In order to be funded through an EDA grant garnered by SEDC, a potential project must:

  • Fall within the EDA grant guidelines stated in the FEDERAL REGISTER
  • Consist of an industry or industries which either plans to locate a new plant, or an expand an existing operation, within one of the Commission's twelve member counties

Also, to ensure eligibility, a proposed economic development project should meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Remedy high levels of economic distress such as:  High levels of unemployment and underemployment
  • Large concentrations of low income families
  • Significant declines in per capita income
  • Substantial loss of population because of lack of employment opportunities
  • Large numbers of business failures
  • Sudden major layoffs, plant closures, or military base closures
  • Reduced tax bases
  • Natural or other major disasters or emergencies
  • Depletion of natural resources
  • Destructive impact of foreign trade

The grant applicant must also demonstrate that funding for the proposed project can not be obtained through other means.

Fulfillment of the above criteria will provide significant justification for a project.