Grant

November 23-December 4, 2020

  • EDA announced nine investments from November 23-December 4, 2020, totaling $22,488,959, which is matched by $871,218 in local investments. These investments include the following: (1) $2,011,775 in four 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 $1,486,074 that will help create 18 jobs and leverage $11,800,000 in private investment; and (2) $20,477,184 in five Economic Adjustment Assistance projects 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, which includes four projects for $19,018,224 that will help create 1,927 jobs, save 183 jobs; and leverage $30,000,000 in private investments.
    • $2,011,775 in four Economic Adjustment Assistance-COVID- 19 Recovery and Resiliency Projects, matched by $171,615 in local investments, as follows:
      • $1,486,074, matched by $75,000 in local investment, to the Coquille Indian Tribe, North Bend/Coos County, Oregon, to support the Coquille Indian Tribe with constructing the Ko-Kwel Wellness Center to improve medical and dental services for the coastal Alaska Native and Alaska Indian population in Coos County, Oregon. Alaska Indians and Alaska Natives face persistent disparities in health and healthcare including high uninsured rates, barriers to obtaining care, and poor health status and this project will help individuals find a provider, reduce wait times, and allow the community to access the healthcare system without travelling long distances. The new center will be located on the Kilkich Reservation, a designated Opportunity Zone, to help bolster job creation, attract private investment and strengthen the regional economy. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 18 jobs and leverage $11,800,000 in private investment.
      • $300,000, with $0 local match, to the Coastal Regional Commission, Darien/McIntosh County, Georgia, for a supplemental financial assistance award to help them respond to the unusual and compelling urgency of the coronavirus pandemic.
      • $172,115, matched by $43,029 in local investment, to the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Foundation, Raleigh/Wake County, North Carolina, to support the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association with providing focused technical assistance directly to hospitality businesses across the state of North Carolina that were adversely impacted by COVID-19. The technical assistance will include support for restaurants navigating changing supply chains, web and marketing support and recommendations and support to identify loans and operational and regulatory issues that are posing challenges to companies looking to fully reopen. Once implemented, the project will strengthen the regional economy and advance economic resiliency throughout the region.
      • $53,586, matched by $53,586 in local investment, to the University of South Carolina, Columbia/Richland County, South Carolina, to support the University of South Carolina with conducting a marketing study targeting South Carolina's tourism and hospitality industry. The study will help respond to the negative impacts experienced because of the coronavirus and focus on two key components of crisis response: 1) crisis communication, and 2) strategic adaptation. Once completed, the project will assist with economic resilience and long-term recovery to ensure the tourism and hospitality industry in South Carolina is globally competitive, as well as encourage job creation and business expansion in the tourism and hospitality sector, which will boost the region’s workforce.
    • $20,477,184 in five Economic Adjustment Assistance projects, matched by $699,603 in local investments, as follows:
      • $13,301,107 in 2019 Disaster Supplemental funding, with $0 local match, to the City of Chico, Chico/Butte County, California, to fund the construction of roadway improvements to provide access to an industrial and commercial corridor by widening a 2.4 mile stretch of road along Cohasset Road from two lanes to four lanes in the city of Chico, California. The project will assist with recovery efforts from 2018 Wildfires and 2019 Winter storms and allow for better flow of traffic and faster access to fire and emergency vehicles. In addition, portions of the Cohasset Road widening will serve as a staging area during disasters in the region to house numerous mutual aid agencies, including firefighting teams and other first responders. Once completed, the protect will save jobs, create new job opportunities, attract private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 620 jobs, save 20 jobs, and leverage $26,000,000 in private investment.
      • $4,377,666 in 2019 Disaster Supplemental funding, with $0 local match, to the American Samoa Government, Pago Pago/Eastern County, American Samoa, to support the American Samoa Government of Commerce with purchasing four small fleet of modern and upgraded traditional-stylized commercial fishing vessels to support the growth of the local fishing fleet in Eastern County, American Samoa, a designated Opportunity Zone. The project will help with recovery efforts from Cyclone Gita by allowing one vessel to function as a training platform while the other three vessels function as business incubators. Once completed, the project will provide local entrepreneurs and fishmen with an opportunity to create jobs and small businesses in the fresh fish industry, which will support economic diversification, attract private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 50 jobs and leverage $2,000,000 in private investment.
      • $1,458,960 in 2019 Disaster Supplemental funding, matched by $364,740 in local investment, to the Georgetown County Water and Sewer District, Georgetown/Georgetown County, South Carolina, to support the Georgetown County Water and Sewer District with improving its water system and upsizing the existing pumps and control panel for Pump Station 304 to help mitigate the effects of Hurricane Florence in Georgetown County, South Carolina. The project will provide the capacity necessary to meet current and future economic development needs, which will help maintain ongoing operations of businesses during future flooding events, attract private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region.
      • $1,219,451 in 2019 Disaster Supplemental funding, matched by $304,863 in local investment, to the City of Tecumseh, Tecumseh/Johnson County, Nebraska, to support the city of Tecumseh with addressing the local and regional need for increased and resilient power by making infrastructure improvements and adding capacity to the City’s power plant in Johnson County, Nebraska. The project will help the region with recovery efforts from the 2019 floods by increasing the City’s ability to supply adequate electricity for commercial and industrial use and adding capacity to allow the expansion of current and future businesses. Once completed, the project will help mitigate the effects of future floods, bolster job creation, attract private investment, and advance economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 50 jobs, save 163 jobs, and leverage $2,000,000 in private investment.
      • $120,000 in Assistance to Coal Communities, matched by $30,000 in local investment, to the Breaks Regional Airport Authority, Grundy/Buchanan County, Virginia, to support the Breaks Regional Airport Authority with conducting a feasibility study to determine the public and private utilities needed to make improvements at the airport and develop an adjacent 85-acre commercial property in Buchanan County, Virginia, a designated Opportunity Zone. The study will also include water and sewer line extensions, gas lines and broadband conduit to support the existing 1,100-acre Southern Gap Park. Once completed, the project will help support job retention, create new opportunities and attract private investment to an area that has been impacted by the decline in the coal industry. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 1,207 jobs.