About Local Development Districts

What is an LDD?

The NBRC Federal-State partnership is aided by a group of regional organizations called Local Development Districts (LDDs) that assist the NBRC in its outreach activities and administer NBRC investments for grantees. LDDs are either an already existing federally designated Economic Development District, as certified by the US Economic Development Administration, or an organization similar in nature to a regional planning commission.

What is the Role of an LDD?

LDDs are knowledgeable about other Federal and State programs that help fund economic and community development projects. They are aware of local concerns as most engage in regional economic development planning of varying degrees. LDDs provide feedback to the Commission on its current programs as well as assist in identifying future areas of focus for the Commission. 

Each Catalyst Program (SEID & IIJA) award is required to utilize an LDD for grant administration assistance unless they are an agency of State government, an LDD, or have requested and received an LDD waiver approval from NBRC during the preapplication stage of the Catalyst Program. 

LDDs are compensated for their administrative work, through a reimbursement process with the grantee, based on the formula of 2% of the NBRC award. LDD grant administration costs are an eligible NBRC cost for an amount not to exceed the formula.  If grant administration assistance is beyond the total available under the formula, those must be paid for with matching funds. Grant administration duties include assisting with quarterly reporting, reimbursement requests, final reporting and general guidance (see Role of the LDD document for more details).

If an entity is required to utilize an LDD, grant administration costs must be reflected as a line item within the project budget submitted in support of a Catalyst Program application for funding. Please see the Catalyst Program Manual for additional guidance on where this cost should be reflected in the project budget (SF424cbw).

LDDs utilized by grantees must have opted into the LDD Partnership Program for the current cycle year and continue to meet programmatic requirements to be eligible to provide grant administration assistance to new grantees.

What is NOT the Role of an LDD?

The LDD is not expected to:

• conduct bid processes and/or assess bid documents for completion
• interviewing potential consultants, or
• other procurement processes.

The 2% grant administration allowance also does not cover assisting a grantee with the completion of NEPA.  While some of our LDD partners have this capacity and experience, if a grantee wishes to engage the LDD in these processes, those are eligible NBRC costs, which must be reflected in the project budget (SF424cbw), and the grantee may enter a separate Grant Management contract with the LDD for those services.