Tech Hubs Phase 1 NOFO

The Tech Hubs Program is an economic development initiative designed to drive regional technology- and innovation-centric growth by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy critical technologies. This program will invest directly in regions with the assets, resources, capacity, and potential to transform into globally competitive innovation centers in approximately 10 years while catalyzing the creation of good jobs for American workers at all skill levels, both equitably and inclusively. 

The Tech Hubs Program is an investment in our future. This program will bring together a wide array of public, private, and academic partners into a collaborative consortium focused on regional economic development needs and unique growth opportunities. By growing these new centers of innovation throughout America, the Tech Hubs Program will help strengthen U.S. economic and national security. 

The Tech Hubs Program was enacted as part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (as the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program). The statute authorized $10 billion for the program over five years. As part of the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congress appropriated EDA $500 million to launch the program. 

The Tech Hubs Program seeks to ensure that the industries of the future—and their good jobs—start, grow, and remain in the United States. This program will invest in U.S. regions that are focused on technologies within or across the key technology focus areas outlined in the statute.

As of April 6, 2023, EDA no longer accepts applications via Grants.gov, and ONLY accepts applications through its new grants and program management platform, the Economic Development Grants Experience (EDGE) (https://sfgrants.eda.gov). To submit an application to the Tech Hubs Phase 1 NOFO, please click here. More information on how to apply is provided in the full NOFO. 

Only consortia are eligible to apply for investment assistance under this NOFO. Each consortium must include at least one each of the following as a member, one of whom should serve as the lead institution to receive an award under this NOFO:(1) Institutions of higher education, which may include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions;(2) State, territorial, local, or Tribal governments or other political subdivisions of a State, including State and local agencies, or a consortium thereof;(3) Industry or firms in relevant technology, innovation, or manufacturing sectors (see section A.1.b.iii. for additional information related to this member type, including that EDA encourages two or more firms in the consortium’s selected core technology area to be part of the consortium);(4) Economic development organizations or similar entities that are focused primarily on improving science, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, or access to capital; and(5) Labor organizations or workforce training organizations, which may include State and local workforce development boards as established under 29 U.S.C. §§ 3111 and 3122 (see section A.1.b.iii. for additional information related to this member type, including that EDA encourages a labor organization to be part of the consortium).Consortia may also include one or more of:(1) Economic development entities with relevant expertise, including a district organization (as defined in section 300.3 of title 13, Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulation);(2) Organizations that contribute to increasing the participation of underserved populations in science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship;(3) Venture development organizations (as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 3722(a));(4) Organizations that promote local economic stability, high-wage domestic jobs, and broad-based economic opportunities, such as employee ownership membership associations and State or local employee ownerships and cooperative development centers, financial institutions and investment funds, including community development financial institutions (see 12 U.S.C. § 4702(5)) and minority depository institutions (see 12 U.S.C. § 1463 note or considered a minority depository institution by the appropriate Federal banking agency or the National Credit Union Administration);(5) Elementary schools and secondary schools, including area career and technical education schools (as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (29 2 U.S.C. § 2302));(6) National Laboratories (as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 15801);(7) Federal laboratories;(8) Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers;(9) Manufacturing USA Institutes;(10) Transportation planning organizations;(11) A cooperative extension services (as defined in 7 U.S.C. § 3103(6));(12) Organizations that represent the perspectives of underserved communities in economic development initiatives; and(13) Institutions receiving an award under the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines program (42 U.S.C. § 19108).

Tech Hubs Program Office Phone 2024825081