On May 20, the Obama administration announced the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, a sixteen-agency collaboration that will offer up to $33 million in funding to encourage public-private partnerships of regional industry clusters.  Regional industry clusters (RICs) that promote workforce development and a broad base of related industries can apply for up to $2.2 million in federal agency funding.

One week previously, on May 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its 2011 Request for Applications (RFA) for its $99 million Community Transformation Grants (CTG) program.  As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, CTGs support community-based preventive strategies to reduce chronic disease.

These health promotion and economic development funds could easily apply to related sustainable agriculture activities.

The Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge specifically highlights cheesemaking in Vermont, seafood in southeast Alaska, and food manufacturing in the Idaho-Oregon-Washington region as examples of successful regional industry clusters.

The Community Transformation Grant funds support the implementation of health interventions for weight control and improving nutrition.  The program will also fund activities that build the community’s capacity to implement policy, environmental, programmatic or infrastructure changes that will address weight and nutrition.

Find out more about the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge and the application process at the U.S. Economic Development Administration website.  County, city district, township, or Native American tribal governments; state or local nonprofits; and small businesses are all eligible to apply for the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge.  Applicants must submit a letter of intent by June 10, and applications are due July 7.  There will be a teleconference for interested applicants on July 7.

Find out more about the CTGs here, and read about the application process and FAQ here.  A webinar on June 2 will provide additional information.  State and local governments, state and local nonprofits, and tribal governments are all eligible to apply.  Applicants must submit a letter of intent by June 6, and applications are due on July 15 by 5pm EDT.