July 2, 2019
Broadband Strategic Planning

ETCOG Receives $375,000 Grant from EDA to Create a Regional Broadband Infrastructure Development Plan

Jorge D. Ayala, Regional Director for the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), visited ETCOG offices in April to join in announcing its award of $375,000 to ETCOG to support with the development of a regional broadband strategic plan for 14 counties in East Texas. 

ETCOG applied for the grant in December proposing to develop a strategic plan that will help identify and address existing gaps in broadband access for businesses across the region. In addition, the grant will help the region capitalize on its strengths and opportunities related to long-term economic development, create or enhance an environment that is conducive to job growth, and improve infrastructure and overall community development to improve the quality of life. 

The grant is issued to the East Texas Economic Development District (ETEDD) administered by ETCOG which is comprised of representatives from East Texas economic development agencies and elected officials. Economic Development Districts are designated by EDA and housed at Councils of Governments to help lead the locally-based, regionally driven economic development planning process that leverages the involvement of the public, private and non-profit sectors to establish a strategic blueprint for regional collaboration. With the $375,000 grant, ETCOG and its local economic development partner agencies have committed to an additional investment of $161,000 in local matching funds, for total project funding of $536,000. 

“We recognize the critical impact broadband infrastructure has on economic development and have been seeking rural broadband funding solutions for the East Texas Region since 2009. To be honest, there were days that I wondered if a day like today would ever come!” said ETCOG Executive Director, David Cleveland. “I realize this grant represents one step of many that must occur to help our businesses secure the Broadband service they need at a price they can afford. Nonetheless, this is a critical first step indeed!”

The announcement meeting held today was to inform regional economic development partners and the general public. It had approximately 40 guests in attendance and included comments from EDA Regional Director Jorge Ayala; the ETEDD board chair, Commissioner Paula Gentry; ETCOG’s Board Chair, Alderman Victor Perot; and David Cleveland. 

During the meeting, Mr. Cleveland detailed the grassroots approach outlined in the grant application to build a regional broadband strategic plan. The project will begin soon with a survey of the business community within each county to establish a list of critical broadband needs. ETCOG staff will then work with each county to rank and prioritize projects that are proposed by business leaders and broadband providers to address the identified needs. Top rated projects in each county will be included within the final plan complete with associated budgets required to implement each project. ETCOG has secured the services of TDC2, a Dallas based agency providing drafting and engineering services for the telecommunications community to support this initiative. The company will provide full broadband planning and support services for each project included within the final strategic plan. After the strategic plan is completed, each individual project within the plan will begin construction as soon as funding is secured. 

Grant Writing Workshop Coming to Tyler Texas

July 21, 2026
ETCOG/ETEDD and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grant writing workshop in Tyler, TX, August 27-28, 2026. This training is for grant seekers from all disciplines. Attend this class to learn how to write winning government grant proposals and find the available grant funding. Beginning and experienced grant writers from city, county, state agencies, K-12, colleges & universities and nonprofits are encouraged to attend. Registration is $525 and includes everything you need: Grant Writing USA Workbook Two days of expert instruction Lifetime access to Grant Writing USA Alumni Resource Center Grant Writing USA is offering ETCOG members a $50 discount. Please use the discount code "less50" at the time of registration. When: August 27 - 28 | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Where: 1421 S Beckham Ave, Tyler, TX 75701 For event details visit: https://grantstraining.com/ty0826

ETCOG to Hold Public Hearing on TxCDBG Regional Project Priority Types August 6

July 21, 2026
ETCOG will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. during its Executive Committee meeting at 3800 Stone Road, Kilgore, Texas.  The purpose of the hearing is to gather public input on the Texas Community Development Block Grant ( TxCDBG ) Program Regional Project Priority Types for the East Texas region. As part of the standard TxCDBG process, each Council of Governments region in Texas is encouraged to identify the project types that best reflect regional needs and priorities. During the hearing, ETCOG’s Executive Committee will receive comments from local officials, stakeholders, and members of the public regarding which eligible project categories should be prioritized for East Texas. These priorities may include needs such as water and sewer infrastructure, street improvements, housing, and other eligible community development activities. Regional project priority types play an important role in the TxCDBG application process. The priorities adopted by ETCOG will be submitted to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), which administers the TxCDBG program, for use in the upcoming funding cycle. Regional priorities account for a portion of the scoring used to evaluate grant applications. ETCOG encourages anyone with an interest in community development needs across East Texas to attend the hearing and provide input during the public comment period.

USDA Rural Development Launches a New Program Eligibility Lookup Tool

By USDA Rural Development • June 2, 2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development launched a new Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool, which has been integrated into Rural Development’s Eligibility site.  This site now directs users to an eligibility mapping tool for the following programs: Community Facilities Electric OneRD Guarantee Rural Business and Cooperative Services Water and Environmental Programs The Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool enables user flexibility in determining programmatic eligibility based on their location across multiple programs simultaneously. USDA Income and Property Eligibility Site: https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do USDA Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool (direct link): https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3c2f6c9581bb4f06a4ab68df8f34b0be This consolidated view of eligibility represents a significant modernization in how Rural Development assesses and communicates program eligibility. By centralizing eligibility checks, utilizing current geospatial technology and adhering to modern data governance standards, the tool significantly reduces staff workload and improves engagement with rural communities. This initiative supports Rural Development’s mission to provide efficient, transparent and accessible services while ensuring compliance with federal requirements and maintaining consistency with existing eligibility data sources.