5 Key Requirements for Manufacturers Applying for TAA for Firms Program

Do you have questions about federal grant funding? Are you familiar with the TAA for Firms program? Fear not! Amy Graziano can help! She is a project manager at the Rocky Mountain Trade Adjustment Assistance Center, which helps small to medium-sized manufacturing companies in South Dakota and surrounding states determine their eligibility for grants.

We sat down with Amy to get the fast facts manufacturers should know before applying for financial assistance. She gave us the five key requirements manufacturers need to have in order to be eligible for the TAA for Firms program.

Let’s get started.

1. The company must be a U.S. manufacturer.

RMTAAC is federally funded by the US Department of Commerce and is designed to assist companies facing foreign competition.

2. The company must be established in business for at least two years.

This means no startup firms. Sorry.

3. The company needs to be impacted by foreign competition.

Most manufacturers are aware of foreign competition, but they don’t know how to prove it. Good news. Rocky Mountain can help by using their import data to help firms demonstrate foreign competition.

4. The company has experienced a recent decline in employment.

An example of this would be a layoff or reduction in your workforce.

5. And finally, a company needs to have experienced a recent decline in sales.

If companies meet all five criteria, they are eligible to apply for the grant program. Amy is awesome and provides technical assistance throughout the whole process. She will assist manufacturers with applying for the TAA for Firms program and help them to develop a customized plan to determine the best ways to allocate the funding. It is clear manufacturers are not alone to navigate this program. Amy is one of the best resources for manufacturers and we are so lucky to have her! She makes the process simply. If you wish to connect with Amy, you can reach her at 720-638-9226 or graziano@rmtaac.org.