Training and Technical Assistance (TTA)

Training and technical assistance (TTA) programs are valuable resources offered by federal agencies that can help local communities address specific needs or challenges. TTA programs are offered in myriad formats across agencies. In some cases, these are competitive programs that individual communities or organizations must apply to. In other cases, TTA services are offered upon request. Federal team members should review the available TTA programs in their respective agencies to determine availability and fit with the local community. The below list outlines example TTA programs that have been utilized by interagency federal teams in service to local communities.

Agency Name: Department of Justice (DOJ)
Program Name: Office of Justice Programs Diagnostic Center
Primary Purpose: The Diagnostic Center is a technical assistance resource designed to help state, city, county and tribal policymakers and community leaders use data to make decisions about criminal justice programming.
How to Apply: Government agencies, organizations, and communities are encouraged to apply by requesting assistance directly from the Diagnostic Center. For information visit: https://www.ojpdiagnosticcenter.org/

Agency Name: Department of Justice (DOJ)
Program Name: Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Technical Assistance
Primary Purpose: The COPS Office provides assistance to law enforcement agencies looking for ways to better implement the principles of community policing. Some agencies may be looking for best practices or peer-to-peer advice in dealing with a specific issue while others may be looking for more comprehensive, hands-on engagement and collaborative reform technical assistance.
How to Apply: Agencies can submit a “Statement of Need” letter (from either law enforcement or state/local government executives) providing background on the issues they would like to assess and any areas requiring reform to the COPS Office via [email protected] or call 202-353-4400 for more information. For more information visit: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/technicalassistance

Agency Name: Department of Justice (DOJ)
Program Name: Violence Reduction Network (VRN)
Primary Purpose: VRN is a partnership between federal and local law enforcement leaders focused on effective approaches to violence reduction strategies. Sites have expedited access to existing customized DOJ-sponsored TTA directed to their specific violent crime needs. Site representatives have direct access to subject-matter experts who offer expertise and support to successfully address critical issues.
How to Apply: Competitions are held on an annual basis. For information visit: https://www.bja.gov/programs/vrn.html

Agency Name: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Program Name: National Resource Network (NRN)
Primary Purpose: The NRN partners with cities grappling with major economic challenges to identify and implement new and practical solutions to facilitate the path to economic recovery and growth. The NRN deploys teams of private and public sector experts to work with cities on-the-ground and implement locally identified projects and initiatives that will deliver economic benefits in the near term. NRN also organizes convenings and hosts a resources and tools web site.
How to Apply: Cities request assistance via the NRN web site at: http://www.nationalresourcenetwork.org/en/solutions/rfa. For more information visit: http://www.nationalresourcenetwork.org/en/home

Agency Name: Department of Commerce (DOC)
Program Name: Economic Development Administration (EDA) Local Technical Assistance Program
Primary Purpose: This program strengthens the capacity of local or state organizations, institutions of higher education, and other eligible recipients to undertake and promote effective economic development programs through assistance developing projects such as feasibility analyses and impact studies.
How to Apply: Applications are accepted on a continuing basis and processed as received. Applicants must apply to their regional EDA office. For information visit: https://www.eda.gov/funding-opportunities/

Agency Name: Department of Education (ED)
Program Name: Office of State Support (OSS)
Primary Purpose: OSS provides technical assistance to state education agencies on a range of topics from administering funds to student assessments.
How to Apply: States request assistance by contacting the OSS. For more information visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oss/index.html

Agency Name: Department of Energy (DOE)
Program Name: State, Local, and Tribal Technical Assistance Gateway
Primary Purpose: The TA Gateway provides an access point to DOE’s technical assistance offerings in a range of areas, including clean cities, solar, energy efficiency, and more.
How to Apply: State, local, or tribal governments can request assistance via an email form. For information visit: http://energy.gov/ta/state-local-and-tribal-technical-assistance-gateway

Agency Name: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
Program Name: Mayor’s Institute on City Design (MICD)
Primary Purpose: MICD organizes technical assistance sessions where mayors engage leading design experts to find solutions to the most critical urban design challenges facing their cities. Sessions are organized around case study problems. Each mayor presents a problem from his or her city and gets feedback from other mayors and design experts. Six such sessions are held per year.
How to Apply: Interested participants should contact MICD directly. For more information visit: http://www.micd.org/

Agency Name: Department of Transportation (DOT)
Program Name: Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Program
Primary Purpose: The TPCB program is designed to help decision makers, transportation officials, and transportation agency staff resolve the increasingly complex issues they face when addressing transportation needs in their communities. This comprehensive program for training, technical assistance, and support targets State, local, regional, and Tribal governments, transit operators, and community leaders.
How to Apply: Interested participants should contact TPCB directly at [email protected]. For more information visit: https://www.planning.dot.gov/default.asp

Agency Name: Department of Transportation (DOT)
Program Name: Build America Transportation Investment Center
Primary Purpose: The Center serves as a one-stop shop for state and local governments, public and private developers, and investors seeking to utilize innovative financing strategies for transportation infrastructure projects.
How to Apply: Interested participants should contact the Build America Bureau. For more information visit: https://www.transportation.gov/buildamerica

Agency Name: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Program Name: Office of Sustainable Communities (OSC) Technical Assistance Programs
Primary Purpose: (OSC) collaborates with other EPA programs; federal agencies; regional, state, and local governments; and a broad array of nongovernmental partners to help communities become stronger, healthier, and more sustainable through smarter growth, green building, green infrastructure and related strategies. Technical assistance focuses on developing neighborhood level local food systems, sustainable growth and development, and smart growth techniques.
How to Apply: Application processes vary depending on the type of technical assistance. For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-policy-op#OSC

Agency Name: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Program Name: Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center
Primary Purpose: The Center works with on-the-ground partners to provide financial technical assistance to communities. The Center provides objective financial advice to help communities make informed decisions on funding drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects; and access to tools that help utilities make financing decisions that meet their local infrastructure needs.
How to Apply: For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/waterfinancecenter/financial-technical-assistance-and-tools-water-infrastructure

Agency Name: Environmental Protections Agency (EPA)
Program Name: Targeted Brownfields Assessments (TBA)
Primary Purpose: TBA is designed to help states, tribes, and municipalities—especially those without EPA Brownfields assessment pilots/grants—minimize the uncertainties of contamination often associated with Brownfields.
How to Apply: State, local, or tribal governments or nonprofits by contacting the EPA Brownfields regional office. For information visit: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/targeted-brownfields-assessments-tba

Agency Name: General Services Administration (GSA)
Program Name: Programs for State and Local Governments
Primary Purpose: GSA has a number of programs local governments can take advantage of, including the Disaster and Cooperative Purchasing Programs that allows local governments access to purchase certain services and items from GSA Federal Supply Schedules. GSA also has several excess supply donation programs, such as the Computers for Learning program that enables local communities to acquire computer equipment for schools and nonprofits at no cost.
How to Apply: For more information visit: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/105300