Opportunity Information: Apply for EDA B2S 2024
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is offering the FY 2024 Build to Scale (B2S) grant (Funding Opportunity Number: EDA B2S 2024; CFDA: 11.024), a discretionary grant program aimed at strengthening regional innovation ecosystems that help technology-driven, high-growth companies, including startups. The core focus is on helping organizations build the capacity and infrastructure needed for entrepreneurs to develop, test, commercialize, and scale new products and services, especially in critical, emerging, and transformative technology areas. In practical terms, the program is designed to support the kinds of regional platforms that make it easier for innovators to move from idea to market by connecting them to specialized expertise, facilities, investors, and commercialization pathways.
Build to Scale is structured around several connected goals: expanding both public and private capacity to support inventors and entrepreneurs; accelerating regional economies that are positioning themselves around "industries of the future"; providing proof-of-concept and commercialization support so that promising technologies can be validated and made market-ready; and improving equity and inclusion by widening access to capital for technology-enabled entrepreneurs. The opportunity recognizes that innovation clusters tend to form where there are shared resources like research capabilities, industry partners, talent pipelines, testing facilities, and networks of mentors and investors. As a result, projects that strengthen these regional assets or coordinate them into a more effective system are a natural fit for this funding.
The types of applicants EDA expects to apply include a wide range of ecosystem builders, such as state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations; and nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities, other than institutions of higher education). In other words, the program is not limited to universities or government agencies; it also supports nonprofit-led and cross-sector efforts, as long as the proposal aligns with the Build to Scale purpose and meets the detailed eligibility and compliance rules in the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Funding under Build to Scale is intended to cover operational and programmatic costs tied to building and running regional innovation initiatives. That includes the work of designing, coordinating, and delivering programming that helps entrepreneurs and technology firms grow, commercialize, and attract investment. A key restriction is that awarded funds cannot be passed through or transferred directly to the end beneficiaries of the program, such as participant startup companies or individuals. This means the grant is generally meant to pay for the ecosystem support structure (staffing, program delivery, shared services, networks, commercialization support mechanisms, and similar functions), rather than serving as direct capital or mini-grants to startups.
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of up to $5,000,000 and anticipates making about 40 awards. The application deadline is October 28, 2024, and the opportunity was created on September 9, 2024. Eligible projects typically will be those that unlock or expand investment capital regionally or within a sector, operate accelerator-style programs to increase company growth and scaling outcomes, strengthen the pipeline for the next generation of entrepreneurs, or otherwise improve the systems that move technology from labs and prototypes into commercial products and real-world deployment.
Applications are submitted through EDA's application portal at https://sfgrants.eda.gov/s/funding-program/a2jSJ0000003YoLYAU/fy-2024-build-to-scale. Since the NOFO contains the full eligibility requirements, required components, evaluation criteria, and any cost-share or compliance conditions, the official NOFO should be treated as the definitive guide for preparing a compliant application.Apply for EDA B2S 2024
- The Economic Development Administration in the business and commerce, community development, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2024 Build to Scale" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.024.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-09-09.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-10-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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FY 2024 EDA Build to Scale (B2S) Grant FAQs
What is the FY 2024 Build to Scale (B2S) program?
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) FY 2024 Build to Scale (B2S) program is a discretionary grant opportunity intended to strengthen regional innovation ecosystems that support technology-driven, high-growth companies, including startups. The program emphasizes building the capacity and infrastructure that helps entrepreneurs develop, test, commercialize, and scale new products and services, especially in critical, emerging, and transformative technology areas.
What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EDA B2S 2024 and the CFDA number is 11.024.
What is the main purpose of Build to Scale?
Build to Scale focuses on helping organizations create or expand the regional platforms that make it easier for innovators to move from idea to market. This includes connecting entrepreneurs to specialized expertise, facilities, investors, and commercialization pathways, and strengthening the systems that support technology commercialization and company scaling.
What kinds of outcomes does the program aim to support?
Based on the program description, Build to Scale is designed to support outcomes such as stronger regional capacity to support inventors and entrepreneurs, faster growth in regions aligned with industries of the future, improved proof-of-concept and commercialization readiness for promising technologies, and broader equity and inclusion through widened access to capital for technology-enabled entrepreneurs.
What types of projects are a good fit for this opportunity?
Projects that align with the notice description include those that unlock or expand investment capital regionally or within a sector, operate accelerator-style programs to increase company growth and scaling outcomes, strengthen the pipeline for the next generation of entrepreneurs, or improve the systems that move technology from labs and prototypes into commercial products and real-world deployment.
Is this program focused on regional innovation ecosystems?
Yes. The program is specifically oriented toward strengthening regional innovation ecosystems and innovation clusters by reinforcing or coordinating shared resources such as research capabilities, industry partners, talent pipelines, testing facilities, and networks of mentors and investors.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
The opportunity indicates EDA expects applications from a wide range of ecosystem builders, including:
- State, county, and city or township governments
- Special district governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations
- Nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities (other than institutions of higher education)
Are nonprofits allowed to apply?
Yes. The program description explicitly includes nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities (other than institutions of higher education), among the expected applicant types.
Are Tribal governments or Tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations are included in the list of expected applicant types.
Is the program limited to universities or government agencies?
No. The description notes the program is not limited to universities or government agencies and also supports nonprofit-led and cross-sector efforts, as long as the proposal aligns with the Build to Scale purpose and meets the eligibility and compliance rules in the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
What is the maximum award amount?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of up to $5,000,000.
How many awards does EDA expect to make?
The opportunity anticipates making about 40 awards.
When is the application deadline?
The application deadline is October 28, 2024.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on September 9, 2024.
What can grant funds be used for?
Funding is intended to cover operational and programmatic costs associated with building and running regional innovation initiatives. This includes designing, coordinating, and delivering programming that helps entrepreneurs and technology firms grow, commercialize, and attract investment, as well as supporting the ecosystem infrastructure needed to deliver these services (for example, staffing, program delivery, shared services, networks, and commercialization support mechanisms).
Can the grant funds be given directly to startups or individuals as sub-awards, mini-grants, or pass-through funding?
No. A key restriction stated in the opportunity is that awarded funds cannot be passed through or transferred directly to end beneficiaries such as participant startup companies or individuals. The grant is described as supporting the ecosystem support structure rather than providing direct capital to startups.
Does the program support proof-of-concept and commercialization activities?
Yes. The opportunity describes goals that include providing proof-of-concept and commercialization support so promising technologies can be validated and made market-ready, and improving systems that move technology from labs and prototypes into commercial products and deployment.
Does the program prioritize emerging or transformative technology areas?
The opportunity emphasizes support for entrepreneurs developing, testing, commercializing, and scaling new products and services, especially in critical, emerging, and transformative technology areas.
How does Build to Scale address equity and inclusion?
The program includes an equity and inclusion goal described as widening access to capital for technology-enabled entrepreneurs.
Where do applicants submit their applications?
Applications are submitted through EDA's application portal at: https://sfgrants.eda.gov/s/funding-program/a2jSJ0000003YoLYAU/fy-2024-build-to-scale
What document should applicants rely on for the official requirements and evaluation criteria?
The official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is described as the definitive guide. It contains the full eligibility requirements, required components, evaluation criteria, and any cost-share or compliance conditions needed to prepare a compliant application.
Is this a formula grant or a discretionary grant?
The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant program.
What is the program trying to build or strengthen in a region?
The program is intended to strengthen the shared resources and coordination that help innovation clusters form and function, such as research capabilities, industry partnerships, talent pipelines, testing facilities, and networks of mentors and investors. The emphasis is on building capacity and infrastructure that supports entrepreneurs and high-growth technology companies.
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