NBRC Catalyst Program
The Catalyst Program is designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire partnerships that improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region. NBRC anticipates making up to $30 million available for competitive awards. Funds will be available in both spring and fall rounds.
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.
SCEC can assist eligible Washington County applicants with the pre-application and application process at no cost.
SCEC CAN HELP WITH YOUR APPLICATION
For more information on how SCEC can assist with your application, please contact Jennifer Peters, Director of Community Development:
Phone: 207-255-0983
Email: scec@sunrisecounty.org
Projects that will be prioritized include those that focus on rural communities with fewer than 5,000 people and underserved communities, projects that demonstrate how they meet multiple needs within Catalyst project categories and are designed to create efficiencies, and projects that demonstrate how communities prevent, reduce, withstand, and recover from extreme weather-related disasters.
2026 NBRC CATALYST FAQs
What are NBRC investment priorities?
NBRC investment priorities include:
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.
Who is Eligible?
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. See the full list of counties and designations contained in the NBRC Distress Criteria Report.
Eligible Applicant Guidance:
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State government (Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont only)
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Local governments (village, town, city and county)
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Secondary and career technical centers
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Other political subdivisions of States (regional planning commissions, authorities of the state)
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Non-profit entities (see Program Manual for additional details)
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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.
How do I apply?
The application submission process is the same for infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects. The Catalyst Program will run two funding rounds in 2025, with pre-application deadlines before 5:00pm EST on March 7 and August 29, and full application deadlines before 5:00pm EST on April 18 and October 10, respectively.
Pre-applications are required for funding consideration. Pre-applications will be reviewed for eligibility, maximum award amounts (based on project classification as either infrastructure or non-infrastructure), and adherence to both NBRC agency priorities and state program priorities. Full applications will only be accepted from those entities expressly invited to apply at the pre-application phase and must be submitted using NBRC’s online application system.
Interested and invited applicants should refer to the 2025 Catalyst Program User Manual for detailed pre-application and application submission instructions.
2026 Catalyst Timeline
Spring 2026
- Pre-applications and Waivers – due by 5:00 PM EST on February 27
- Full Applications (by invitation only) – due by 5:00 PM EST on April 17
- Approximate Grant Award date – June
Fall 2026
- Pre-applications due before 5:00pm EST on August 18
- Applications due before 5:00pm EST October 16
- Approximate Grant Award date – December
Administration Assistance through SCEC
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 knowledgeable about other Federal and State programs that help fund economic and community development projects.
Sunrise County Economic Council is an LDD.
Each Catalyst Program award is required to utilize an LDD for grant administration assistance unless they are an agency of State government, are an LDD, or have requested and received LDD waiver approval from NBRC prior to the submission of the Catalyst Program application.
LDDs are compensated for their administrative work, through a reimbursement process with the grantee, based on the formula of 2% of the NBRC award. LLDs can assist with:
- Quarterly Reporting: Ensure that the grantee files quarterly reports on time and enough information
to provide a meaningful outline of where the project is at in the process. - Reimbursement Requests: Provide guidance to grantees on filing reimbursement requests and ensure that reimbursement requests are accurate, within approved budget and contain all the necessary documentation to provide evidence of match and reimbursements that are expected to be paid by NBRC.
- Final Reporting: Ensure that the grantee has filed their final report and financial report in a timely manner after the project is complete.
- General Assistance: Be available to provide guidance to the grantee with other issues such as what their responsibilities are regarding procurement of goods and services and contractors. Have a general knowledge base about federal grant programs, specifically NBRC.