EDA Build to Scale (B2S)
$500K-$5M federal grants for regional tech-ecosystem capacity. Applicants are nonprofits, EDOs, universities, or governments. The most recent competition is FY 2024, which closed October 28, 2024; EDA's program page announces no upcoming NOFO and no expected date.
Check an Address — Free Snapshot
Compare the geocoded point for a Chicago address with the boundary used to screen EDA Build to Scale (B2S). A match is a location signal; review the current program source for the boundary's role and remaining criteria.
Published criteria — confirm with U.S. Economic Development Administration
- Nonprofit, EDO, university, or government partnership
EDA Build to Scale (B2S) is administered at the federal level. Depending on the program, eligibility may depend on the specific location, property type, or business activity rather than a single drawn boundary.
Boundaries are precise and change over time, so whether a specific address falls inside a mapped zone always depends on that exact address. The fastest way to check is to run a free snapshot for the parcel you have in mind — mapped coverage is a location signal, not an eligibility determination.
Range on file · $500K – $5M federal grants
Most recently published round offered $500K – $5M federal grants. (No round currently open as of 2026-08-09.)
- +$500K – $5M federal grants
- +Supports innovation capacity, entrepreneur networks, scale-up assistance
- +3-year project periods
- 1No open opportunity — EDA announces no upcoming Build to Scale NOFO
- 2Subscribe to EDA program news for any future funding announcement
- 3Form a regional coalition with university, EDO, and nonprofit partners in the meantime
Check EDA's Build to Scale page for a newly announced NOFO — none was announced as of 2026-08-09
- Coalition MOU and roles
- Project narrative and budget
- Match funding documentation
- Letters of support
This page is a starting point, not eligibility, legal, or tax advice. Verify current requirements, deadlines, and boundaries with the administering agency before applying or spending money — program rules and funding change over time.
- Phone
- (202) 482-5081
- Web
- Visit site ↗
Last verified 2026-08-09
Created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and made permanent by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA, Pub. L. 119-21, July 2025) on a 10-year designation cycle. OZ 2.0 governor nominations underway July 2026; new OZ 2.0 map effective 1/1/2027. Existing OZ 1.0 tracts remain valid through 12/31/2028.
WOTC LAPSE NOTICE: The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) expired December 31, 2025. As of July 2026 it is in legislative hiatus — no new credits are available for employees starting work on or after January 1, 2026. WOTC has historically been reauthorized retroactively; employers are advised to CONTINUE pre-screening new hires using IRS Form 8850 to preserve potential retroactive eligibility. Credit value: $2,400–$9,600 per qualifying hire.
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HUD-designated Qualified Census Tracts boost Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) by 30%, making affordable housing development more financially viable in these areas.