March 3 - 9, 2022

EDA announced seven investments from March 3-9, 2022, totaling $8,441,406, which is matched by $4,230,752 in local investments. These investments include the following: (1) $4,938,067 in one Economic Adjustment Assistance-COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Project to help alleviate sudden and severe economic dislocation caused by the coronavirus pandemic that will help create 132 jobs, save 535 jobs, and leverage $26,300,000 in private investment; (2) $218,500 in three Economic Adjustment Assistance-American Rescue Plan projects to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build back better by accelerating economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building local economies that will be resilient to future economic shocks; (3) $2,313,799 in one Economic Adjustment Assistance project to help communities design and implement strategies to adjust or bring about change to their economy in response to structural damage to their underlying economic base that will help create 2,237 jobs; (4) $761,040 in one Public Works project to help communities revitalize, expand, and upgrade their physical infrastructure that will help create 50 jobs and leverage $3,200,000 in private investment; and (5) $210,000 in one Partnership Planning project to support the development and implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy process.

• $4,938,067 in one Economic Adjustment Assistance-COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Project, matched by $3,292,045 in local investment, as follows:
  • $4,938,067, matched by $3,292,045 in local investment, to the City of Duluth, Duluth/Saint Louis County, Minnesota, to support the reconstruction of the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center seawall, providing additional access to the waterfront as well as resiliency during storm events and increased viability for cruise ship services in Duluth, Minnesota. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Duluth economy’s long-term challenges were made worse by the sudden drop-off in Duluth’s tourism economy. Once completed, the project will help the region with recovery efforts by revitalizing the economic sector, which will save and create jobs, increase private investment, and strengthen the regional economy. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 132 jobs, save 535 jobs, and leverage $26,300,000 in private investment.
• $218,500 in three Economic Adjustment Assistance-American Rescue Plan projects, matched by $117,498 in local investments, as follows:
  • $116,000, matched by $44,998 in local investment, to Electricities of North Carolina, Inc., Raleigh/Wake County, North Carolina, to support Electricities of North Carolina, Inc. with providing technical assistance to ten economically distressed public power communities across the State of North Carolina to strategically leverage manufacturing investment opportunities that will strengthen local and regional economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Once completed, the project will help advance long term economic vitality and sustainability, bolster job creation, and lead to the capitalization on new opportunities throughout the region.
  • $62,500, matched by $62,500 in local investment, to Sumter County, Wildwood/Sumter County, Florida, to support Sumter County with conducting a broadband feasibility study that assesses and identifies expansion opportunities for broadband access along an industrial corridor in the northeast part of the county. The study will focus on three industrial parks totaling about 418 acres of industrial-zoned land and will require research and data collection as well as collaboration between public and private sectors to assess the current state of the area’s existing broadband infrastructure, identifying innovative ways to enhance the infrastructure to attract high-skilled, high-wage employers. Once completed, the project will help strengthen and diversify the regional economy and advance economic resiliency throughout the region.
  • $40,000, matched by $10,000 in local investment, to the Piedmont Land Conservancy, Greensboro/Guilford County, North Carolina, to support the Piedmont Land Conservancy with providing resources to develop "Year of the Trail" toolkits which can be leveraged to help communities across North Carolina promote and leverage their trail assets to foster tourism attraction and facilitate economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. These toolkits will provide communities with the necessary tools to create successful events with a wide reach, to attract visitors and engage citizens in healthy recreation and boost local businesses. Once completed, the project will help stimulate the growth of supporting businesses, to include outfitters, restaurants and breweries, and outdoor gear retailers, which will bolster job creation and strengthen the local economy
• $2,313,799 in one Economic Adjustment Assistance project, matched by $578,449 in local investment, as follows:
  • $2,313,799, matched by $578,449 in local investment, to the Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne/Laramie County, Wyoming, to fund equipment purchase to support the creation of an Advanced Manufacturing and Materials Center (AMMC), including a co-located Concept Forge fabrication lab, on the Cheyenne, Wyoming, campus of Laramie County Community College (LCCC). The AMMC will provide a broad range of education and training offerings to develop, advance, and build the manufacturing workforce necessary to meet current and future needs. Using the equipment purchased through this investment, the AMMC is expected to train an approximate average of nearly 250 future manufacturing employees per year for the local region and its manufacturing businesses. Additionally, through its Concept Forge fabrication lab component, the AMMC expects to assist approximately 180 entrepreneurs and/or small businesses per year by supporting small-scale prototype development, serving to fill a gap in the regional maker-to-market pathway. Once completed, the project will help increase employment opportunities and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 2,237 jobs.
• $761,040 in one Public Works project, matched by $190,260 in local investment, as follows:
  • $761,040, matched by $190,260 in local investment, to Vance County/City of Henderson/North Carolina Department of Transportation, Henderson/Vance County, North Carolina, to fund construction of sewer and road infrastructure to support job expansion at Carolina Country Snacks, Inc. and Versatrim, Inc., located in the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park in Henderson, North Carolina. The project will provide infrastructure to allow manufacturing firms to be able to expand, thereby allowing for more high-paying jobs to be created within the county that can support the communities and families within. In addition, the new infrastructure will help spur private investment and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantees estimate that this investment will help create 50 jobs and leverage $3,200,000 in private investment.
• $210,000 in one Partnership Planning project, matched by $52,500 in local investment, 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.