Community Economic Development Focus on Energy Communities

The Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services will solicit applications to award approximately $3.2 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary grant funds to Community Development Corporations for CED projects that will be located in and serve energy communities – communities that have either experienced employment loss and/or economic dislocation events as a result of declines in the fossil fuel industry and/or are disproportionately reliant on fossil fuel energy production or distribution, including coal, oil, gas, and power plant communities across the country. Projects may include the creation or expansion of business(es) that reduce emissions of toxic substances and greenhouse gases from existing and abandoned infrastructure and that prevent environmental damage that harms communities and poses a risk to public health and safety. Projects may also employ individuals from energy communities but focus on a range of other industries. The overall goal of this effort will be to create good-paying jobs, spur economic revitalization, remediate environmental degradation, and support energy workers.