Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $3.15 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Support Businesses Growth and Workforce Development Efforts in Northwest Ohio

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $3.15 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to help the state of Ohio prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

“The Biden Administration is committed to providing our communities with the resources they need to build booming regional economies,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These EDA investments support Northwest Ohio’s efforts to build critical infrastructure for growing logistics needs and develop plans for a strong workforce.”

“The Economic Development Administration is committed to helping communities across the nation implement strategies to mitigate economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Dennis Alvord, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “These EDA investments in Northwest Ohio will provide an immediate benefit by increasing roadway capacity for commerce, while also looking to the future with efforts to develop workforce training programs.”

“Through targeted investments in infrastructure and workforce, Ohio will continue to move forward on the path of recovery and emerge strong from the pandemic,” said Governor Mike DeWine.

“These funds will provide the Northwest Ohio region with additional tools and resources to address the economic fallout from COVID-19,” said Senator Sherrod Brown. “Not only will this investment build up local infrastructure, but it will develop programs to help Ohioans find good paying jobs.”

“These grants totaling $3.15 million are great news for Northwest Ohio,” said Senator Rob Portman. “Provided through the CARES Act, these grants will help our workforce in Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, and Fulton counties that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic by providing them with the resources they need to continue to build a strong, local infrastructure. These grants will also support local efforts to retain and create jobs. I was proud to support the CARES Act last year, and I am glad to see that it continues to help local communities while we work to overcome this crisis and get back to normal.”

“In order to ensure our communities can thrive and grow, it is essential our neighborhoods, state, and country can rebound from the setbacks caused by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05). “I am pleased Wood County Port Authority and Bowling Green State University (BGSU) will be receiving funds provided through the CARES Act, which I supported last year in the House of Representatives, to support their efforts to rebuild and recover from the pandemic that has impacted the way Ohioans live and work.”

The EDA investments announced today are:

• Wood County Port Authority, Rossford, Ohio, will receive a $2.6 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to make roadway, water, and sewer infrastructure improvements needed to increase the capacity of connector roads and support local logistics and delivery operators in Wood and Lucas counties. The project, to be matched with $1.7 million in local funds, is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs, retain 64 jobs, and attract $205.5 million in private investment.
• Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, will receive a $555,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to develop a Workforce Strategy and Recovery Plan for a four-county region that includes Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, and Fulton counties in Northwest Ohio. The project will be matched with $141,536 in local funds.

This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136 PDF), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. 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.

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.