15 U.S.C. § 3722
Section 3722 · Regional innovation program
Current version, with additions and removals from the December 16, 2014 version.
The Secretary shall establish a regional innovation program to encourage and support the development of regional innovation strategies, including regional innovation clusters.
(1) In general
As part of the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary may award grants on a competitive basis to eligible recipients for activities relating to the formation and development of regional innovation clusters.
(2) Permissible activities
Grants awarded under this subsection may be used for activities determined appropriate by the Secretary, including the following:
(A) Feasibility studies.
(B) Planning activities.
(C) Technical assistance.
(D) Developing or strengthening communication and collaboration between and among participants of a regional innovation cluster.
(E) Attracting additional participants to a regional innovation cluster.
(F) Facilitating market development of products and services developed by a regional innovation cluster, including through demonstration, deployment, technology transfer, and commercialization activities.
(G) Developing relationships between a regional innovation cluster and entities or clusters in other regions.
(H) Interacting with the public and State and local governments to meet the goals of the cluster.
In this section:
(A) a State;
(A) a State;
(B) an Indian tribe;
(B) an Indian tribe;
(C) a city or other political subdivision of a State;
(C) a city or other political subdivision of a State;
(D) an entity that—
(D) an entity that—
(E) a consortium of any of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).
(E) a consortium of any of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).
(2) Regional innovation initiative
The term "regional innovation initiative" means a geographically-bounded public or nonprofit activity or program to address issues in the local innovation systems in order to—
(A) increase the success of innovation-driven industry;
(B) strengthen the competitiveness of industry through new product innovation and new technology adoption;
(C) improve the pace of market readiness and overall commercialization of innovative research;
(D) enhance the overall innovation capacity and long-term resilience of the region;
(E) leverage the region's unique competitive strengths to stimulate innovation; and
(F) increase the number of full-time equivalent employment opportunities within innovation-based business ventures in the geographic region.
(3) State
The term "State" means one of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or any other territory or possession of the United States.
(4) Venture development organization
The term "venture development organization" means a State or nonprofit organization that contributes to regional or sector-based economic prosperity by providing services for the purposes of accelerating the commercialization of research.
The Secretary shall establish a regional innovation program to encourage and support the development of regional innovation strategies designed to increase innovation-driven economic opportunity within their respective regions.
(1) Authorization of grants
As part of the program established pursuant to subsection (b), the Secretary may award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible recipients for activities designed to develop and support a regional innovation initiative.
(2) Permissible activities
A grant awarded under this subsection shall be used for multiple activities determined appropriate by the Secretary, including—
(A) planning, technical assistance, and communication among participants of a regional innovation initiative to improve the connectedness and strategic orientation of the regional innovation initiative;
(B) attracting additional participants to a regional innovation initiative;
(C) increasing the availability and investment of private and philanthropic financing that supports innovation-based business ventures; and
(D) facilitating commercialization of products, processes, and services, including through demonstration, deployment, technology transfer, and entrepreneurial activities.
(3) Restricted activities
Grants awarded under this subsection may not be used to pay for—
(A) costs related to the recruitment, inducement, or associated financial or tangible incentives that might be offered to relocate an existing business from a geographic area to another geographic area; or
(B) costs associated with offsetting revenues forgone by 1 or more taxing authorities through tax incentives, tax increment financing, special improvement districts, tax abatements for private development within designated zones or geographic areas, or other reduction in revenues resulting from tax credits affecting the geographic region of the eligible recipients.
(A) In general
(A) In general
An eligible recipient shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
An eligible recipient shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
(B) Components
(B) Components
The application shall include, at a minimum, a description of the regional innovation cluster supported by the proposed activity, including a description of—
Each application submitted under subparagraph (A) shall—
(i) describe the regional innovation initiative;
(ii) how the existing participants in the regional innovation cluster will encourage and solicit participation by all types of entities that might benefit from participation, including newly formed entities and those rival existing participants;
(iii) the extent to which the regional innovation cluster is likely to stimulate innovation and have a positive impact on regional economic growth and development;
(iii) identify what activities the regional innovation initiative will undertake;
(iv) describe the expected outcomes of the regional innovation initiative and the metrics the eligible recipient will use to assess progress toward those outcomes;
(C) Special consideration
The Secretary shall give special consideration to applications from regions that contain communities negatively impacted by trade.
(5) Special consideration
(C) Feedback
The Secretary shall provide feedback to program applicants that are not awarded grants to help them improve future applications.
(D) Special considerations
(i) applications proposing to include workforce or training related activities in their regional innovation initiative from eligible recipients who agree to collaborate with local workforce investment area boards; and
(ii) applications from regions that contain communities negatively impacted by trade.
The Secretary may not provide more than 50 percent of the total cost of any activity funded under this subsection.
The Secretary may not provide more than 50 percent of the total cost of any activity funded under this subsection.
(7) Geographic distribution
In conducting a competitive process, the Secretary shall avoid undue geographic concentration among any one category of States based on their predominant rural or urban character as indicated by population density.
(8) Funding
(8) Funding
The Secretary may accept funds from other Federal agencies to support grants and activities under this subsection.
The Secretary may accept funds from other Federal agencies to support grants and activities under this subsection.
(1) In general
(1) In general
(2) Research grants
(2) Research grants
(3) Dissemination of information
(3) Dissemination of information
Data and analysis compiled by the Secretary under the program established in this subsection shall be made available to other Federal agencies, State and local governments, and nonprofit and for-profit entities.
Data and analysis compiled by the Secretary under the program established in this subsection shall be made available to other Federal agencies, State and local governments, and nonprofit and for-profit entities.
(4) Regional innovation grant program
(4) Regional innovation grant program
(1) In general
(1) In general
(2) Collaboration
(2) Collaboration
(A) In general
(A) In general
(B) Small businesses
(B) Small businesses
The Secretary shall ensure that such collaboration with Federal agencies prioritizes the needs and challenges of small businesses.
The Secretary shall ensure that such collaboration with Federal agencies prioritizes the needs and challenges of small businesses.
(1) In general
(1) In general
(2) Requirements
(2) Requirements
(B) the program's efficacy in providing awards to geographically diverse entities;
In this section:
(1) Regional innovation cluster
The term "regional innovation cluster" means a geographically bounded network of similar, synergistic, or complementary entities that—
(A) are engaged in or with a particular industry sector and its related sectors;
(B) have active channels for business transactions and communication;
(C) share specialized infrastructure, labor markets, and services; and
(D) leverage the region's unique competitive strengths to stimulate innovation and create jobs.
(2) State
The term "State" means one of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or any other territory or possession of the United States.
Not later than 5 years after the first grant is awarded under subsection (c), and every 5 years thereafter until 5 years after the last grant recipient completes the regional innovation initiative for which such grant was awarded, the Secretary shall submit a summary report to Congress that describes the outcome of each regional innovation initiative that was completed during the previous 5 years.
(1) General rule
Except as provided in paragraph (2), no funds are authorized to be appropriated by the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2014 for carrying out this section.
(2) Authority