East Texas Economic Development District News

Join ETCOG and Texas Department of Agriculture for a TxCDBG Outreach Meeting

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 17:38:23 GMT

ETCOG is proud to host the Texas Department of Agriculture on March 12th to hold a TxCDBG Regional Outreach Meeting. Join us to hear a TxCDBG grant program overview of requirements, allocation formula, upcoming funding opportunities, and TDA's one-year action plan.

Eligible applicants in our region are all non-entitlement communities, which include all of our cities with the exception of Tyler, Marshall, and Longview.

When

Thursday, March 12, 2026

10:00 AM

Where

ETCOG Headquarters

3800 Stone Road

Kilgore, TX 75662

Please RSVP your attendance !

ETCOG to Host TxCDBG Kickoff Meeting on Nov. 30

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 18:04:39 GMT

ETCOG is proud to host the Texas Department of Agriculture on November 30th to hold a TxCDBG Kickoff Meeting. Join us to hear about grant allocations planned for our region and an overview of proposed changes to the application process. Regional input is welcomed on how TDA can best serve non-entitlement communities through the revised application process.

Questions? Contact our Economic Development Team!

Lynda David , 903.218.6457 or

Rebecca Gage , 903.218.6499

Fair Housing Survey: Ensuring Equal Opportunity for All

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 21:40:00 GMT

Your voice matters! Take our Housing Survey

What do you know about fair housing and housing discrimination? Most people assume that discrimination is based solely on the color of their skin, but it covers so much more than that and isn’t always so straightforward.

The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other housing-related activities. The Fair Housing Act covers most housing. In minimal circumstances, the Act exempts owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units, single-family houses sold or rented by the owner without an agent, and housing operated by religious organizations and private clubs that limit occupancy to members.

The East Texas Council of Governments wants to ensure that our region is well-educated on recognizing housing discrimination and how to avoid and report it if encountered. Everyone, regardless of color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), familial status, and disability, is entitled to fair and non-discriminatory housing. Take our test, and let’s see how you “fair”!

EDA Announces University Center Program Funding Opportunity

Mon, 22 May 2023 17:06:05 GMT

In today's rapidly changing economic landscape, it has become evident that institutions of higher education play a crucial role in fostering vibrant economic ecosystems. These universities possess a wealth of economic development assets that can propel regional growth and innovation.

Recognizing this immense potential, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) has established the University Center program (PDF) to empower universities and consortia of institutions to establish and operate University Centers (UCs). The primary focus of these UCs is to harness the resources and capabilities of universities to build robust regional economic ecosystems that foster innovation, high-growth entrepreneurship, resiliency, and inclusiveness.

Since as early as FY 1980, EDA-funded UCs have been actively responding to the needs of small- and medium-sized manufacturers and processors by providing crucial technology transfer and commercialization assistance. Today, these UCs continue to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of their regions. Some UCs are at the forefront of creating a digitally inclusive economy, offering valuable resources and guidance in this digital age. Others are addressing the economic impacts resulting from the closure of major plants by collaborating with stakeholders in their regions.

The strength of University Centers lies in their collaborative approach. They work hand-in-hand with other EDA partners, such as Economic Development Districts (EDDs), to combine their expertise, applied research, and technical assistance. This collaboration is aimed at developing, implementing, and supporting regional strategies that lead to tangible outcomes like job creation, the cultivation of high-skilled regional talent pools, and business expansion within innovation clusters.

University Centers focus on several key areas, each crucial for the growth and resilience of a region. One such area is regional commercialization efforts. By leveraging university assets and expertise, UCs help bridge the gap between innovative research and commercial viability. They facilitate the transfer of cutting-edge technologies and intellectual property into the market, propelling the growth of local businesses and industries.

If you are a university or part of a consortium of institutions passionate about driving regional economic growth, innovation, and resiliency, the EDA's University Center program presents an incredible opportunity. Joining this program will enable you to leverage the vast resources, expertise, and collaborative network of UCs to make a lasting impact on your region.

To learn more about applying for the University Centers funding opportunity, please visit https://bit.ly/3ot5EQn .

TxCDBG Community Development Fund Applications Due May 3, 2023

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 16:12:45 GMT

Maximum Grant Amount: $500,000

Every year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds directly to states, which, in turn, provide the funds to cities with populations less than 50,000, and to counties that have a non-metropolitan population under 200,000 and are not eligible for direct funding from HUD. These communities are called non-entitlement areas, because they must apply for CDBG funds through the Texas CDBG program. Larger cities, entitlement areas, receive CDBG funds directly from HUD.

The Texas CDBG program is administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) .

TxCDBG Community Development Fund 2023-24

Purpose: The primary objective of the Community Development Block Grant program is to develop viable communities by providing decent housing and suitable living environments and expanding economic opportunities principally for persons of low- to moderate-income. The Community Development Fund is the largest fund category in the TxCDBG Program. These funds are available on a biennial basis through a competition in each of the 24 state planning regions. Although, most funds are used for Public Facilities (water/wastewater infrastructure, street and drainage improvements and housing activities), there are numerous other activities for which these funds may be used.

Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are non-entitlement cities and counties that are not participating or designated as eligible to participate in the entitlement portion of the federal Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG).

Maximum Grant Amount: $500,000
Application Deadline: May 3, 2023
Apply at https://tda-go.intelligrants.com/ .

Go to the TDA grant’s webpage.

The East Texas Economic Development District provides technical assistance for jurisdictions in the ETCOG region seeking CDBG funds. For assistance, contact Lynda.David@etcog.org or (903) 218-6457.

New Zoom Prospector Tool Allows Property Comparison

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 20:12:25 GMT

Choosing the right site or building requires a careful analysis of all available options. Our Economic Development District uses ZoomProspector to ensure you can easily compare details from multiple listings at the same time.

This one? Or that? It's never been easier to weigh the differences between the site and building options on your list. Select as many properties as you like for a side-by-side comparison of features in this mobile-friendly tool.

SELECT PROPERTIES

No need to limit yourself! Choose as many sites and buildings as you like from the main property list to see how they stack up side-by-side.

COMPARE AND ANALYSE

View your selected properties at the bottom of the screen, then click the Compare button to view the full analysis.

SHARE AND EXPORT

Our many sharing options make this tool particularly powerful. You can download your comparison report as a spreadsheet or share it in an email, on social media, or with a custom link.

Site selectors and businesses making location decisions will typically have lists of potentially suitable properties once they've narrowed down their search to a location. ZoomProspector's intuitive property comparison tool helps you see how options stack up against each other with this convenient side-by-side analysis. See how the properties compare on relevant characteristics, click the images to view the full property reports, and take advantage of our many share options.

ETCOG to Seek Brownfields Funding to Support the Redevelopment of Underutilized Properties

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 16:07:25 GMT

Through a competitive RFQ process, ETCOG is excited to begin work with Stantec Consulting Services Inc. to prepare an FY 2023 Brownfields Assessment Grant application through the US Environmental Protection Agency. EPA’s Brownfields Program provides grants and technical assistance to communities, states, tribes, and others to assess, safely clean up and sustainably reuse contaminated properties.

ETCOG is moving forward with this project as an opportunity to support the reuse and redevelopment of underutilized properties in East Texas by removing the risks associated with past land uses. Funds may be utilized for a wide range of environmental due diligence and redevelopment planning activities over four years. If funding is awarded, it may be accessed by both public and private entities throughout ETCOG’s region.

The grant application is due in the late fall of this year, with award announcements in the spring of 2023. ETCOG will facilitate community engagement activities over the coming months to provide further information and solicit input regarding potential focus areas and catalyst projects.

Grant Opportunity for Texas businesses in the Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality Industry

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 13:59:12 GMT

Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grant Program

The Office of the Governor has announced the launch of a new recovery program, the Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grant Program (TTIR), which will begin accepting applications on July 6, 2022. The purpose of this program is to provide grants to Texas businesses in the tourism, travel, and hospitality industry that were negatively impacted due to COVID-19.

The TTIR program will issue a one-time grant of up to $20,000 to eligible Texas businesses in the following industries: arts, entertainment, and recreation; food services and drinking places; traveler accommodation; RV parks and recreational camps; traveler arrangement and reservation services; convention and tradeshow organizers; breweries; wineries; and distilleries. Applications will be accepted in phases by the industry group. Below is a listing of application timelines, based on the business NAICS code.

Application Timelines:

Category 1 – July 6 to July 31, 2022: NAICS 312120, 312130, 312140, 5615, 561920, and 7212
Category 2 – August 1 to August 21, 2022: NAICS 71
Category 3 – August 22 to September 11, 2022: NAICS 7211
Category 4 – September 12 to October 2, 2022: NAICS 722
Category 5 – If funds remain after the first four phases a fifth phase will revisit any unfunded applications to award the remaining funds.

The Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office will host a series of webinars for specific industry groups to provide more information and answer questions on the program and application process. To register for the webinars and for eligibility and grant application details, deadlines, and more, click the link below.

Applications will be accepted through the TTIR Program Portal beginning July 6, 2022, in accordance with application timelines by industry grouping.

We're Searching for an AmeriCorps Vista Volunteer - Advocate for Economic Development

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 19:01:06 GMT

See our post for an Agent for Economic Development

The East Texas Council of Governments is partnering with AmeriCorps VISTA to advocate for Economic Development. The VISTA will review and assist in improving our Regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), assist in broadband planning efforts, and help establish the Brownfields Program to restore lost economic assets to the business community within the East Texas region.

As a team member, the VISTA will assist the ETEDD and regional stakeholders with the identification, application, and administration of economic development grant funds for the betterment of the 14-county region. They will learn how to analyze economic development data, assess the needs of individual communities, and provide solutions to those communities, so they have the greatest chance of future economic development success. The VISTA will collaborate with the Executive Director, the Division Director, other ETCOG staff, and regional stakeholders to accomplish these efforts.

This project is sponsored by the Austin Regional Office (AURO) of the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and will be directly supervised by the East Texas Council of Governments in Kilgore, Texas. The overall EDA Mission is "to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy."

ETCOG to Host Grant Writing Workshop for Local Grant Seekers

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 13:53:06 GMT

ETCOG’s East Texas Economic Development District has partnered with Grant Writing USA to host a two-day grant writing workshop in Longview, on June 8-9, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Maude Cobb Convention Center.

ETCOG works with local, state, and federal partners to assist with prioritizing and administering community development and recovery grants across its 14-county region. This workshop is for grant seekers across all disciplines to learn about funding sources and how to write winning grant proposals.

“Many of our communities heavily rely on grants to support their program budgets. This is an opportunity for them to sharpen their skills in writing competitive grant applications. Our team can also assist with grant research and application assistance to supplement their training,” said Lynda David, ETCOG’s Economic Development Specialist.

The workshop is open to local jurisdictions, city managers, commissioners, emergency management departments, bridge staff, parks & recreation departments, public safety departments, special districts, and anyone involved with disaster debris cleanup and management.

The cost to attend is $455, which includes two days of instruction, a workbook, and access to digital tools with over 200 samples of grant proposals. ETCOG members can receive a $50 discount by using code “ETCOG” at the time of registration.

To register, visit http://grantstraining.com/longview0622 . For more information, contact Lynda David at (903)218-6457 or Lynda.david@etcog.org .

East Texas Economic Development District Launches Data Tools to Attract New Investors & Support Businesses

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 16:44:02 GMT

ETCOG, through its East Texas Economic Development District (ETEDD), has launched brand new online data tools to promote the region for business relocation and expansion and to support its Economic Development Corporation members. The easy-to-use tools make information, research, and analysis instantly accessible to community stakeholders, site selectors, realtors, and businesses making location decisions. Existing businesses can access a specialized portal with additional market intelligence to help them grow their companies.

"The benefits from the integration of ZoomProspector into our website are immeasurable. Critical data for our community is now easily available through our website, and the ability for us to paint a strong picture of our community is essential in our business attraction efforts," said Chuck Vanderbilt, Community and Economic Development Manager for ETCOG.

Paula Gentry, the ETEDD board chair, adds, "ZoomProspector is a critical tool for our organization to market East Texas to site selectors. ZoomProspector makes community information and data easily accessible to businesses considering East Texas and positions the ETEDD to be the first step in their location decision."

The mobile-friendly tools include ZoomProspector , the industry's leading online GIS location analysis tool, the Community Profile data infographic , and the interactive Demographic Intelligence Component . These represent the latest business intelligence tools, powered by GIS Planning , offering the gold standard in economic development software. These data tools allow businesses to search and analyze available commercial and industrial sites and buildings in order to choose the location that best fits their criteria and grow their companies. As site selectors or prospective investors assess possible locations, they can obtain the most accurate and up-to-date information on thousands of variables. Existing and potential prospects can research, analyze and export local and regional data on demographics, consumer spending, labor force, business, industry, infrastructure, and other GIS points of interest. Research can be easily exported, emailed, or shared on social media networks.

ETCOG has purchased licensing for each of the Economic Development Corporations in the region to have access to the tools and add properties to the site directly. Staff is in the process of rolling out the tools to all EDC members, and 70 properties have been added to date.

Economic Development Team Adds New VISTA Volunteer

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 14:43:08 GMT

ETCOG is pleased to welcome Leah Noland as its new AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. Since 1965, over 220,000 VISTA members have joined the fight against poverty by helping local organizations expand their capacity to make change.

EDA American Rescue Plan Resources

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:27:23 GMT

Thank you to our regional EDA representative, Jason Wilson, for educating the East Texas region on American Rescue Plan opportunities!

ETCOG wants to thank our local Economic Development Administration representative, Jason Wilson, for joining us last week to host a webinar on the American Rescue Plan Act. We were pleased to have many of our local jurisdictions and community partners join us online to overview $3 billion in grant opportunities available through the EDA.

This event was hosted by ETCOG's East Texas Economic Development District in partnership with EDA to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build back better by accelerating the economic recovery from the pandemic. The event will close with an opportunity for Q&A from guest attendees.

We appreciate all who attended last week's event. If you missed it, we've provided resources below with the presented information.

EDA 101 and American Rescue Plan Overview

Webinar: Click Here

If you are interested in applying for funds from any of the EDA American Rescue Plan programs or have ideas for projects that might fit, please review the request for information below for each of the respective programs and submit your project idea. ETCOG's Disaster Recovery Coordinator is available to meet with you over the phone or in-person to discuss potential projects and how they might fit into a grant opportunity.

Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Grant

Request for Information: Click Here

Webinar: Click Here

Build Back Better Industry Cluster Challenge

Request for Information: Click Here

Webinar: Click Here

Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant

Request for Information: Click Here

Webinar: Click Here

Good Jobs Challenge (Workforce Development Grant)

Request for Information: Click Here

Webinar: Click Here

Join Us Virtually on August 26th for an Overview of $3 Billion in Grant Opportunities from the EDA

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 19:56:35 GMT

ETCOG is pleased to host our local Economic Development Administration representative, Jason Wilson, for a free live webinar on the American Rescue Plan Act. We invite our local jurisdictions and community partners to join us on Thursday, August 26, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. for a brief overview of $3 billion in grant opportunities available through the EDA.

ETEDD News and Upcoming Grant Opportunities

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 21:44:34 GMT

This blog highlights some ETEDD developments, upcoming grants, and funding opportunities that ETEDD staff can help you tap into.

Broadband Planning Initiative
The ETEDD team is proud to share that we are well on our way to developing 42-70 broadband projects in East Texas. With the help of our counties, EDCs, cities, and broadband providers, we have completed the mapping work in 12 of our 14 counties. We are already working on engineering and budgets for five identified projects in Wood County, have identified up to five projects in each of six more counties, and have completed all of our initial project identification meetings in all but one county. This work is a critical component of broadband development in East Texas as broadband grant opportunities are already available. We will need engineered and budgeted projects to be eligible for those grant dollars.

The ETEDD would like to recognize Wood County and the Wood County EDC for their efforts to bring five potential areas needing broadband development. They are well on their way to having grant applications in by the end of the summer.

New Board Members

The ETEDD is proud to announce that it has three new board members . Rush Harris of the Marshall EDC, James Hubbard of the Jacksonville EDC, and Jana Russell of the Kilgore EDC have all joined the board of the Economic Development District. With an entirely new staff and some new board members joining the fray, we are excited for the future of the Economic Development District and the value that we can bring to East Texas Cities, EDCs, and rural areas.

Our Team

We would like to hear from you about projects that you are working on in your area or ideas about how the ETEDD can better serve the region; please do not hesitate to reach out to Lynda – 903.218.6457 or Lynda.David@ETCOG.org .

As highlighted in the past, the ETEDD can help you find funding opportunities for City, EDC, or County initiatives, small businesses moving to the region, and non-profit industries. Below are some funding opportunities that are currently open or will be opening soon. Please take a look and reach out to us if you have a project and are looking for grant or loan funding sources.

More News

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4.8 Million in Cares Act Recovery Assistance to Support Workforce Development and Training in Texas

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 13:30:58 GMT

The U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina M. Raimondo, announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $4.8 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to help the state of Texas prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

“President Biden is dedicated to creating new opportunities to get Americans back to work following the pandemic,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “These EDA investments will support new workforce development programs in Texas, including an automotive technology workforce training facility and professional development courses in entrepreneurship, training Americans for well-paying, quality jobs.”

“The Economic Development Administration is committed to helping communities across the nation implement strategies to mitigate economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Dennis Alvord, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “These EDA investments will provide the infrastructure needed to create workforce training programs in Texas to build a stronger, more resilient regional economy.”

“I thank the Economic Development Administration for investing in and boosting our workforce training efforts across our great state,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “Even during challenging times, Texas has remained a premier economic destination in our nation, thanks to our business-friendly climate and skilled workforce. Working together, we can ensure that Texans are prepared for these good-paying jobs and more as we unleash the full might of our state's economy.”

“While Texans persevere as COVID-19 wreaks havoc on our state, we must take steps to ensure that our communities are equipped to weather the storm,” said Senator John Cornyn. “I applaud this announcement and will continue to do everything I can to make economic growth across Texas a high priority.”

“As our workforce recovers from the pandemic, the McAllen Center for Urban Ecology will be a major player in sustainable development and drive job growth in South Texas,” said Congressman Gonzalez (TX-15). “I am proud to lend federal support to such a forward thinking project that will spur our economy and create good paying jobs.”

“I applaud the Biden Administration for making investments that will help businesses make it to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic and create hundreds of jobs in our North Texas community,” said Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33). “Through its grant to On the Road Lending’s smart car automotive technology workforce training facility, EDA investments will support our state’s economic need by creating opportunities for hard-working Texans in the city of Irving. That’s what good government does.”

The EDA investments are:

On the Road Lending, Irving, Texas, will receive a $3 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to create a smart car automotive technology workforce training facility to offer paid apprenticeships and prepare workers for well-paying, quality jobs. The project, to be matched with $750,000 in local funds, is expected to create 275 jobs.
The city of McAllen, Texas, will receive an $1.8 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to construct an education and training center at the Center for Urban Ecology, which will offer programs in entrepreneurship, small business recovery and resiliency, and workforce development. The project, to be matched with $1 million in local funds, is expected to create 700 jobs and generate $35 million in private investment.

This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136 PDF), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

We're Searching for an AmeriCorps Vista Volunteer - Advocate for Economic Development

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 18:58:05 GMT

AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve directly with nonprofit organizations to tackle our nation’s most pressing challenges.

The East Texas Council of Governments is partnering with AmeriCorps VISTA for Advocate for Economic Development. The Agent for Economic Development-VISTA will review our region wide CEDS, compare it to other CEDS identified through research by the VISTA as “best practice” CEDS and make recommendations for modifications to improve EDD reach and effectiveness throughout our 14-County region. The VISTA will also help establish a new regional Brownfields Program by identifying brownfield sites, catalog them, assess them, and ultimately, once the Brownfields Program has been established, restore them to the point where these sites can be redeployed for local businesses use. Our VISTA will also work directly with the Executive Director, the Division Director and other EDD staff to conduct background research on a new program designed for Texas to help address infrastructure “capacity gaps” between urban and rural communities through the implementation and strategic use of economic development grant programs.

HUD Commemorates National Fair Housing Month 2021

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 14:38:59 GMT

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today kicked off Fair Housing Month 2021. This year’s Fair Housing Month theme, Fair Housing: More Than Just Words, reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing equity in housing and the importance of increasing public awareness of everyone’s right to fair housing.

“Fair Housing Month is a time to recommit to our nation’s obligation to ensure that everyone has equal access to safe, affordable housing,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “Unfortunately, housing discrimination still exists, from individuals and families being denied a place to call home because of the color of their skin or where they come from, to landlords refusing to allow persons with disabilities to keep assistance animals, to individuals being denied a place to live because of who they love. In this moment of unprecedented crisis, fair housing is more important than ever. 53 years after the Fair Housing Act was signed, our journey to justice in housing continues.”

Each April, HUD, local communities, fair housing advocates, and fair housing organizations across the country commemorate Fair Housing Month by hosting an array of activities that highlight HUD's fair housing enforcement efforts, enhance Americans’ awareness of their fair housing rights, and emphasize the importance of ending housing discrimination.

Secretary Fudge will commemorate Fair Housing Month with a virtual celebration on April 7th at 2 p.m. Eastern time that will also feature the Justice Department’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Pamela Karlan; HUD’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Jeanine Worden; and HUD Senior Advisor Alanna McCargo.

In addition to highlighting HUD’s enforcement activities, a central focus of this year’s commemoration will the Biden-Harris Administration’s pledge to end housing discrimination, provide redress to those who have experienced housing discrimination, to eliminate racial bias and other forms of discrimination in all stages of home-buying and renting, and to secure equal access to housing opportunity for all.

Last year, HUD and its Fair Housing Assistance Program partner agencies received more than 7,700 complaints alleging discrimination based on one or more of the Fair Housing Act's seven protected classes: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, and disability. During that period, the categories with the highest number of complaints were disability and race, respectively. HUD also received complaints that alleged lending discrimination as well as numerous complaints from women who faced unfair treatment, including sexual harassment.

"Although the Fair Housing Act became law in 1968, we still have major challenges ahead of us,” said Jeanine Worden, HUD’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “This April, on the 53rd anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, HUD is renewing its commitment to level the playing field so every person has the same opportunity to live where they choose and benefit from all of the opportunities this nation offers.”

For a complete listing of HUD Fair Housing Month events and activities, go to: www.hud.gov/FHM2021 .

People who believe they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay). Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed by going to hud.gov/fair housing .

Shuddered Venues Grant Opportunity

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 14:36:11 GMT

The Small Business Administration has released information regarding a new grant opportunity totaling $16 Billion. The funds are available to Live and Motion Picture Venues as well as production companies and talent reps. The application opens April 8th and will fund your business with up to 45% of 2019 gross earned revenue. If you were not in operation for all of 2019, your grant eligibility would be calculated based on your revenues during your fully operational months. It is highly recommended that applicants begin the process of identifying required documentation and applying for a DUNS number. If you have any issues with this process or questions, please feel free to contact our office. Contact information can be found below.

There are a handful of eligibility requirements and priority levels for those that had a higher revenue loss. All of this information and more can be found at the links below:

SBA Website

Eligibility Requirements

FAQ Sheet

Please note; if you received PPP, the total amount of PPP you received would be deducted from your Shuddered Venues funding.

Texas Rent Relief Program Launched Bringing Rent Relief to Many East Texas Counties Not Previously Served by a Rental Assistance Program

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 19:07:37 GMT

Prior to last week, many East Texans did not have access to any form of rental assistance and are commonly faced with the choice of a roof over their heads or food for their families. According to the American Community Survey data for 2014-2018, 33,692 people live in poverty in Anderson, Harrison, Panola, Upshur, and Van Zandt counties. These counties at present have had had no access to a rental assistance program.

The Texas Rent Relief Program was launched by TDHCA on February 15th to solve this problem and bring relief to millions across the United States. The program has emergency funds available to help Texas renters pay rent and utility bills (including past due rent and utilities).

Both landlords and tenants can use TexasRentRelief.com to create an account and submit their applications. The Texas Rent Relief Program can help renters with the following costs starting as far back as March 13, 2020 (this means you could potentially request assistance for up to 11 months of past-due bills):

· Past due, current, and up to 3 months of expected rent costs

· Past due, current, or up to 3 months of expected utility and home energy expenses

· After the initial three months of forward assistance, you can apply for three additional months of assistance if funds are still available

What is needed from you? We need this program to be shared as much as possible so those in need can hear about it and access it. Please share this information on social media and post fliers in any offices with access by the public. You can download a flier here at the link below. Thank you for your help in spreading the word!

Find out more at https://texasrentrelief.com . Questions? Access the Call Center at 1-833-9TX-RENT (1-833-989-7368) Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Help is available in multiple languages.

Do you have infrastructure projects that will create jobs? Our Economic Development team can assist!

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 19:17:42 GMT

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is the only federal agency focused exclusively on economic development. They have invested billions of dollars in regional efforts to spur economic growth through infrastructure development, cheaper financing for small businesses, and projects to help guide regions towards growth.

One of their primary funding avenues is the Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs (PWEAA) . These programs provide economically distressed communities and regions with comprehensive and flexible resources to address a wide variety of economic needs. Projects funded by these programs will support work in Opportunity Zones. They will support the EDA mission, among other things, leading to the creation and retention of jobs and increased private investment, advancing innovation, enhancing the manufacturing capacities of regions, providing workforce development opportunities, and growing ecosystems that attract foreign direct investment.

The EDA will consider applications for the PWEAA Program if it is a project the will have some guaranteed job creation or private investment. The EDA prides itself in keeping their investment dollars per job created low, and their ratio of private investment to EDA investment high. What does that mean? The EDA averages $13,000 per job created, and $15 of private investment for every $1 of EDA investment.

If you have any infrastructure projects that will create jobs, our Economic Development team can assist you by developing a project summary for our local EDA representative, Jason Wilson, to review. He provides valuable assistance and insight into if the project is of interest to the EDA and how to make the project more competitive. Moving forward, our team can assist members with walking you through applying with the EDA, so you know what information you need to gather and that it is presented most compellingly on your application.

Please contact us if you have an idea for a project. The EDA application for funding is one of the most straightforward applications for federal assistance that you will ever find. The worst that can happen is they say, “no thanks.” The best? You could receive up to $1.5 Million as a 50% match towards your infrastructure project.

Let us know what you are working on, and we will see where there may be a funding source that we can help you secure!

U.S. Department of Commerce Launches $25 Million SPRINT Challenge to Address Coronavirus Pandemic Through Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 15:57:02 GMT

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the opening of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) new Scaling Pandemic Resilience Through Innovation and Technology (SPRINT) Challenge, which will enable organizations across the country to address the economic, health, and safety risks caused by the coronavirus pandemic through entrepreneurship and innovation.

The SPRINT Challenge is a $25 million national competition funded by the CARES Act. With the publication of the SPRINT Challenge Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) today, EDA seeks projects that aim to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic and future pandemics. The deadline to apply for the Challenge is December 3, 2020.

“Throughout our history, intrepid American innovators have solved problems and secured our economic competitiveness. The Trump Administration is counting on our Nation’s innovators to help our country through COVID-19 and beyond,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “The SPRINT Challenge will harness America’s entrepreneurial potential to respond to challenges caused by the coronavirus.”

“With this challenge, we will tap into American ingenuity, creativity, and innovation to find unique solutions to the unprecedented challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “Innovators and entrepreneurs are quickly pivoting in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The SPRINT Challenge will help communities support those entrepreneurs when we need them the most.”

Eligibility is open to cities, counties, states, other political subdivisions of states, and Indian Tribes; public or private nonprofits; institutions of higher education; and EDA-Economic Development Districts.

Individual grants will be awarded up to $500,000 over a 12-month period of performance or up to $750,000 over an 18-month period of performance. Project focuses may include, but are not limited to, scaling innovative biotechnology, health security, and supply chain technologies and solutions to market; increasing regional, national, and government connectivity across innovation clusters to support commercialization and entrepreneurship; developing new and unique investment capital models to address the ﬁnancial needs of entrepreneurs; or developing and scaling innovative entrepreneurship support models to address the virtual and remote work environment of the pandemic.

The CARES Act, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, provides EDA with $1.5 billion for economic development assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

EDA’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship will administer the SPRINT Challenge, as authorized through the CARES Act.

For more information, please visit EDA’s SPRINT Challenge webpage.

Economic Development Team Expansion

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 16:13:28 GMT

ETCOG is here to support its members through two primary objectives: to provide a forum for local elected officials to solve common problems, and to be a solutions provider for our members. One way we directly assist our members and the business community is through our economic development team. This team has been recently expanded within the ETCOG Workforce & Economic Development division under Chuck Vanderbilt’s leadership as the Community and Economic Development Manager, and the addition of new team members: Lisa Smith, Economic Development Specialist; Sheila Rojas, VISTA Volunteer; Daniel Seguin, Regional Disaster Recovery Coordinator; and a pending hire as an Economic Development Specialist.

Along with assisting ETCOG members, the team administers the East Texas Economic Development District, leading regionally driven economic development planning, and offering grant research, writing, and administrative services; the East Texas Regional Development Company which provides new business lending options; the Solid Waste Action Committee; the Northeast Texas Air Care Association to improve air quality; and the Community Loan Center of East Texas, a low-interest, low-fee personal loan program partnership between employers and employees.

COVID-19 Economic Recovery Assistance Available at ETCOG

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 16:04:15 GMT

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.

Enhancing Economic Development in East Texas

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 17:35:47 GMT

ETCOG is here to support its members through two primary objectives: to provide a forum for local elected officials to solve common problems, and to be a solutions provider for our members. On Friday, January 24th, ETCOG leaders met with the Texas City Managers Association, Region 5, for its annual meeting to share how we are here to enhance economic development in East Texas and offer regional assistance to our members. ETCOG's Executive Director, David Cleveland, and Director of Workforce and Economic Development, Doug Shryock, spoke to the group on the program we administer to do so, the East Texas Economic Development District.

What is the East Texas Economic Development District (ETEDD)?

Economic Development Districts (EDDs) are designated by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) 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 (i.e., an economic development roadmap) for regional collaboration.

ETCOG receives a three-year planning grant from the EDA, and with those funds we undertake several activities in the East Texas region through the East Texas Economic Development District Board.

How is the ETEDD set up?

The ETEDD is aligned with ETCOG’s 14 county region. There are two board members from each county; One appointment by the county judge and one appointed by the ETCOG Executive Committee representative from each county. The Board has four primary functions:

Serve as a regional forum to solve common economic development issues
To identify and resolve economic development and competitive issues facing the region
Roundtable discussion on regional projects and barrier resolution
To maintain an updated Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region

What are the services provided?

Grant Research
Grant Writing
Grant Acquisition for Economic Development Projects
Post Grant Administration
Strategic Planning
Redeveloping Brownfield Sites
Prospect Support and Advice
Incubator Grant (Business Park)
Upgrading Infrastructure to Attract New Industry
Technical Support Services

Needs Analysis
Economic Studies
Site Visits

Need assistance? Contact the ETEDD

Visit our new website to find out about Opportunity Zones, CEDS, Grant Services, County Profiles, and more!

www.etedd.org

We're Hiring an AmeriCorps VISTA Position

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 15:48:59 GMT

See our post for an Agent for Economic Development

The Agent for Economic Development-VISTA will review our region wide Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), compare it to other CEDS identified through research by the VISTA as “best practice” CEDS and make recommendations for modifications to improve East Texas Economic Development District reach and effectiveness throughout our 14-County region. The VISTA will also help establish a new regional Brownfields Program by identifying brownfield sites, catalog them, assess them, and ultimately, once the Brownfields Program has been established, restore them to the point where these sites can be redeployed for local businesses use. Our VISTA will also work directly with the Executive Director, the Division Director and other staff to conduct background research on a new program designed for Texas to help address infrastructure “capacity gaps” between urban and rural communities through the implementation and strategic use of economic development grant programs.

October 2019 ETEDD Newsletter

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 15:45:06 GMT

We send a monthly newsletter. Check it out and join the distribution list.

We've got updates on grant opportunities, census migration, an AmeriCorps Vista position, and welcome article on our new Economic Development Specialist. Check it out!

ETCOG Seeks Information on Property Locations to be Considered for Economic Redevelopment Grant Application

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 20:15:22 GMT

ETCOG Member Jurisdictions May Partner or Apply

ETCOG is seeking property locations in East Texas to be considered for an economic redevelopment grant application to address and manage contaminated properties. In the coming months, we plan to apply for a grant through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields Program, which provides grants and technical assistance to safely assess, cleanup, and sustainably reuse contaminated properties.

The EPA launched the Brownfields program in 1995 and defines a “brownfield” as a property for which the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. There are estimated to be more than 450,000 Brownfields in the United States.

“The presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants at Brownfield sites represent significant health risks to the surrounding community,” said ETCOG’s Community Services Manager, Julie Burnfield. “Furthermore, areas surrounding Brownfield sites face ongoing economic challenges such as depressed property values, lack of employment opportunities and investment, and vacant properties can be a catalyst for crime, illegal dumping, and vandalism. It would be excellent to remedy any potential Brownfields locations within our region.”

“We recognize the importance of facing this challenge for the future health and well-being of East Texans,” said ETCOG’s Executive Director, David Cleveland. “We could use help from the local experts to identify properties in our region that could qualify. We also want to offer assistance to our members who wish to collaborate on this effort or need help with their own application.”

Through the East Texas Economic Development District (ETEDD), ETCOG can assist its member jurisdictions in researching, writing and/or administering grants, including grants offered through the EPA Brownfields Program.

To submit a property to be evaluated for inclusion in ETCOG’s Brownfields Community-Wide Assessment Grant, contact Julie Burnfield at (903) 218-6436 or Julie.Burnfield@etcog.org. The properties must be located within the ETCOG region including Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood counties.

For information on grant opportunities and assistance, members are encouraged to see the Grant Services area of our website. For more information on the Brownfields Program, visit www.epa.gov/brownfields .

Media Contact:

Lindsay Vanderbilt

Director of Communications

P: (903) 218-6442

Broadband Strategic Planning

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 07:19:32 GMT

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.

See our VISTA Volunteer's Feature on EDA's Website

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 14:43:08 GMT

EDA AMERICORPS VISTA SUPPORTS 5-YEAR PLANNING EFFORTS IN EAST TEXAS

This month’s VISTA spotlight highlights Kenan Johnson, an Economic Development Administration (EDA) VISTA serving at the East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG). Kenan is an AmeriCorps alumni from a previous term, having served 900-hours with American Conservation Experience in North Carolina. With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a passion for public service, Kenan’s experience in business and interest in helping others led him to this opportunity with the East Texas Council of Governments. Through the EDA AmeriCorps VISTA program, Mr. Johnson has gained an in-depth look at the East Texas region served by the council of governments and a valuable chance to impact change in the areas of opportunity for the economic development of the region.