The Capital Region Economic Development Council (CREDC) will hold a Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) workshop in Queensbury for potential applicants to learn more about the third round of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s initiative to stimulate job creation and economic growth through the Regional Economic Development Councils.
The workshop is set for 9:30 a.m. to noon Friday, July 19, at SUNY Adirondack, 640 Bay Road, Queensbury. People can register for the workshop by calling 270-1130 or by visiting regionalcouncils.ny.gov/content/capital-region .
State officials said in 2013, up to $760 million in economic development resources will be available to applicants through the CFA.
The CFA application period opened to applicants across the eight-county Capital Region, which includes Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, and Washington counties on June 17.
The deadline for CFA submissions is 4 p.m. on Aug. 12.
After submission, CFAs will be reviewed by the CREDC based on their alignment with the council’s strategic plan as well as on a technical basis by the State Agency Resource Team, officials said.
According to CREDC, the workshops will include an overview of the application and CFA process followed by informational breakout sessions on specific areas of funding available for economic development projects.
As part of efforts to improve the state’s economic development model, state CFA was created to streamline and expedite the grant application process. Officials said the CFA process marks a fundamental shift in the way state resources are allocated, with the aim of ensuring less bureaucracy and greater efficiency to fulfill local economic development needs.
The CFA serves as the single entry point for access to economic development funding, ensuring applicants no longer have to slowly navigate multiple agencies and sources without any mechanism for coordination.
Now, said CREDC, economic development projects use the CFA as a support mechanism to access multiple state funding sources through one application, making the process quicker, easier and more productive. The CFA was recognized with a Special Award for Excellence in Business and Economic Development in 2012.
There are 29 programs available through 13 state agencies in 2013, including Empire State Development; NYS Canal Corporation; NYS Energy Research and Development Authority; Environmental Facilities Corporation; Homes and Community Renewal; Department of Labor; Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Department of State, Office of National and Community Service; Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance; Higher Education Services Corporation; Department of Environmental Conservation; and Council on the Arts.
The 2013 Available CFA Resources Manual, which outlines the funds available from state agency programs, and the 2013 REDC Guidebook, which provides the competitive guidelines for this year, are both available at http://www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov/.