Grant

June 22 - July 1, 2022

EDA announced 19 investments from June 22-July 1, 2022, totaling $35,655,136, which is matched by $15,526,160 in local investments. These investments include the following: (1) $5,863,379 in two Economic Adjustment Assistance-COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Projects to help alleviate sudden and severe economic dislocation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which includes one project for $3,782,433 that will help create 16 jobs, save 28 jobs, and leverage $20,000 in private investment; (2) $29,266,757 in 13 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 five projects for $12,364,574 that will help create 742 jobs and leverage $49,900,000 in private investments; and (3) $525,000 in four Partnership Planning projects to support the development and implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy process.

$5,863,379 in two Economic Adjustment Assistance COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Projects, matched by $5,991,524 in local investments, as follows:
- $3,782,433, matched by $420,270 in local investment, to El Dorado County, Placerville/El Dorado County, California, to support El Dorado County with increasing internet connectivity to help the region respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and become more resilient to future disasters in Placerville, California. COVID-19 has caused a fundamental shift in the way people work and access public resources in the region, increasing the need for reliable broadband access across the state. This project will fundamentally change the region and communities in the area by creating access to broadband and cellular reception where none exist today. This will allow for business and entrepreneurial growth across the state, which will advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 16 jobs, save 28 jobs, and leverage $20,000 in private investment.
- $2,080,946, matched by $5,571,254 in local investment, to Dougherty County/City of Albany, Albany/Dougherty County, Georgia, to support Dougherty County with the construction of a six-mile pedestrian path connecting the downtown area with a local attraction, Radium Springs in Georgia. The project will create a diversity of jobs in trail development, recreation and the service and hospitality industry. It will also enhance community amenities and attract visitors and tourists to the area. Once completed, the project will help the region with recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic by providing critical infrastructure to ensure businesses success, which will create economic resiliency throughout the region.
$29,266,757 in 13 American Rescue Plan projects, matched by $9,009,636 in local investments, as follows:
- Four Economic Adjustment Assistance Projects for $9,245,267, matched by $176,844 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.
  - $4,670,000, with no local match, to Jobs for the Future, Inc., Boston/Suffolk County, Massachusetts, to support Jobs for the Future, Inc. and its sub-awards, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the Committee for Economic Development of the Conference Board (CED-Conference Board), and the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB), with establishing the Good Jobs Challenge National Community of Practice. The project will support Good Jobs Challenge grantees by increasing information and best practice sharing, strengthening networks, and accelerating economic recovery. This award will take place over a four-year period of performance and will establish and strengthen the collaboration among Good Job Challenge grantees.
  - $3,999,901, with no local match, to the Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, Durham County, North Carolina, to support the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and its sub-award, the State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI), with establishing the Community of Practice for Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) Finalists. The project will support BBBRC Phase 1 and Phase 2 grantees through this national community of practice. The RTI and SSTI aim to deepen connections, foster learning, and ultimately accelerate industry cluster growth by encouraging the testing of new strategies, sharing insights, and surfacing best practices while blending this shared learning environment with technical assistance (TA) for the grantees. This award will take place over a five-year period of performance and will provide an economic development planning framework, process, and strategy that supports the grantees.
  - $444,787, matched by $144,200 in local investment, to the Santa Ynez Band o f Mission Indians/Economic Alliance Foundation, Santa Ynez/Santa Barbara County, California, to fund the Northern Santa Barbara County (NSBC) Fiber Ring Broadband Strategy and Business Plan, to address the needs of the county area’s four greatest current economic development opportunities in Santa Ynez, California. The plan includes Market Analysis, Route Options, and Business Plan (Aligning Broadband Needs, Assets, Middle-Mile Options for twelve NSBC cities, Recommended Strategy for Development, Governance and Operations of the NSBC Fiber Ring Network). Once completed, the plan will provide key economic industry clusters to help the region with recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic, bolster job creation, spur private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region.
  - $130,579, matched by $32,644 in local investment, to the Beacon Charter School Corporation, Woonsocket/Providence County, Rhode Island, to support the Beacon Charter School, Corporation with conducting a feasibility study to determine the viability of a Culinary Hub at the school, to help cultivate talent and provide workforce training in the culinary arts, a Rhode Island industry cluster. The project will help provide a pipeline of workers to fill hospitality jobs, thereby assisting in the economic recovery of the area. Once completed, the study will provide information to cultivate economic opportunities for a region adversely impacted from the COVID-19 pandemic, which will help stabilize and increase the working population and boost resiliency of the local economy.
- Two Indigenous Communities Projects for $3,201,465, with no local match, to support the needs of Tribal Governments and Indigenous communities.
  - $3,036,465, with no local match, to the Coeur d’ Alene Tribe, Plummer/Benewah County, Idaho, to fund the De Smet Water Supply System Improvement Project, to install a water supply system to replace defective water utilities infrastructure in the town of De Smet, Idaho. The Coeur d’Alene Reservation is located in the northern part of Idaho and the improved infrastructure will deliver a quality water supply that will create conditions that are economically favorable for the Plummer, Idaho region. The project work consists of replacing an aging and undersized water system infrastructure with approximately 8,800 linear feet of new 8-inch and 12-inch water main and existing water storage reservoirs will be replaced with a new 200,000-gallon welded steel water tank. Once completed, the project will help the Tribe recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by creating the potential for business growth and establishing a strong foundation for the Tribe’s economic development and job creation efforts.
  - $165,000, with no local match, to the Laguna Economic Advancement, LLC, Laguna/Bernalillo County, New Mexico, to support Laguna Economic Advancement, LLC with creating a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to assist the city of Laguna with on-going economic development and establishing a plan for future economic development for the Pueblo region in New Mexico. The Pueblo has six villages within a 77 square mile area, Laguna, Mesita, Paguate, Encinal, Paraje/Casa Blanca, and Seama. Such planning will help the region create a strategy to mitigate the economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and build resiliency in the event of future economic disruptions. Once completed, the project will provide the region with a roadmap to achieve long-term prosperity and growth, to help spur job creation and diversification of the local economy.
- Six Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Projects for $11,397,225, matched by $7,477,092 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.
  - $3,212,400, matched by $803,100 in local investment, to the State of Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Dover/Kent County, Delaware, to support the establishment of the Campgrounds Design and Improvement project, which consists of designing and engineering a planning grant to expand and make infrastructure improvements to Delaware’s five state park campgrounds. The project will focus on campground enhancements to wastewater, drinking water, bathrooms, auxiliary amenities, campsites, and cabins, addressing existing challenges as well as planning for potential areas of growth to meet the needs of tourist and visitors. Once completed, the project will help increase employment opportunities, spur private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region.
  - $2,681,978, matched by $2,299,232 in local investment, to Murray State College, Tishomingo/Johnston County, Oklahoma, to fund the renovation of an existing campus building to create an 11-room hotel that will accommodate local visitors in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. The project will renovate the Chickasaw Hall building to establish the hotel, which will serve guests of the college and visitors to Tishomingo and the surrounding area and will also provide valuable work experience for students at Murray State College. Much of the local economy of Tishomingo and Johnston County is based on hospitality, food service and recreation industries. The project is expected to create high-paying jobs in the reservation, food service, housekeeping, information technology, marketing, management, and maintenance personnel industries. Once completed, the project will help address economic harm to the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation industry due to the coronavirus pandemic by supporting increased tourism, economic development, job growth, and post COVID resiliency for the Tishomingo region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 232 jobs.
  - $1,600,000, matched by $40,000 in local investment, to the Board of Regents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln/Lancaster County, Nebraska, to support the buildout of a new academic space for the Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management Academic Programs within the Nutrition and Health Sciences Department in the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University. The high-tech facility will include classrooms, offices and other spaces for learning and this new academic space will provide experiential hands-on learning, academic training, and continuing education for current and future students and hospitality professionals from across the state to enhance their leadership and management skills and economic opportunities in the hospitality and tourism workforce. Once completed, the project will aid in economic recovery efforts for the Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation segments, which were greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, by helping the region become more resilient to fluctuations in tourism and advancing economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 200 jobs.
  - $1,403,807, matched by $3,350,000 in local investment, to Retreat Farm, Limited, Brattleboro/Windham County, Vermont, to support the renovation of Retreat Farm's 6,275 square foot historic barn, the North Barn, into an event venue near Brattleboro, Vermont. The project includes foundation repairs, replacement of existing structures, insulation and mechanical conditioning, and updates to the HVAC and fire protection systems. The project will help address economic harm to the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation industry due to the coronavirus pandemic by establishing a four-season year-round event 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 49 jobs and leverage $2,700,000 in private investment.
  - $1,255,989, matched by $313,997 in local investment, to Exploration Place, Inc., Wichita/Sedgwick County, Kansas, to support the creation of an outdoor riverfront park at Exploration Place in Wichita, Kansas. The project will provide the Exploration Place science and discovery center a space for new and expanded events, bringing new visitors to the city, its businesses, and attractions. Once completed, the improvements will assist in the region's recovery and make it more resilient to fluctuations in tourism, which will help increase employment opportunities and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 21 jobs.
  - $1,243,051, matched by $310,763 in local investment, to the Middle Georgia State University, Macon/Bibb County, Georgia, to support Middle Georgia State University with building an athletic facility and pavilion that will attract visitors to the region, to help boost local tourism and hospitality industries in Macon, Gorgia. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer visitors traveled to the region, which caused a downturn and loss of revenue across the state. The project will encourage new business ventures, create new jobs opportunities, spur private investment, and advance economic resiliency in the area.
- One Coal Communities Commitment Project for $5,422,800, matched by $1,355,700 in local investment, to support coal-reliant communities’ expansion into new industry sectors and recovery from the pandemic.
  - $5,422,800, matched by $1,355,700 in local investment, to the Laurens County Water and Sewer Commission, Laurens/Laurens County, South Carolina, to support water system upgrades to serve industrial corridors in Laurens County, South Carolina and provide for business expansion following the closure of two coal-fired power plants in the region. The construction of a new water tank, water line, and ancillary infrastructure will support economic development and help strengthen and stabilize water service across a large industrial portion of the area, ensuring continuity of services for business operations in this region. Once completed, the project will create job opportunities, attract private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 240 jobs and leverage $47,200,000 in private investment.
$525,000 in four Partnership Planning projects (listed below), matched by $525,000 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.
- Rockingham Economic Development Corporation, NH -- $70,000
- Northwest PA Regional Planning & Development Commission, PA -- $70,000
- Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation, MT -- $192,500
- Upper Exploreland Regional Planning Commission, IA -- $192,500