August 7, 2020
COVID-19 Economic Recovery Assistance Available at ETCOG
Our New Disaster Recovery Coordinator is Here to Help
We at ETCOG
are always looking for ways to bring region-wide solutions to problems we are all facing. East Texas has seen a massive impact on our Economy from COVID-19 and we have access to resources to help us recover quickly from the economic shock and get back to a place of economic growth. We have had the unique opportunity, as some other economic development organizations in East Texas have had, to bring Federal Dollars to work for our people here in East Texas.
To that end, we have brought Daniel Seguin to the ETCOG team. He will spearhead our efforts to assist the community recover from this economic shock and to become more resistant to events such as this in the future.
Daniel is a 7th Generation Texan and a Graduate of East Texas Baptist University with a degree in Business Administration and Political Science. Daniel comes to ETCOG with a passion for East Texas combined with many years of experience at TBG Solutions Inc. working to find unique solutions to problems that East Texas faces.
Daniel can assist you in finding grants that may apply to a project you are working on, identify ways that ETCOG can meet a need in your community or partner with you to meet that need, and in other COVID-Related matters.
With that in mind, we have a few questions that would help us determine where the need is in our community so that funding can be directed appropriately.
Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated and will help ensure that Federal Coronavirus Relief funds get put to work to create jobs in East Texas and improve the competitiveness of our workforce.
Contact Our Regional Disaster Economic Recovery Coordinator!
You can reach ETCOG's new Regional Disaster Economic Recovery Coordinator, Daniel Seguin, by email at daniel.seguin@etcog.org or by phone at 903.218.6471.
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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 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.
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.
