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2011 Grant Funds for Worsted Wool Fabric Mfrs Available

The International Trade Administration has issued a notice announcing the availability of grant funds in calendar year 2011 for U.S. manufacturers of certain worsted wool fabrics, pursuant to the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-429), as amended by P.L. 110-343.

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Grant applications must be received and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on August 19, 2011. (See notice for additional details on the application process.)

(The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-343) extended availability of grant funds through 2014. See ITT’s Online Archives or 10/20/08 news, 08102099 #3, for BP summary.)

Grants for 1999-2001 Manufacturers that Weave Fabric as of Application Date

P.L. 108-429, as amended, authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to provide grants to persons (including firms, corporations, or other legal entities) who were, during calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001, manufacturers of two categories of worsted wool fabrics:

  • worsted wool fabric: containing 85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average fiber diameters greater than 18.5 micron (HTS 9902.51.11), and/or
  • worsted wool fabric: containing 85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average fiber diameters of 18.5 micron or less (HTS 9902.51.151).

Only manufacturers who weave worsted wool fabric in the U.S. as of the date of application shall be eligible for such grant funds.

(In addition, any manufacturer who becomes a successor-of-interest to a manufacturer of the worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 during 1999, 2000 or 2001 because of a reorganization or otherwise, shall be eligible to apply for such grants.)

Grant Total of $2,666,000 for Each Fabric Type

Funding for the worsted wool fabrics grant program will be provided by the Department of the Treasury from amounts in the Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund. The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics shall be $2,666,000 for wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11, and $2,666,000 for wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.15 in calendar year 2011.

Grants Allocated Based on Production Percentage

P.L. 108-429 also requires that each grant be allocated among eligible applicants on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of the fabric described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 for calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001, compared to the production of such fabric by all manufacturers who qualify for such grants.

1previously 9902.51.12 (2004)

Jim Bennett (technical)(202) 482-4058
Janet Russell (grants administration)(301) 713-0942