Press Release

U.S. Commerce Department Announces $5 Million in Grants to Advance Innovation Across America

Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Friday, May 22, 2015

12 Grants Issued through the Regional Innovation Strategies Program to Support Planning and Feasibility Studies for Science and Research Parks

WASHINGTON—U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams visited Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, today to announce the 12 recipients of the 2014 Science and Research Park Development Grants, part of the Regional Innovation Strategies program. The Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program, which is being run by the Department’s Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE), is a new initiative designed to advance innovation and capacity-building activities in regions across the country through three different types of grants: i6 Challenge grants, Cluster Grants for Seed Capital Funds, and Science and Research Park Development Grants. Secretary Pritzker announced the recipients of the i6 Challenge grants and Cluster Grants for Seed Capital funds in March.

“Supporting innovators and entrepreneurs at every stage is crucial to ensuring America remains competitive in the global economy,” said Assistant Secretary Williams. “The Regional Innovation Strategies Program lays the groundwork from which centers of research and innovation can take root and thrive in cities across the country. I look forward to seeing what innovative opportunities come from Regional Innovation Strategies’ funding.”

The Science and Research Park Development Grants program provides funding for feasibility and planning for the construction of new or expanded science or research parks, or the renovation of existing facilities. The 2014 grantees include:

• Ann Arbor SPARK, Ann Arbor, MI
  $247,170 for the Plan for a Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Development Center
• St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, St. Louis, MO
  $500,000 for the Global Plant Science Quad Master Plan
• California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
  $498,286 for Planning to support expansion of the Cal Poly Technology Park into a Master Planned Innovation Complex
• Clemson University Land Stewardship Foundation, Inc. (CULSF), Clemson, SC
  $395,000 for the CU-ICAR Master Plan
• Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA
  $460,707 for the Feasibility of expanding Enterprise Park into a health and bioscience hub
• Nevada County Economic Resource Council Foundation, Inc., Grass Valley, CA
  $500,000 for the American Digital Media Leadership Campus
• Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, West Palm Beach, FL
  $290,600 for Science and Research Park Development feasibility study for northern Palm Beach County, Florida.
• Pittsburg State University, Pittsburgh, KS
  $330,000 for the Pittsburg Research Park
• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
  $498,577 for the Innovation Park@Rutgers
• The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
  $498,577 for an urban science research park
• Washington State University, Pullman, WA
  $158,467 for the small business infrastructure enhancement via space expansion/renovation at WSU Research Park
• The Regents of New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
  $488,000 for Arrowhead Park Health-Tech Cluster Planning

For more information about the i6 Challenge and Cluster Grant recipients, visit: http://www.eda.gov/oie/ris/i6/2014/

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.