Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.2 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Support Post-Pandemic Recovery of Pennsylvania’s Small Businesses

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.2 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to support the post-pandemic recovery of Pennsylvania’s small businesses through the PA Digital Transformation and E-commerce Program. This EDA grant, to be matched with $300,000 in local funds, is expected to retain 2,000 jobs.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and President Biden is committed to ensuring they not only recover from this pandemic but builds back stronger,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “This EDA investment will facilitate the activities of the PA Digital Transformation and E-commerce Program as it works to provide small businesses throughout the Commonwealth with the support they need to compete in the digital economy.”

“The Economic Development Administration plays an important role in supporting community-led economic development strategies designed to boost coronavirus recovery and response efforts,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “Through the PA Digital Transformation and E-commerce Program, Pennsylvania small businesses will gain access to training events, technical assistance and strategic consulting in areas including digital marketing, e-commerce, and cybersecurity.”

“Small businesses play such an important role in Pennsylvania’s communities throughout the state – they are employers, reliable spaces for goods, favorite places to visit while passing through, and familiar faces in neighborhoods,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “This funding provides a critical investment into the state’s digital transformation and positions Pennsylvania to bounce back stronger from the economic impacts of the pandemic.”

“Small businesses in Pennsylvania have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Economic Development Administration is utilizing funds from the bipartisan CARES Act to give our Commonwealth’s small businesses the resources and training they need to recover after a difficult year and a half,” said Senator Bob Casey. “I recently spoke with Temple University’s new President Dr. Wingard who is eager and committed to making strong investments into building a stronger workforce and allowing for greater access to resources. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and the Biden administration is helping Pennsylvania build back better through this strong investment.”

“As one of the members who was involved in the drafting of the CARES Act, I fought hard to ensure money for small business was included,” said Congressman Brendan Boyle (PA-02). “Small businesses in my congressional district and across the country are the bedrock of our economy. So, I am proud that this $1.2 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant will be administered through Temple University. As we continue to emerge from this pandemic, giving small businesses the digital tools and professional guidance to reach customers and clients is critical for their fiscal survival and will spark much needed investment in Philadelphia. This grant is estimated to lead to more than 2,000 jobs being retained, making this a true win for small businesses and a good use of taxpayer dollars. I thank President Biden and the Commerce Department for their support.”

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.