Win Up to $50 Million for Jobs and Infrastructure: The EDA Recompete Pilot Program Grants for Distressed Communities

There are grants that buy you a few meetings, a consultant report, and a slightly-too-optimistic PDF. And then there’s Recompete, a federal program that looks at communities with stubbornly low employment and says, essentially: “Show us a serious plan—and we’ll bring serious money.”

The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) built the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program for places where the economy hasn’t just had a bad year. It’s been stuck. The kind of stuck that shows up in the daily math of households: people in their prime working years (ages 25–54) who want stability but can’t find a path into decent, lasting work.

Recompete is blunt about what it’s trying to change: the prime-age employment gap. Not “economic vibrancy” in the abstract. Not “workforce innovation” as a slogan. Actual employment—measurable, trackable, and tied to geography.

Here’s why local leaders are paying attention. Recompete offers two big opportunities: Strategy Development Grants up to $500,000 (to build a credible plan and coalition), and Implementation Grants up to $50 million (to execute multiple connected projects at once—workforce, infrastructure, small business support, wraparound services, and the unglamorous coordination that makes complex efforts work).

This is a tough grant to get, and EDA doesn’t hide the ball. In the first round, hundreds of communities applied. A small set got strategy dollars, and an even smaller set landed implementation awards. That’s the reality. The other reality: if your community can genuinely benefit from large-scale, coordinated investment, there aren’t many programs like this one.

What follows is a plain-English guide to what Recompete funds, who should consider applying, and how to position your community now—before the next periodic Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), expected late 2025.

Recompete at a Glance (Key Facts Table)

What This Opportunity Offers (And Why It’s Not Like Other EDA Grants)

Recompete is built like a two-stage rocket.

Stage one is about creating a plan that can survive contact with reality: real data, real partners, real governance, and a strategy that does not collapse the moment a staffing change happens at City Hall.

Stage two is where the program earns its reputation: implementation funding large enough to run multiple, coordinated projects—the kind of scale that can actually change a regional trajectory rather than decorate it.

A useful way to think about Recompete is as a portfolio investment in a place. EDA isn’t shopping for one perfect project. It’s looking for a set of projects that reinforce each other so the whole becomes more believable than any single line item.

That might mean workforce training that leads to actual jobs because employers shaped the curriculum, paired with childcare and transportation solutions so residents can attend training and keep jobs, paired with industrial site improvements so employers can expand locally, paired with small business supports so wealth isn’t only imported from outside the region.

And importantly: Recompete expects you to manage complexity. If your plan depends on one heroic organization doing everything, that’s not a plan—it’s a wish.

Strategy Development Grants Up to $500,000: The Serious Planning Money

If your community is eligible but not yet ready to propose a multi-year, multi-partner implementation portfolio, Strategy Development is the smart play.

This funding is meant for the hard, foundational work communities often skip because it’s slow and nobody cuts a ribbon for it. With up to $500,000, you can pay for labor market analysis, community engagement, coalition infrastructure, and the drafting of a Recompete Plan that is more than a brochure.

In practical terms, strategy funds can support: detailed diagnostics (who is out of work and why), selection of target geographies and populations, project design that links training to hiring, and the “operating system” of the coalition—who makes decisions, who holds money, how partners are held accountable, and how you’ll track outcomes.

If you’ve ever said, “We keep writing plans, but nothing changes,” this is your chance to write a plan that’s engineered to be implemented.

Implementation Grants Up to $50 Million: The Big Build (With Strings That Matter)

Implementation Grants are where Recompete becomes a once-in-a-decade opportunity.

At up to $50 million, implementation funding can underwrite the costs that usually kill ambitious employment strategies: facility upgrades, training capacity, employer partnerships, wraparound services, project management, and long-term measurement.

EDA has signaled it wants implementation proposals that read as integrated systems, not stand-alone programs. The strongest proposals usually resemble a coordinated “jobs ecosystem” build, with multiple parts moving at once: training, supportive services, business support, infrastructure, and governance.

Also: implementation awards typically require matching funds and partnership commitments. Translation: EDA wants to see that you can attract and coordinate other capital—state dollars, philanthropic dollars, employer investments, and other federal resources that make the whole effort sturdier.

Who Should Apply (Eligibility, Explained Like a Human)

Recompete is aimed at communities where the prime-age employment rate is below the national average—places where too many adults aged 25–54 are disconnected from work. EDA provides tools (including mapping resources on the program page) to help communities assess eligibility.

Eligible applicants typically include local governments, Tribal nations, Economic Development Districts, nonprofits, and—most importantly—coalitions representing the target area. Even when a single entity is the formal applicant, the program is designed for shared ownership.

Here’s what “who should apply” looks like in real life:

A small city that lost a major employer and now has fragmented services—training here, childcare there, transit nowhere—could build a coalition with the workforce board, community college, major healthcare employer, and community-based organizations that serve people with barriers to work.

A Tribal nation might apply directly (or co-lead) with a strategy that combines training, infrastructure improvements, and business supports aligned with local priorities, while addressing the specific barriers Tribal citizens face.

A rural region with multiple counties might be strongest as a regional coalition led by an EDD or regional planning commission, especially if the labor market is shared across county lines.

The program expects a Recompete Plan that does three things well: (1) proves the employment problem with data, (2) targets specific populations and places rather than boiling the ocean, and (3) lays out projects that plausibly close the gap.

If you don’t yet have a functioning coalition—or you’ve never managed a large federal award—don’t treat that as a moral failure. Treat it as a staging decision: you may be more competitive for a Strategy Development Grant first, then implementation later.

What Your Community Can Fund (Examples That Tend to Make Sense Together)

Recompete allows communities to combine multiple intervention types because employment gaps usually come from multiple bottlenecks. In distressed places, it’s rarely just “skills.” It’s often skills plus childcare plus transportation plus hiring practices plus weak employer coordination.

Strong project portfolios often include:

Workforce training that is linked to real hiring needs (healthcare, advanced manufacturing, logistics, construction trades, energy transition roles—whatever is actually hiring in your region), paired with paid work-based learning so participants earn while they train.

Infrastructure improvements that remove friction from job creation and access—site preparation, broadband access, training facility upgrades, or transit connections that match shift schedules instead of 9-to-5 fantasies.

Small business and entrepreneurship supports that meet people where they are—technical assistance, access to capital, incubators that aren’t just for startups with rich uncles, and procurement help so local firms can sell into anchor institutions.

Wraparound supports that keep people attached to work: childcare solutions, transportation assistance, case management, reentry supports, and stabilization services. If your community has high rates of justice involvement, unstable housing, or health barriers, ignoring wraparound services is like building a bridge and forgetting the ramps.

Insider Tips for a Winning Recompete Application (The Stuff That Actually Moves the Needle)

A strong Recompete application is not “well-written.” It’s well-governed. The writing simply reveals whether the governance is real.

Here are the moves that separate contenders from longshots:

1. Start with a brutally clear problem statement—then stay loyal to it

Recompete is about closing a specific gap: prime-age employment. Don’t begin with your favorite project. Begin with the employment data and the barriers analysis. If you can’t answer “who is not working, where, and why” in plain language, your project list will drift into feel-good territory.

A practical trick: write a one-page “employment gap brief” first. If your coalition can’t agree on that page, you’re not ready for a 20-page plan.

2. Pick a target geography and population like you mean it

Many communities try to be fair by spreading benefits everywhere. Reviewers tend to reward the opposite: focus. Choose specific neighborhoods, corridors, census tracts, or Tribal areas where the gap is most severe and where interventions can be concentrated enough to show measurable change.

This isn’t about ignoring other areas. It’s about building a plan that can actually produce outcomes within a grant period.

3. Make employers commit to more than vibes

Employer letters that say “we support this proposal” are the grant equivalent of a nod from across the room. Fine. Not convincing.

Push for specifics: number of hires, interview guarantees, paid placements, input into curriculum, equipment donations, supervisors committed to mentoring apprentices, or participation in a sector partnership with defined responsibilities.

4. Treat “match” as a strategy, not a scavenger hunt

Implementation awards require matching funds and partnership commitments. Start assembling your match story early and make it coherent: which dollars support which components, and how they reduce risk.

State workforce funds might support training. Philanthropy might support wraparound services. Employers might invest in equipment or wages for paid training slots. The cleaner the financing logic, the more credible the whole plan feels.

5. Budget for the boring glue: project management, data, and accountability

A multi-partner effort fails in predictable ways: unclear decision-making, inconsistent reporting, partner drift, and nobody empowered to call a foul.

Build a backbone structure and fund it. Name the entity that coordinates. Explain governance. Spell out how partners are held accountable if milestones aren’t met. Reviewers don’t fear ambition—they fear chaos.

6. Build wraparound supports into the core model, not as an appendix

If childcare and transportation are major barriers in your data, they should show up in your core project logic and budget, not as optional “nice-to-haves.” A plan that pretends barriers don’t exist reads like it was written from an office three counties away.

7. Write evaluation like you intend to use it

Your metrics should be practical and tied to decision-making: employment rate movement, job placements, retention at 6 and 12 months, wage progression, training completion, credential attainment, and participation in wraparound services.

Then add the key question: what will you do if results lag? EDA tends to trust coalitions that plan for course correction.

Application Timeline (Working Backward from a Late 2025 NOFO)

Because the next NOFO is expected late 2025, the best time to start is not “when the NOFO drops.” It’s now, while you can still make good decisions instead of rushed decisions.

A realistic timeline looks like this:

From January to April 2025, confirm eligibility using EDA’s tools, assemble a core coalition, and agree on your target geography and priority populations. This is also the season to inventory existing programs you can align rather than duplicate.

From May through August 2025, conduct or commission a labor market and barriers analysis, draft the skeleton of your Recompete Plan, and begin match conversations with state agencies, philanthropy, and employers. If you’re debating strategy vs. implementation, this is when you decide—based on capacity, not ego.

From September until the NOFO release, pre-write what you can: community context, data exhibits, draft governance language, draft partner commitments (then iterate until they’re specific). Identify the lead applicant and confirm grants management capacity.

Once the NOFO is released, expect an 8–12 week sprint. That sprint should be refinement, not invention. If you’re inventing your coalition during the sprint, you’re already behind.

Required Materials (What You’ll Almost Certainly Need)

Each NOFO sets exact requirements, but you should prepare for a package that includes the core narrative, the numbers, and the proof that partners are truly committed.

Commonly required components include:

• Recompete Plan / Project Narrative, typically a substantial document explaining the employment gap, target areas and populations, the portfolio of projects, governance, and outcomes. Write it like you plan to live by it, not file it away.
• Detailed budget and budget narrative that map dollars to activities and explain why costs are necessary. For implementation, expect multi-year complexity and multiple partners.
• Letters of commitment or MOUs that include concrete promises—dollars, staffing, hiring, space, equipment, program slots—not generic endorsements.
• Capacity documentation, such as key staff bios/resumes, grants management experience, and financial systems readiness (especially if you’re asking for big implementation dollars).
• Data and evaluation plan outlining how outcomes will be tracked, who owns the data, how privacy is handled, and how reporting will inform decision-making.
• Maps and data exhibits showing the target area, the employment gap, and relevant assets like training sites, employers, transit routes, and service hubs.

What Makes a Recompete Application Stand Out (What Reviewers Are Really Scoring)

Winning applications usually do four things at once.

First, they document the employment gap with clarity and credibility. Not just “we are distressed,” but “here is the prime-age employment rate, here is where it concentrates, and here is how long it has persisted.”

Second, they present an integrated strategy where projects reinforce each other. Workforce training connects to employers; wraparound services support participation and retention; infrastructure supports job growth and access; small business supports build local wealth.

Third, they demonstrate deep partnership—not just attendance at a meeting. Governance is defined, roles are specific, commitments are written, and the lead applicant can manage federal requirements without melting down.

Fourth, they show feasibility: a plan ambitious enough to matter, but not so sprawling it feels like a wish list. Reviewers tend to prefer a smaller number of well-executed, connected projects over a buffet of unrelated ideas.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (And How to Fix Them)

Mistake #1: Submitting a playlist instead of a strategy.
If your proposal reads like a random stack of programs, reviewers will ask the obvious question: how does this close the employment gap? Fix it by building a logic chain from barrier → intervention → outcome, and showing how projects connect.

Mistake #2: Overpromising because the money is big.
Big awards tempt communities into grandiosity: too many projects, too many partners, too little management. Fix it by prioritizing the interventions with the highest likelihood of measurable employment impact and funding the backbone capacity to manage them.

Mistake #3: Weak partner letters.
Letters that sound like polite applause don’t prove readiness. Fix it by requesting specific commitments and giving partners templates that force detail: numbers served, hires projected, dollars pledged, staff time allocated.

Mistake #4: Treating wraparound services as optional.
If barriers like childcare or transportation are core in your data but absent in your design, your plan looks detached from reality. Fix it by making wraparound supports part of the program model and budget from the beginning.

Mistake #5: Waiting for the NOFO to start building the coalition.
Coalitions built in a hurry look like they were built in a hurry. Fix it by starting now: regular meetings, clear decision rules, and an agreed-upon target geography and set of outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When is the deadline?

Recompete runs through periodic NOFOs rather than one standing deadline. The next round is expected late 2025. Monitor the official program page for updates.

How do we know if our community is eligible?

Eligibility is based on prime-age (25–54) employment rates relative to the national average. EDA provides resources on the program page, including tools to help communities confirm eligibility and define service areas.

Can a nonprofit be the lead applicant?

Often, yes—nonprofits can be eligible applicants. But Recompete is coalition-driven, and strong applications usually include deep partnership with local or Tribal government, workforce systems, and regional economic development entities.

Is this only for large cities?

No. The program is designed for urban, rural, and Tribal communities. Size isn’t the deciding factor; persistent distress and a credible plan are.

Do we need matching funds?

For Implementation Grants, yes—EDA expects matching funds and real commitments. Exact match terms depend on the NOFO and your distress level, so plan early and read the NOFO carefully when it’s released.

Should we go for strategy funding first or jump to implementation?

If you don’t yet have a strong coalition, clear governance, or large-grant management capacity, strategy funding may be the smarter on-ramp. If you already have a mature coalition, shovel-ready components, and match commitments, implementation could be appropriate.

What are the odds of winning?

Competitive. In the first round, many communities applied and only a small number received implementation awards. But “competitive” isn’t the same as “impossible.” Prepared coalitions with clear data and credible commitments give themselves a real shot.

If we don’t win, is the work wasted?

Not if you do it right. A strong Recompete Plan can support other federal opportunities, state investments, and philanthropic funding. Even an unfunded application can become a strategic asset—if it’s a real plan, not a one-time narrative.

How to Apply (And What to Do Next)

You can’t submit an application until the next NOFO opens—but you can absolutely start acting like a future awardee now.

Begin by confirming eligibility and gathering the data you’ll need for a clean, defensible problem statement. At the same time, convene your coalition and establish governance: who leads, how decisions are made, how conflicts get resolved, and who owns reporting and accountability.

Then choose your track. If your coalition is early-stage, organize around a Strategy Development proposal that builds the plan, match strategy, and operating capacity you’ll need to pursue implementation later. If you’re already implementation-ready, start mapping your project portfolio and match commitments so you’re not negotiating letters and dollars during the final month.

Ready to get official details straight from EDA?

Visit the official opportunity page: https://www.eda.gov/funding/programs/recompete-pilot-program