Grant
July 8 - 13, 2022
EDA announced 24 investments from July 8-13, 2022, totaling $17,189,881, which is matched by $6,503,427 in local investments. These investments include the following: (1) $80,000 in one Economic Adjustment Assistance-COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency (CARES Act) Project to help alleviate sudden and severe economic dislocation caused by the coronavirus pandemic; (2) $15,144,881 in 10 American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance projects to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to respond to and recover from the devastating impacts to the economy caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes eight projects for $14,888,721 that will help create 861 jobs, save 1,337 jobs, and leverage $12,621,000 in private investments; (3) $785,000 in five Technical Assistance University Center projects to make the varied and vast resources of universities available to the economic development practitioner community; and (4) $1,180,000 in eight Partnership Planning projects to support the development and implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy process.
- $80,000 in one Economic Adjustment Assistance COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Project, matched by $20,000 in local investment, as follows:
- $80,000, matched by $20,000 in local investment, to the Economic Development Corporation of San Benito, Hollister/San Benito County, California, to support the revision and implementation of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the Hollister, California region. The CEDS will help the region address the goal of identifying and formalizing common economic development goals and strategies and allowing each partner to consider unique opportunities within the context of the overall economic vision for the region, and will respond to challenges for businesses, and those issues that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Once completed, the project will provide an economic development planning framework, process, and strategy that supports private capital investment and job creation in the region.
- $15,144,881 in 10 American Rescue Plan projects, matched by $4,762,177 in local investments, as follows:
- Four Economic Adjustment Assistance Projects for $2,292,299, matched by $698,653 in local investments, to help communities nationwide plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through infrastructure, technical assistance, planning, and revolving loan programs designed to meet their local needs.
- $1,524,284, matched by $506,849 in local investment, to the City of Oxford, Oxford/Calhoun County, Alabama, to support the City of Oxford with improving critical regional infrastructure by resurfacing the Bynum Cutoff Road, and by improving the drainage along the road, as heavy rain events frequently wash out the road in Oxford, Alabama. The project will help better serve existing industries and create good-paying jobs, which will advance the regional automotive cluster, bolster job creation, spur private investment, and strengthen the regional economy. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 35 jobs, save 635 jobs, and leverage $10,000,000 in private investment.
- $511,855, matched by $127,964 in local investment, to the Washington County Fair, Inc., Greenwich/Washington County, New York, to support the installation of broadband infrastructure with live broadcasting capabilities to the Washington County Fairgrounds in Greenwich, New York. The project will assist the Washington County Fairgrounds with attracting more vendors and patrons, hosting more types of events such as state livestock shows and conferences, and increasing year-round use of the facility. Once completed, the project will create employment opportunities in sustainable industries for the region’s workforce and advance economic resiliency. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 40 jobs, save 500 jobs, and leverage $40,000 in private investment.
- $176,160, matched by $43,840 in local investment, to the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, Greenfield/Franklin County, Massachusetts, to fund the Franklin Regional Council of Government’s Economic Recovery and Resiliency Implementation project, to be the premiere driver for economic recovery, growth, and diversification within the region to offset COVID-19 pandemic impacts in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The project involves technical support to municipalities, entrepreneurs, and small businesses, private sector analyses, and regional outreach. Once completed, the project will address the workforce needs in the region by serving as a catalyst for private investment and job creation.
- $80,000, matched by $20,000 in local investment, to the Thurston County Economic Development Council, Lacey/Thurston County, Washington, to support updating and implementing a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the Lacey, Washington region. The CEDS will help the region address the goal of identifying and formalizing common economic development goals and strategies and allowing each partner to consider unique opportunities within the context of the overall economic vision for the region, and will respond to challenges for businesses, and those issues that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Once completed, the project will provide an economic development planning framework, process, and strategy that supports private capital investment and job creation in the region.
- One Indigenous Communities Project for $2,600,000, with no local match, to support the needs of Tribal Governments and Indigenous communities.
- $2,600,000, with no local match, to the Delaware Nation Economic Development Authority, LLC, Oklahoma City/Oklahoma County (Project: Anadarko/Caddo County), Oklahoma, to support the renovation of the Greentech Center facility and campus to allow local businesses to locate and expand their operations at the new facility, creating new jobs in the region. The facility will be an attractive site for commercial activity, and in turn, a substantial revenue and jobs source for the Delaware Nation. Once completed, the project will help the region recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by advancing economic resiliency and diversifying and strengthening the regional economy. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 227 jobs and leverage $881,000 in private investment.
- Four Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Projects for $8,381,270, matched by $3,595,696 in local investments, to help accelerate the recovery of the travel, tourism and outdoor recreation industry and build back the communities that depend on the industry.
- $4,681,270, matched by $1,170,317 in local investment, to the Mylan Park Foundation, Morgantown/Monongalia County, West Virginia, to support construction of the Mylan Park Regional BMX Facility in Morgantown, West Virginia, to help boost the local tourism industry by bringing new visitors to the city, its businesses, and attractions. The project will help drive business back to the hospitality and tourism community, to enhance economic impact and reestablish tourism as the number one economic driver in the state. The new jobs created and retained will be in the hospitality sector, including retail, dining, lodging, and management and services positions at the facility. Once completed, the project will assist in the region's recovery and make it more resilient to fluctuations in tourism, which will help increase employment opportunities, spur private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 80 jobs, save 2 jobs, and leverage $1,200,000 in private investment.
- $1,500,000, matched by $1,187,702 in local investment, to the City of Ely, Ely/Saint Louis County, Minnesota, to support construction of the new Ely Regional Trailhead Facility, which will enhance the region’s attractiveness as a tourist destination in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. Ely’s economy is significantly more reliant on tourism than the rest of Minnesota, and pandemic-related business closures reduced payrolls associated with the industry by as much as 18 percent from 2020 to 2021. The project will provide for amenities such as restrooms, vending machines, and common areas designed to welcome tourists to the region and its local businesses, which will assist in the region's recovery and make it more resilient to fluctuations in tourism, increase employment opportunities, spur private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 75 jobs, save 50 jobs, and leverage $500,000 in private investment.
- $1,200,000, matched by $300,000 in local investment, to the City of Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg/Fredericksburg City County, Virginia, to fund infrastructure upgrades to support the local tourism industry in Virginia. The project will provide for the construction of a performance stage and restroom facilities at the recently opened Riverfront Park recreational area. In the center of the historic downtown district of Fredericksburg, Riverfront Park is a 3.6-acre greenspace designed for visitors and residents connecting the Rappahannock River with Sophia Street, an essential location for a unified recreational corridor. These improvements will directly support expanding and sustaining tourism opportunities in Fredericksburg, which will help increase employment opportunities, save jobs, spur private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 150 jobs and save 150 jobs.
- $1,000,000, matched by $937,677 in local investment, to the City of Mitchell, Mitchell/ Davison County, South Dakota, to fund the Lake Mitchell Marina Project to make improvements at the Lake Mitchell marina and surrounding trail system in Davison County, South Dakota. The project will support outdoor recreation and boost the local tourism industry by bringing new visitors to the City of Mitchell, its businesses, and local attractions, which will support the community as it recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once completed, the project will also assist the region by making it more resilient to fluctuations in tourism, which will help increase employment opportunities, spur private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the area. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 20 jobs.
- One Coal Communities Commitment Project for $1,871,312, matched by $467,828 in local investment, to support coal-reliant communities’ expansion into new industry sectors and recovery from the pandemic.
- $1,871,312, matched by $467,828 in local investment, to Bismarck State College, Bismarck/Burleigh County, North Dakota, to support the purchase of high-tech laboratory and classroom equipment to provide hands-on training to prepare students for good-paying, in-demand jobs across a variety of spectrums in polytechnic career programs in Burleigh County, North Dakota. The program participants will receive training that is applicable to industry-recognized credentials and will have access to equipment supporting automation, simulation, and augmented reality/virtual reality systems. The necessary hands-on and experiential learning components will strengthen and increase interactions with industry and will result in positive job placement rates, which will help the region address the significant and sudden loss of jobs caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the decline in the coal industry by enhancing job creation and retention in an area. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 234 jobs.
- Four Economic Adjustment Assistance Projects for $2,292,299, matched by $698,653 in local investments, to help communities nationwide plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through infrastructure, technical assistance, planning, and revolving loan programs designed to meet their local needs.
- $785,000 in five Technical Assistance University Center projects listed below, matched by $785,000 in local investments, to support the first year of a five-year University Center program, which is a competitively based partnership between EDA and academic institutions that makes the varied and vast resources of universities available to the economic development practitioner community. The program provides technical assistance and research and development tools to increase productivity, spur innovation, and promote entrepreneurship to help increase long-term regional competitiveness and economic diversification.
- Nevada System of Higher Education, Reno/Washoe County, NV ($165,000)
- University of Oregon, Eugene/Lane County, OR ($190,000)
- University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK ($135,000)
- University of Arizona, Tucson/Pima County, AR ($100,000)
- Chico State Enterprises, Chico/Butte County, CA ($195,000)
- $1,180,000 in eight Partnership Planning projects listed below, matched by $936,250 in local investments, to support the development and implementation of a comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS). The CEDS process is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the creation of an economic development roadmap to diversify and strengthen the regional economy.
- North Central WA EDD, Wenatchee/Chelan County, WA ($225,000)
- Columbia-Pacific EDD of OR, Saint Helens/Columbia County, OR ($225,000)
- Southeast Idaho Council of Governments, Pocatello/Bannock County, ID ($225,000)
- East Central Idaho P&D Association, Inc., Rexburg/Madison County, ID ($225,000)
- Talbot County Mid-Shore Council, Easton/Talbot County, MD ($70,000)
- Eastern Maine Development Corporation, Bangor/Penobscot County, ME ($70,000)
- Southeastern CT Enterprise Region Corp., Groton/New London County, CT ($70,000)
- Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, Pittsburgh/Allegheny County, PA ($70,000)