Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.9 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Create Center for National Pandemic Resiliency in Biosciences in St. Louis, Missouri

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.9 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to BioSTL, St. Louis, Missouri, to create the Center for National Pandemic Resilience in Biosciences. The EDA grant, to be matched with $741,030 in local investment, is expected to create 125 jobs, and spur $20 million in private investment.

“President Trump is working diligently every day to support our nation’s economy following the impacts of COVID-19 through the CARES Act,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “The new BioSTL Center for National Pandemic Resilience in Biosciences will provide the critical laboratory capacity needed to generate and test pandemic response and resiliency innovations. It will also model and build economic resilience across the St. Louis region and the nation.”

“This investment comes at a crucial time as the St. Louis region and the nation’s economy recover and create new opportunities,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “This project will aid in the region’s pandemic resiliency by creating long-term positive impacts on the overall economic health of the St. Louis area.”

“This grant will support the crucial work of pandemic preparedness both in St. Louis and across our nation,” said Governor Mike Parson. “BioSTL is located in one of the strongest bioscience innovation communities in the country, and creating 125 new jobs for the center will expand upon the region’s expertise and results-based partnerships.”

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.