Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $6.2 Million in CARES Act Funding to Boost Economic Development Programs Critical to Helping Missouri Respond to Coronavirus

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $6.2 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to 16 EDA Economic Development District organizations across Missouri 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 Missouri with resources to make a swift and lasting economic comeback.”

“These investments come at a crucial time to help Missouri’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 Missouri’s EDA Economic Development Districts to help them prevent, prepare, and respond to coronavirus.”

“More than 99% of Missouri businesses are small business and many of them are struggling to stay afloat through this pandemic,” said Senator Roy Blunt. “The investments we make now to support local businesses – with everything from broadband expansion to workforce development and technical assistance – will save jobs and set our state up for a strong recovery when this crisis is behind us. I appreciate Secretary Wilbur Ross and the administration for their continued efforts to get CARES Act funding out to local planning commissions to help them address the needs of the communities they serve.”

“These EDA grants are incredibly important for Missouri and underscores the impact of the CARES Act in helping our communities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-04). “Helping to establish economic development frameworks for these communities, the Trump Administration is showing its serious commitment to creating new jobs in the region and bolstering economic opportunities in surrounding areas. I thank President Trump and Commerce Secretary Ross for working with my colleagues and I to ensure Missouri receives these incentives.”

“This CARES Act funding is incredibly important to the rebuilding of our economy,” said Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06). “I’m pleased to see the Regional Planning Commissions and Councils of Government across North Missouri receive this funding and I know they will put it to good use, helping our economic recovery efforts. I’m grateful that the Trump Administration is ensuring that this money is put to good use quickly so we can fully restore our economy, while we continue fighting this virus.”

The EDA investments announced today are:

• Boonslick Regional Planning Commission, Warrenton, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by providing technical assistance to local businesses and community partners.
• Green Hills Regional Planning Commission, Trenton, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by supporting business owners and community partners to ensure economic recovery.
• Kaysinger Basin Regional Planning Commission, Clinton, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by investing in regional business retention and expansion programs. Efforts will also include deploying more resources for local governments, including a disaster recovery coordinator, to assist with the region’s response to the pandemic.
• Lake of the Ozarks Council of Local Governments, Camdenton, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by supporting the small business community and providing opportunities to retain and create jobs throughout the region.
• Mark Twain Regional Council of Governments, Perry, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by working with regional agencies to identify and provide resources to the local workforce, businesses, entrepreneurs and community partners which will support recovery and resiliency for economic success.
• Meramec Regional Planning Commission, St. James, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by providing technical assistance to businesses and community partners in the region.
• Mo-Kan Development, St. Joseph, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by strengthening and supporting the region's workforce, businesses, and communities.
• Northeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission, Memphis, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by strategizing efforts to support recovery and resiliency for local governments and businesses.
• Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments, Maryville, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by supporting recovery and resiliency efforts for local communities, entrepreneurs, businesses, and the local workforce.
• Pioneer Trails Regional Planning Commission, Concordia, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by hiring additional staff to support local economic development partners in addressing workforce and business needs through the regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).
• Southeast Missouri Regional Planning & Economic Development Commission, Perryville, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by assisting in long- and short-term recovery and resilience planning; encouraging public and private collaborations; and providing technical assistance to local stakeholders impacted by the pandemic.
• Southwest Missouri Council of Governments, Springfield, Missouri, will receive a $400,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by identifying new markets to diversify local economies in its 10-county region; developing and implementing a plan for long-term economic recovery; assisting businesses to develop more resilient models; boosting the region’s critical tourism sector; and increasing staff capacity to assist local governments in pursuing resources to fund recovery efforts.
• Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission, Ashland, Missouri, will receive a $399,816 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by hiring additional staff to assist with regional economic recovery efforts, including the creation and implemention of plans for regional economic disaster recovery, downtown revitalization and broadband expansion.
• Bootheel Regional Planning & Economic Development Commission, Dexter, Missouri, will receive a $397,572 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by supporting the growth of the region’s broadband development and furthering to support workforce needs.
• Harry S. Truman Coordinating Council, Joplin, Missouri, will receive a $381,620 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by hiring additional staff to assist impacted communities with creating a disaster recovery plan.
• South Central Ozark Council of Governments, Pomona, Missouri, will receive a $253,707 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by leading post-pandemic economic recovery planning efforts and providing direct technical assistance to the region's struggling small businesses.

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.