Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $500,000 in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Support Workforce Development and Economic Expansion Efforts in Grant County, New Mexico
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
November 4, 2020
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $500,000 grant to Grant County, New Mexico, to support economic recovery and expansion efforts in partnership with the Silver City Chamber of Commerce and Western New Mexico University. This EDA grant will be matched with $126,552 in local funds.
“Helping our communities implement COVID-19 recovery efforts is a top priority for President Trump,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “This EDA investment will coordinate economic and workforce development strategies as well as business retention and expansion efforts throughout Grant County.”
This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by Southwestern New Mexico Council of Governments (SWNMCOG), which EDA funds to help bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs.
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.
Per Secretary Ross’s announcement, EDA began accepting applications for CARES Act Recovery Assistance funding opportunities on May 7.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.