On April 2, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced a series of operational updates related to implementation of the Thomas Carper Reauthorization Act of 2025. IEDC helped to inform the economic development provision of this bipartisan legislation and strongly advocated for its passage.
According to EDA, the agency has completed a congressionally approved reorganization intended to reflect new and updated programs authorized in the law. This includes the establishment of two primary program offices: the Office of Regional Operations, which oversees EDA’s regional offices and Public Works programs, and the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which manages programs such as Tech Hubs, Recompete, and Build to Scale. EDA also established a new Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience.
EDA has begun to implement provisions in the law related to workforce and has convened leadership from the Regional Commissions to discuss coordination and program delivery across agencies.
Additionally, EDA is undertaking efforts to standardize grantmaking processes, develop applicant and post-award management resources, and propose regulatory changes aimed at reducing administrative burden.
The agency also noted the launch of a tribal economic development resources webpage, which compiles federal tools and funding opportunities for tribal communities.
Additional information is available through the following resources: