Grants & Trainings Available to Manufacturing Companies

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

Small or medium manufacturing company with one or more locations in West Virginia or in one of these twelve counties of southwestern Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland

A current DoD supplier or actively pursuing work in the DoD supply chain

Have completed a technical assessment assistance process by an AIM Higher Consortium partner

Have a clearly defined and ready advanced technology, business improvement or business development project which aligns with the recommendations resulting from the technical assessment assistance process that will allow applicant to expand work or become more competitive in the defense supply chain.

FUNDING AVAILABILTY

Applicants may request a grant up to 50% of the total advanced manufacturing technology project cost from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $5,000 per mini-grant.

One or two mini-grant assistance awards per eligible company or organization will be made during the mini grant cycle from December 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023. A separate application and project shall be identified for each mini-grant assistance award.

Once funds have been depleted, applications will be placed on a waiting list for consideration on a first come first serve basis should additional funds become available.

REQUIREMENTS

Committed match must be from state or private funding sources. Other federal grant dollars are not allowable match to this DoD-OLDCC grant.

The amount and source of matching funds shall be detailed within the application and be an allowable expense. Any change to the project scope post-award must have prior written approval of Catalyst Connection.

A post award decrease in the total project budget may result in a proportional decrease in grant award to maintain the minimum 50% match requirement.

ELIGIBLE USES

Mini-grant funds are intended specifically for projects arising out of the assessment and technical assistance provided as part of this program.

Mini-grant dollars may be used to support direct, project-related consulting costs, contracted services, software purchases, supplies, and one-time costs related to the implementation of advanced manufacturing technology or process improvement.

Costs must be allowable, directly allocable to this project, and reasonable.

Mini-grant dollars cannot be used to:

• Purchase equipment
• Support recurring costs related to connectivity
• Support internal salary costs of the applicant
• Replace existing grant funds received by the applicant or support costs already paid for by another government grant (duplicate funding)
• Pay for travel
• Support indirect costs
• Support other costs prohibited by DOD-OLDCC, state or federal law (for example: Lobbying, Advertising or Relocation costs)