CATALYST PROGRAM

Pre-Application Support: View NBRC's Spring 2025 Program Overview 7-Part Series
This pre-recorded series will review the focus areas for the Catalyst Program, Forest Economy Program, and the Timber for Transit Program along with eligibility details, timeline and other information necessary for selecting the program that is right for your project.  

2025 Catalyst Program Information Session (February 11, 2025): View Session Recording  |  View PowerPoint PDF

Please go to the NBRC Resources Page for Grants Management Information. To register or submit pre-applications and applications, please visit NBRC’s Grants Management System.
Go to the Grants Management System




Spring 2025 Timeline and Key Dates 

  • Pre-applications and waivers due (Required): March 7, 2025, before 5:00 pm EST
  • Applications due (By invitation only):  April 18, 2025 before 5:00 pm EST


The Catalyst Program is designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire partnerships that improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region. NBRC encourages projects that take a creative approach to addressing an economic need or opportunity in the region, alleviate economic distress, and contribute to economic growth.

Successful projects support a broad range of economic development initiatives such as, but not limited to, projects that modernize and expand access to public water and wastewater services, revitalize transportation infrastructure, establish workforce development programs and facilities, grow the outdoor recreation economy, and provide access to new childcare and healthcare facilities.

A pre-application is required to apply for the Catalyst Program.  Your state’s designated NBRC Program Manager will provide important feedback to consider as you develop your pre-application materials.  Follow the process below to engage with your state’s program manager. 

Location Eligibility Guidance: The eligible NBRC service area includes 60 counties in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.  If your project is in the service area, it may be eligible for NBRC funds.  Locations outside the NBRC service area are NOT eligible to receive NBRC funds. 
 

By statute, the NBRC is required to annually assess the level of economic and demographic distress within its region (40 U.S.C, Subtitle V, §15702). Assessing distress is important as the resulting designations reflect whether the Commission can provide grants within a county as well as what level of match is required of Commission funded projects. For more details on the Annual Distress Criteria, county designations, and matching requirements, visit the NBRC’s Assessing Distress Criteria webpage. 

NBRC funds may not be awarded to projects located within a designated Attainment County. There are three exceptions to this:

  1. Isolated Areas of Distress
    When a county is designated as Attainment, the Commission will collect economic and demographic data within that county to identify Isolated Areas of Distress. Isolated Areas of Distress are municipalities that have high rates of poverty, unemployment, or outmigration. For a listing of the Isolated Areas of Distress see the Annual Distress Criteria.

    If a project is located within an Isolated Areas of Distress, an application may be submitted, but the applicant must indicate the location of the isolated area in the application. The match ratio for Isolated Areas of Distress projects is 50%.
     
  2. Multi-County Projects
    Projects within an Attainment County may be funded if the project is part of a multi-county project that includes at least one other Distressed or Transitional County. The match ratio for multi-county projects is based on the average of the counties that make up the project.
     
  3. Significant Benefit Waiver
    There are two exceptions that require a Significant Benefit Waiver to allow those projects, applicants or co-applicants that fall outside of the areas that meet the Commission’s annual distress criteria as designated in Table 4 to apply for NBRC funds.  Those exceptions are:

    - An exception exists for projects located within an Attainment County but outside of one of the identified “Isolated Areas of Distress” that will bring significant economic benefits to NBRC Distressed or Transitional counties. See significant benefit waiver requirements in Appendix E of the Catalyst Program User Manual.
    - An exception exists for applicants or co-applicants with established operations located outside of the NBRC service area but within a member state when the project that will bring significant economic benefits to NBRC Distressed or Transitional counties. See significant benefit waiver requirements in Appendix E of the Catalyst Program User Manual.

See the full list of counties and designations contained in the NBRC Distress Criteria.

           

Eligible Applicant Guidance:

  • State government (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York only)
  • Local governments (village, town, city and county)
  • Secondary and career technical centers
  • Other political subdivisions of States (regional planning commissions, authorities of the state)
  • Non-profit entities (see Program Manual for additional details)
  • Indian Tribes (federally recognized Indian tribes, see Program Manual for additional details)

For-profit entities, LLCs and other entities that are not a 501(c) are NOT eligible to apply for Catalyst Program funding. 

Projects must be consistent with the economic development goals of the region and advance a combination of NBRC and member state priorities. The Catalyst Program will prioritize funding for projects that demonstrate both readiness and projected direct impacts on the region’s economy and communities.

Review your State’s Economic Development Strategy:

Review NBRC Catalyst Program investment priorities:

  1. Projects that directly benefit communities that have been underrepresented in past NBRC investments will be prioritized. The focus is on rural communities with fewer than 5,000 people and underserved communities.
  2. Projects that demonstrate how they meet multiple needs within Catalyst project categories and are designed to create efficiencies will be prioritized.
  3. Projects that demonstrate how communities prevent, reduce, withstand, and recover from extreme weather-related disasters. 

NBRC recommends interested applicants in Maine, New York and Vermont complete the Project Interest Form before meeting with their State Program Manager. The information in this form allows the program manager to maximize the opportunity for feedback and funding program suggestions during project development meetings. This form is not required. 

Interested applicants in New Hampshire are encouraged to sign up for the technical assistance program that is available in eligible New Hampshire counties and communities.  Weblink: https://nbrc-nh.com/

Maine: Send your Project Interest Form to BizAwards.DECD@maine.gov.
New Hampshire: Questions about the technical assistance website can be directed to New Hampshire State Program Manager, Ian Davis.
New York: Send your Project Interest Form to New York’s NBRC Program Manager, Kyle Wilber.
Vermont: Send your project interest form to Vermont’s NBRC Program Manager, Kristie Farnham.

NBRC encourages applicants to incorporate feedback they receive from the state program manager into their pre-application and application.  NBRC recommends interested applicants self-evaluate their proposed project using the NBRC and state’s program scoring criteria to better understand the relative competitiveness of the project.

Pre-Application Process: The Catalyst Program requires a pre-application.  See the Catalyst Program TIMELINE for pre-application deadlines.  The Catalyst Program USER MANUAL has detailed guidance for developing both a pre-application and application. Pre-applications will be submitted using the NBRC Grants Management System. 

During the pre-application phase, projects will be evaluated for eligibility and relevance to the program. Projects that are determined to be eligible by NBRC and invited to apply by a state’s program manager, will submit a full application. 

Application Process: See the Catalyst Program TIMELINE for Application deadlines.  The Catalyst Program USER MANUAL has detailed guidance for developing both a pre-application and application. Applications will be submitted using the same NBRC Grants Management System.

During the application phase, eligible applications are reviewed and scored by both NBRC and the state program.  This scoring process incorporates NBRC and state priorities articulated in the scoring criteria, state economic development plans, and the NBRC Five Year Strategic Plan.  States select projects based on the results of the scoring process and strong alignment with priorities.  Selected projects are approved by the four State Governors and the Federal Co-Chair.  The Catalyst Program USER MANUAL also has the detailed Scoring Criteria used by NBRC and state programs. 

Help NBRC share information on funding opportunities, award announcements and other exciting news. By signing up for NBRC Announcements, you’ll be sure to receive the latest information on the Catalyst Program.  Sign up HERE.   

CATALYST PROGRAM OVERVIEW

PROGRAM TIMELINE

CATALYST PROGRAM MANUAL

LOCAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS LIST & ASSISTANCE

NBRC DISTRESS CRITERIA

NBRC Resources Page for Grants Management Information