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EDA has cancelled the FY 24 Build to Scale Competition
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) recently notified the FY24 Build to Scale (B2S) competition applicants that it has canceled the FY24 competition and will announce a new B2S competition in early 2026. According to the announcement, Secretary Lutnick has directed EDA to restart a new B2S competition that better aligns with the goals of the current administration.
It is unknown whether the proposed solicitation will have a pool of funds totaling $50 million (the FY2024 appropriation), $100 million (FY 2024 and FY 2025) or possibly up to $150 million (adding the Senate FY 2026 appropriation level should it prevail in congressional budget negotiations). The size of the pool may influence the design of the proposals sought in the Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) as well as the size and number of awards made. In September 2024, the previous administration announced a B2S competition; the EDA received over 200 applications at that time. The most recent awards made were in 2023.
EDA has encouraged all previous applicants to reapply for the next competition, but it is anticipated that the competition will be reopened for all potentially eligible applicants. The agency will post updates on the program on its website, EDA.gov.