U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Establish Workforce Training Center in Osceola, Iowa

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2 million grant to Clarke County Development Corporation, Osceola, Iowa, to support construction of a workforce training center in Osceola. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan.

This project will provide training in advanced manufacturing and construction trades in southern Iowa. The EDA investment will be matched with $500,000 in local funds and is expected to create 118 jobs, according to grantee estimates.

“President Biden is committed to ensuring that our communities are provided with the resources they need to diversify and grow their economies,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will provide training in high-skill industries, creating a qualified labor force and strengthening the regional economy.”

“The Economic Development Administration plays an important role in supporting locally-developed strategies designed to stimulate American innovation and entrepreneurial activity,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This project will match targeted industries with workers that have received cutting-edge training, encouraging business growth and creating a resilient local economy.”

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.

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Southern Iowa Economic Development District (EDD). EDA funds the Southern Iowa EDD to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs.

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.