Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.5 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Boost Economic Recovery Efforts at the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.5 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Keshena, Wisconsin, to develop economic recovery strategies that will strengthen, diversify, and add resilience to the regional economy.

“President Biden is committed to advancing economic growth and resiliency efforts in Tribal communities across America,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “This EDA investment in the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin will develop a strategic plan to ensure greater competitiveness and resiliency when future economic shocks occur.”

“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin’s efforts to build economic development strategies designed to boost coronavirus recovery and response efforts,” said Molly Ritner, EDA Chief of Staff. “This investment will allow the Tribe to hire staff, conduct an economic development assessment of the Menominee Reservation, and create a plan to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and future economic disruptions.”

“Our Tribal neighbors have been hit particularly hard during this past year, and these funds are critically important for supporting the Menominee Indian Tribe’s economic recovery and response efforts,” said Governor Tony Evers. “We are grateful for President Biden’s continued efforts to help Wisconsin bounce back from this pandemic.”

“This federal support for the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin shows that President Biden and Commerce Secretary Raimondo are committed to helping our Tribal communities recover and build back better,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. “We are thankful for this federal funding from the Biden Administration because it will support efforts to strengthen the regional economy going forward.”

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 invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.