# Economic Development Promotion and Resiliency Act: What This Bill Does

This bill updates and expands federal programs that help communities develop their local economies. The changes focus on making it easier for smaller communities and organizations to access funding and support for economic projects, with a particular emphasis on helping regions that depend on tourism and outdoor recreation.

The bill creates three main new funding programs. First, it establishes "predevelopment grants" that help communities pay for the early-stage work needed before major economic projects can happen—things like studying whether a project is feasible, getting environmental assessments done, training local staff, and preparing land for development. These grants are designed to help communities that lack the resources to do this groundwork themselves. Second, the bill creates a "Strong Communities" program that gives grants of up to $500,000 to hire experienced economic development professionals for three to five years. This helps smaller communities that can't afford to hire their own staff but need expert help implementing development plans and managing projects. Third, the bill establishes a new grant program specifically for tourism, hospitality, and outdoor recreation industries, allocating $100 million annually through 2027 to support activities like marketing campaigns, workforce training, infrastructure improvements, and small business assistance in these sectors.

The bill also extends the deadline for spending money that was allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds made available during the public health emergency can now be used until September 30, 2030, instead of expiring sooner. This gives communities more time to plan and execute projects using pandemic-era funding. Overall, the bill aims to help economically disadvantaged communities and regions dependent on tourism recover and grow by removing barriers to accessing federal economic development support.

Economic Development Promotion and Resiliency Act

Titus, Dina

Economic Development Promotion and Resiliency Act This bill modifies the Economic Development Administration's (EDA) public works and economic development programs. For example, the bill establishes grants (1) for predevelopment activities (e.g., community asset mapping); (2) for economic development capacity building; and (3) to support outdoor recreation, tourism, hospitality.