Will EDA’s Recompete Pilot Program reach rural America?

The Brookings Institution highlights the promise and pitfalls of the Economic Development Administration’s new Recompete Pilot Program, a $200 million initiative aimed at transforming the nation’s most distressed communities. Because nearly 60% of the non-metro U.S. population lives in Recompete-eligible areas, the program could be a major lever for rural renewal—but only if it accounts for rural realities like limited capacity, low density, and resource gaps. Analysts emphasize that without adjustments, such as flexible timelines, qualitative scoring, and protections against per-capita bias, rural applicants may be disadvantaged despite being central to the program’s mission. This reflects a broader Aspen CSG priority: ensuring that large-scale federal investments translate into genuine, place-based opportunity for rural communities rather than bypassing them in favor of easier-to-serve urban centers.