Kelly, Barrasso Introduce Bill to Cut Red Tape on Rural Economic Development
Today, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced bipartisan legislation to make federal grants more accessible for rural communities across the country. The EDA Short Form Application Act would require the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to work with leaders in rural communities to streamline and simplify the grant application process.
“Too many rural communities have great ideas to grow their local economies but get stuck navigating complicated federal paperwork,” said Kelly. “By creating a short form application and working directly with rural leaders, we’re making it easier for communities to access the resources they deserve to invest in infrastructure, workforce development, and small businesses.”
“Wyoming’s small businesses and rural communities keep our state’s economy going strong. We want to make sure they have every opportunity to succeed,” said Barrasso. “Too many of Wyoming’s smaller communities miss out on federal grant opportunities due to the confusing, burdensome, and time-consuming application process. The EDA Short Form Application Act will bring economic development grants within rural Wyoming’s reach. Cutting red tape and creating a shorter, more relevant process will make it easier for Wyoming’s rural communities to successfully apply for these valuable grants.”
“Arizona’s rural communities should not be at a disadvantage when competing for federal opportunities,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “The EDA Short Form Application Act will cut through red tape and ease the burden on small cities and towns across our state. We appreciate Senator Kelly’s leadership and his commitment to supporting rural Arizona.”
“The Wyoming Economic Development Association supports the EDA Short Form Act because it would make federal programs more accessible and impactful for communities across our state. Smaller towns often lack the personnel to navigate lengthy federal processes and simplifying applications while empowering state partners like the Wyoming Business Council to design programs with input from economic development organizations and municipalities would ensure that resources reach communities of every size. Overall, this effort represents a positive step toward aligning federal investment with local capacity, strengthening Wyoming’s ability to grow businesses, support municipalities, and invest in workforce and infrastructure,” said Wyoming Economic Development Association Acting Administrator Ashley Harpstreith.
“The National Rural Economic Developers Association (NREDA) strongly supports this legislation to establish the use of short form applications for rural communities applying for grant programs, through the Economic Development Administration (EDA). We believe that simplifying the EDA’s application processes, reducing requests for information that is already available in several other government datasets, and increasing transparency in review criteria will directly improve access to critical funding for small, under-resourced rural communities, enabling more participation in federal economic development programs. NREDA thanks Senator Barrasso for his leadership on this important issue and we urge Congress to pass this bill quickly,” said National Rural Economic Developers Association (NREDA).
“On behalf of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and the thousands of economic development organizations and professionals we serve across the country, I want to thank Senator Barrasso for his work and leadership on S.5241, the EDA Short Form Application Act. This legislation would help make federal economic development grants more accessible for rural communities across the country. By directing the U.S. Economic Development Administration to work directly with rural communities to streamline and simplify the grant application process, this bill recognizes the capacity challenges many communities face and takes a practical step to ensure federal resources can reach the places that need them most. IEDC appreciates Senator Barrasso’s continued leadership and commitment to advancing practical reforms that strengthen rural economies and improve access to economic development tools that drive economic prosperity,” said International Economic Development Council President and CEO Nathan Ohle.
The EDA Short Form Application Act would:
- Require the establishment and use of short form applications for rural communities applying for economic development grant programs, and for other purposes.
- Require the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to consult a representative group of rural stakeholders for input on the following criteria:
- The length of the applications,
- The information and documentation required or requested to be submitted as part of the applications,
- The degree of applicability to rural communities of questions in the applications and information and documentation described requested, and
- Any other considerations the Assistant Secretary determines to be necessary for the establishment of the short form application.
Full text of the legislation can be found here.
