Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.2 Million in CARES Act Funding to Boost Economic Development Programs Critical to Helping Arizona Respond to Coronavirus

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $1.2 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to three EDA Economic Development District organizations across Arizona to update economic development plans and fortify programs to assist communities in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Trump Administration is eager to allocate these essential CARES Act funds and deliver on our promise to help American communities recover from the impact of COVID-19,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “I am proud of the perseverance and strength shown by our communities coast to coast throughout this pandemic, and these funds will help provide Arizona with resources to make a swift and lasting economic comeback.”

“These investments come at a crucial time to help Arizona’s and our nation’s economy come roaring back and provide hard-working Americans with new opportunities,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “We are pleased to make these investments in Arizona’s EDA Economic Development Districts to help them prevent, prepare, and respond to coronavirus.”

The EDA investments announced today are:

• Central Arizona Governments, Apache Junction, Arizona, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by enhancing regional economic development strategies to strengthen economic resiliency; identifying potential resiliency, mitigation and economic recovery projects in Gila and Pinal counties; and providing technical assistance and capacity building to local businesses and stakeholders negatively impacted by the pandemic.
• Northern Arizona Council of Governments, Flagstaff, Arizona, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by increasing the capacity of existing infrastructure for business retention and attraction through economic and workforce development partnerships.
• Southeastern Arizona Governments Organization, Bisbee, Arizona, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by developing inter-regional approaches to strengthen rural Arizona’s economic resiliency in Cochise, Graham, Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties; identifying potential resiliency, mitigation and economic recovery projects; and delivering technical assistance and capacity building to local businesses and stakeholders.

These entities, all EDA-designated Economic Development Districts (EDD), are some of the more than 850 existing, high-performing EDA EDD, University Center, Tribal, and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grant recipients invited to apply for supplemental funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The CARES Act, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, provides EDA with $1.5 billion for economic development assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

On May 7, Secretary Ross announced that EDA is accepting applications for CARES Act Recovery Assistance funding opportunities.

EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. For complete information, please visit our recently updated EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance page.

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.