lake site being developed by Basin Electric near White Lake, SD. MTI’s Wind Turbine Technology 

program, launched in 2009, provides highly-trained technicians to the expanding wind industry. According 

to MTI president Greg Von Wald, “This project represents a nearly perfect example of public and private, 

education and industry, business and government working together for the betterment of our state.”

Photo by Mitchell Technical Institute
44 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

FY 2008 Supplemental Appropriations Update

Asistace 

In 2010, EDA awarded $308.5 million to fund 116 disaster recovery projects nationwide from its FY 2008 

disaster appropriations.

These grants allowed disaster-impacted communities to make critical investments in:

STRATEGIC PLANNING

EDA funds comprehensive strategic planning activities to help create a coordinated, long-term recovery strategy following 

an economic disruption. EDA also offers financial resources and technical assistance to perform pre-disaster planning to 

increase resiliency and immediate recovery. 

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

EDA provides grant funds to build new infrastructure, such as business incubators, technology parks, research facilities, 

and basic utilities, to retain or attract jobs to the region. 

FINANCING

Addressing another critical need—access to capital—EDA provides funding through the Economic Adjustment Assistance 

program to establish RLF. Recipients can use these grant funds to make below market-rate loans to businesses to help provide 

gap financing to support new business development. 

section two
EDA’s Assistance in Recovering from Natural Disasters

During the flood of June 2008, over 500 homes and 100 businesses were damaged and numerous local businesses in the city of Cedar Falls, 

Iowa were forced to relocate, find temporary space or rebuild. Some have chosen not to reopen. Northern Cedar Falls was devastated; the true 

impact of the flood has not yet been quantified and the magnitude of its impact on local businesses will not be known for some time. 

With several severely damaged businesses forced to relocate from their existing facilities, the city faced enormous need for another industrial park. 

In order to provide a viable location for Cedar Falls companies to relocate and become operational again, the city sought to develop a recently 

acquired parcel of land into the new Northern Cedar Falls Industrial Park. 

In May 2010, EDA invested $5.5 million to construct critical infrastructure, including utility extension, rail spur construction, and roadway 

improvements, to serve the planned Park. The new industrial park will not only serve businesses that need to relocate out of flood-prone areas, 

but will also generate an opportunity for new economic development activity by creating scarce rail accessible lots.

Coe College and St. Luke’s Hospital invited the 

public to tour their new shared steam facility on 

Tuesday. The $4.65 million dollar project was 

funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 

Economic Development Administration (EDA) 

as part of the city’s flood restoration effort.

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Photo by Becky Malewitz

SourceMedia Group N
U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

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46 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

section three

For nearly 50 years, EDA has created jobs & 

growth in hard-hit communities.

U.S. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
| 47

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

2010 EDA Award Programs

The 2010 Innovation in Economic Development Awards, formerly known as the Excellence Awards, showcased some 

of the nation’s best practices for promoting economic development through collaborative initiatives and highlighted 

outstanding examples of regional success in the global marketplace. The Awards encompassed four categories: 

Innovation in Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs); Innovation in Commercialization; Innovation in Global Export 

Promotion; and Innovation in Green Technology. The winners were: 

Inova

Cluster

CONNECT ( La Jolla, Calif.) 

CONNECT is a non-profit organization formed 

in 1985 with the mission of commercializing 

technology coming from San Diego’s many 

federally-funded research institutions and offering 

on-going education, networking and recognition 

to start-up companies in emerging technology 

business clusters. The California Governor’s Office 

of Economic Development designated San Diego 

as one of California’s seven Innovation Hubs (iHUB) 

and CONNECT serves as the leader of San Diego’s 

local iHUB effort. 

Inova

Bluegrass Business Development Partnership 

(BBDP) (Lexington, Ky.) 

BBDP is a collaboration among the LexingtonFayette Urban County Government (LFUCG), 

Commerce Lexington’s (CLX) economic 

development divisions, and three University 

of Kentucky (UK) based organizations—the 

Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VAC), 

the Lexington office of statewide Innovation 

& Commercialization Centers (ICC), and the 

Lexington office of statewide Small Business 

Development Centers (SBDC). BBDP’s goal is to 

be a one-stop, super-service provider, linking 

small businesses and entrepreneurs with the 

information they need to be successful. They offer 

a full range of business development services.

Inovat

P

Pennsylvania Center for Trade Development 

“Envoy Program” (Harrisburg, Pa.)

The Envoy Program is designed to increase 

Pennsylvania companies’ global competitiveness 

by providing them with a Pennsylvania 

Department of Community and Economic 

Development-supported low-cost, low-risk, and 

high-performance method of building a continuous 

and pro-active bilingual sales and marketing 

presence in international markets. Envoy services 

vary depending on the needs of the client, but 

the key concept is to allow the company to 

employ a representative who is laser focused 

on implementing the sales plan, pursuing leads, 

developing customer, agents, and channels. 

Illustration by Connect

section three

Inova

University of Arizona Tech Park’s “Solar Zone” (Tucson, Ariz.)

The Solar Zone, an innovative strategic partnership between the 

University of Arizona and Tucson Electric Power is working to create 

a supportive environment where companies can develop, test and 

demonstrate the next generation of renewable energy products 

and technologies. The goals of the Solar Zone are to attract private 

investment, create sustainable, high-wage jobs, develop a skilled 

workforce, reduce the region’s reliance on traditional energy sources, 

and educate the public on the importance of sustainable energy.

University of Arizona Tech Park Solar Zone

Photo by University of Arizona Tech Park
48 |

U.S. Economic Development Administron    Fiscal Year 2010 Annual 

ATLANT 

H. Philip Paradice, Regional Director

401 West Peachtree Street, N.W, Suite 1820 | Atlanta, GA 30308-3519

Telephone: (404) 730-3002 | Fax: (404) 730-3025

Internet: pparadice@eda.doc.gov

Serves: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, 

South Carolina, Tennessee

AUSTIN

Pedro R. Garza, Regional Director

504 Lavaca Street, Suite 1100 | Austin, TX 78701-2858

Telephone: (512) 381-8144 | Fax: (512) 381-8177 | Internet: pgarza@eda.doc.gov

Serves: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas

CHICAG

Jeannette Tamayo, Acting Regional Director

111 North Canal Street, Suite 855 | Chicago, IL 60606-7204

Telephone: (312) 353-8143 | Fax: (312) 353-8575

Internet: jtamayo@eda.doc.gov

Serves: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Scott and 

Muscatine Counties in Iowa

DENV ER

Robert E. Olson, Regional Director

410 17th Street, Suite 250 | Denver, CO 80202

Telephone: (303) 844-4715 | Fax: (303) 844-3968 | Internet: rolson@eda.doc.gov

Serves: Colorado, Iowa (except Scott County and Muscatine County), Kansas, 

Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming

PHILADELP 

Willie C. Taylor, Regional Director

The Curtis Center, Suite 140 South 

 Independence Square West, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Telephone: (215) 597-4603 | Fax: (215) 597-1063

Internet: wtaylor@eda.doc.gov

Serves: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, 

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto 

Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin Islands, West Virginia

SEATTL E

A. Leonard Smith, Regional Director

Jackson Federal Building, Suite 1890 | Seattle, WA 98174

Telephone: (206) 220-7660 | Fax: (206) 220-7659 | Internet: lsmith7@eda.doc.gov

Serves: Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, the Northern Mariana 

Islands, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, the Federated States 

of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau

HEADQUARTERS OFFICE

John Fernandez, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development

U.S. Department of Commerce | 14th & Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 7816 | Washington, D.C. 20230

www.eda.gov

Reg

www.eda.gov

Innovate @eda