Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Expand Nursing Workforce Training in Goshen, Indiana

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $4 million grant to Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana, to renovate a campus building to expand the college’s nursing program. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan.

This grant would allow the college to quadruple the number of nursing students it trains to help fill the shortage of nursing professionals that was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The EDA investment will be matched with $1.7 million in local funds and is expected to create 848 jobs, according to grantee estimates.

“President Biden’s American Rescue Plan offers direct relief to American communities as they work to build a better America for the future,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “This EDA investment will help tackle the critical nurse shortage in Indiana and across the country and builds resiliency in the face of future health-related crises.”

“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support locally-driven strategies that are building a strong workforce in northern Indiana,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “Expanding the nursing program at Goshen College will help address important healthcare needs, and the college’s commitment to recruiting students from underserved populations will provide new opportunities that will ensure economic benefits are shared equally throughout the region.”

This project is funded under EDA’s American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance program, which makes $500 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance grants available to American communities. The Economic Adjustment Assistance program is EDA’s most flexible program, and grants made under this program will help hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs. Effective May 26, 2022, EDA has officially closed all of its American Rescue Plan programs for applications. The $3 billion program funding will be awarded on a rolling basis through September 30, 2022.

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.