Make it in America Challenge
Summary: The Make it in America Challenge seeks to encourage foreign and domestic businesses to build and/or expand their operations in the United States. Up to 15 awards will be made to accelerate job creation by encouraging re-shoring of productive activity by U.S. firms, fostering increased foreign direct investment, encouraging U.S. companies to keep or expand their businesses—and jobs—here at home, and training local workers to meet the needs of those businesses.
Funding Partners: U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP); U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA); and Delta Regional Authority (DRA).
For More Information:
- Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO)
- Applicant Guide/Document Checklist (PDF)
- Tools and Resources for Applicants (PDF)
- FAQ's (PDF)
- Integrated Work Plan Suggested Template (ZIP/XLSX)
- Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge and Make it in America Challenge Program Descriptions
Assess Costs Everywhere (ACE) Tool
In the current economic expansion, we have witnessed a welcome resurgence in the U.S. manufacturing sector. More than half a million manufacturing jobs have been created -- many undoubtedly because domestic and foreign firms have realized the low costs and risks associated with locating in the United States.
To help continue that momentum, the Department of Commerce has published a new tool to help inform manufacturing firms’ location decisions. The Assess Costs Everywhere (ACE) tool outlines the wide range of costs and risks associated with offshore production, and provides links to important public and private resources, so that firms can more accurately assess the total cost of operating overseas. ACE also shares case studies of firms that reversed their decisions to locate offshore once the full range of costs became clear.
For more information on the ACE tool, please see the DOC blog post by Mark Doms, Undersecretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs.
News
December 3, 2013 - The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has awarded a total of $3.75 million in Make it in America grants to 10 MEP centers in nine states. The 3-year grant awards are in addition to the recently announced $20.5 million in Make it in America funding from the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, and the Delta Regional Authority. The overall objective of the Make it in America Challenge is to make it more attractive for businesses to build, continue, or expand their operations in the United States.
October 22, 2013 - Obama Administration Awards $20.5 Million in Make It In America Challenge Grants To Spur Business Investment and Job Creation in the U.S.
May 22, 2013 - Obama Administration’s Make It In America Challenge Accepting Applications Through May 31