The US Economic Development Administration (EDA) promotes economic growth, innovation, and competitiveness among regional markets in the US. Through eight programs, EDA funds planning grants, technical assistance, large-scale construction projects, revolving small-business loan funds, and various other economic development activities. This brief analyzes EDA data from 2010 to 2019 to paint a broad picture of the agency’s programs and grantmaking activities. During this period, EDA invested an average of $361 million a year across its programs. Physical construction projects accounted for about one in five grants but more than two-thirds of funding. EDA provided 50 percent of the funding for construction projects and 60 percent of the funding for nonconstruction projects.

Brett Theodos, Leiha Edmonds, Daniel Teles, Christina Plerhoples Stacy, Christopher Davis, Benny Docter, Jonathan Schwabish, and Tanay Nunna

Established in 1965, the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) supports regional economic development through investments in areas such as planning, infrastructure, small-business lending, and technical assistance to state and local governments and nonprofit organizations. This brief describes the history of EDA and contextualizes its approach to economic development. We first describe EDA’s origins and objectives and examine changes in its funding. We then describe EDA’s programs and their evolution. The brief is informed, in part, by interviews with current or former designers, implementers, or administrators of EDA programs and the agency’s partners. The brief concludes with a discussion of future and emerging economic development needs that EDA hopes to address through its programming.

Brett Theodos, Leiha Edmonds, Daniel Teles, Christina Plerhoples Stacy, Christopher Davis, Benny Docter, and Jonathan Schwabish