Biden-Harris Administration Awards Planning Grant to Support Economic Growth in Pennsylvania
As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, Department of Commerce selects communities primed to reduce unemployment and establish long-term economic growth
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, [email protected]
WASHINGTON, DC — The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), today announced that the Chester Recompete Program in Chester, Pennsylvania, was awarded a Recompete Strategy Development Grant to support business and economic growth. The grant will provide for a new Recompete Plan Coordinator position and will support contracts for a work assessment study, capacity study, and the revision of local policies.
The Chester Recompete Program will leverage the grant to increase local coordination and planning activities to create and connect workers to good jobs in geographically diverse and persistently distressed communities. The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment is significantly lower than the national average, with the goal to close this gap through flexible, locally driven investments.
“Recompete helps fulfill President Biden’s promise that no community in America will be left behind as we continue to grow our nation’s economy and invest in American workers,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These Recompete grant recipients have presented a wide range of inspiring solutions to create jobs, develop long-term economic growth, and realize the full potential in communities that for too long have been overlooked or counted out.”
“As President Biden has said many times: we all just want a fair shot. Recompete helps make it possible for more Americans in more communities to find a good-paying job that puts them and their families on the path toward success. By equitably investing in new job creation opportunities across America, we can help fulfil our promise that no American, and no community, is ever left behind,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves.
“These outstanding Recompete Strategy Development Grant recipients exemplify the focused employment and job creation strategies required to address the unique, long-standing needs of communities,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “We look forward to supporting these communities as they work to reduce the employment gap and establish models for long-term economic growth we can apply across America.”
“The people of Chester are fighting hard for a stable future, and in the Senate I am doing everything I can to fight alongside them,” said Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey. “This award will help connect residents to the tools and support they need to secure good jobs, like access to childcare, transportation, and skills training. When folks have the skills and the resources they need to compete for good-paying jobs, they can provide for their families, get quality health care, and improve their quality of life. This is a game-changer for Chester, and an example of how the CHIPS and Science Act is providing economic opportunity across Pennsylvania.”
“I fought to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to deliver the investments needed to revitalize the economic health of PA-05 communities that have suffered decades of disinvestment, so I was proud to support the City of Chester’s application for this transformational program,” said Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05). “Chester is at an important inflection point right now, and this program will be a critical catalyst for growing quality jobs in the city and connecting residents with those good-paying jobs.”
For a full list of Recompete Finalists, visit eda.gov/recompete.
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.