Press Release
Midwest Auto Communities Receive U.S. EDA Grant to Help Develop a Strategic Plan for Job Creation and Economic Growth
August 17, 2010
Contact: John Atwood, (202) 482-4085
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) today announced a $500,000 grant to the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Center for Automotive Research of Ann Arbor, Mich., to support the Community Economic Adjustment Program (CEAP), which assists communities affected by automotive plant closures in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in diversifying and expanding their economic base to create jobs and boost the local economy.
"Collaboration is critical to helping auto-impacted communities remain competitive," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez. "This EDA grant will allow Midwest communities to work together and utilize local resources in order to create jobs and leverage private investment."
"These funds will allow us to provide the much-needed services to communities that continue experiencing the negative consequences of major plant shutdowns," said Marian J. Krzyzowski, Director of the Institute for Research on Labor, Employment, and the Economy at the Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Michigan.
This project will allow Midwest communities to maintain collaborative partnerships with local government and universities in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. The CEAP will work to organize focus groups of stakeholders, prioritize immediate community needs, and hold assistance workshops to develop funding proposals aimed at reinvigorating the local economies and spurring job creation.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov): This year, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) marks 45 years of public service, with a mission of leading the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. EDA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce that partners with distressed communities throughout the United States to foster job creation, collaboration and innovation.