The following is a selection of recent announcements gleaned from various federal sources and colleagues, and is provided to EDA’s Economic Development Integrators to increase our awareness of complementary resources for economic development. Special thanks to ETA and other federal partners for sharing content included below.
Click here to view all weekly federal announcement posts.
Contents
Funding & Resource Announcements
Announcements of Federal Funding Available: 1
- USDA Invites Applications for FY18 Farm to School Grants. Closes Dec 8
- USDA RD Utilities Program Accepting Applications for Training and Technical Assistance (TAT) Grants. Closes Jan 2, 2018.
- HHS/NIH Announces Funding Opportunity to Develop Interactive Digital Media STEM Resources to Address Student Career Choice; Seeks Diversity in Healthcare Sector Workforce.
Public Meetings, Events and Training.
- Upcoming Economic Development Related Conferences
- ARC Event: Transforming Appalachia Embracing Change to Drive Progress, (Oct17 – 19) ,Pittsburgh
- ICMA Annual Conference. San Antonio TX (October 22-25).
- CDFA National Development Finance Summit, Atlanta GA (November 15-17).
- Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities Annual Meeting, Washington DC (Nov 12–14).
- EPA National Brownfields Training Conference, Pittsburgh PA (Dec 5-7, 2017).
- SBA Rolls Out New Lender Match Tool to Connect Small Businesses and Lenders.
- Economic Development Administration Announces New Grants-in-Aid.
- Manufacturing Sector: Utah MEP Center Opens Satellite Centers.
Funding & Resource Announcements
Announcements of Federal Funding Available:
USDA Invites Applications for FY18 Farm to School Grants. Closes Dec 8.
The USDA Farm to School Program is housed within the Food and Nutrition Services’ (FNS) Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS). This request for applications (RFA) announces the Secretary of Agriculture’s intent to award competitive grants for: (i) Training; (ii) Supporting operations; (iii) Planning; (iv) Purchasing equipment; (v) Developing school gardens; (vi) Developing partnerships; and, (vii) Implementing farm to school programs. Eligible applicants include: schools, school districts, state and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, small- and medium-sized agricultural producers or groups of small- and medium-sized agricultural producers, and non-profit entities working with schools or school districts
Grant funds will be made available on a competitive basis, subject to availability of Federal funds, using three grants tracks: 1) Implementation grants to help scale or further develop existing farm to school initiatives. Implementation awards range from $50,000 – $100,000; 2) Planning grants to help entities organize and structure their efforts for maximum impact by embedding known best practices into early design considerations. Planning awards range from $20,000 – $50,000; and 3) Training grants to support trainings that strengthen farm to school supply chains, or that provide technical assistance in the area of local procurement, food safety, culinary education, and/or integration of agriculture‐based curriculum. Training awards range from $20,000 – $50,000.
More information about the program can be found here: Farm to School Grants – FY 2018
Link to grants.gov is here: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=297858
USDA RD Utilities Program Accepting Applications for Training and Technical Assistance (TAT) Grants. Closes Jan 2, 2018.
The US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Services Program is accepting applications from eligible nonprofits for the FY2018 Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grant Program. The announcement can be viewed on www.grants.gov.
This program helps qualified, private nonprofits provide technical assistance and training to identify and evaluate solutions to water and waste problems; helps applicants prepare applications for water and waste disposal loans/grants; and helps associations improve the operation and maintenance of water and waste facilities in eligible rural areas.
USDA expects to make up to 17 awards, subject to availability of funds. Single-state applications are accepted annually through your local RD office from October 1 – December 31. Multi-state or national applications are accepted through the RD National Office. Program resources including the FY 2018 Technical Assistance & Training Grant Application Guide are available online (forms, guidance, certifications, etc.) at www.rd.usda.gov.
HHS/NIH Announces Funding Opportunity to Develop Interactive Digital Media STEM Resources to Address Student Career Choice; Seeks Diversity in Healthcare Sector Workforce
This HHS/NIH funding announcement may be of interest … see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-18-403.html and direct links in the inset box … excerpts follow …
HHS has announced a Federal funding opportunity announcement “to provide opportunities for eligible small business concerns (SBCs) to submit National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant applications to develop interactive digital media STEM resources that address student career choice and health and medicine topics for P-12 students and teachers or Informal science education (ISE) audiences.” NIH supports and encourages emerging new educational technologies that will provide IDM STEM resources for students, teachers and the community. The science education research objective of this FOA is the development of new IDM resources that will advance our understanding of how STEM-based gaming can improve student learning.
The FOA also encourages IDM STEM resources that will stimulate behavioral changes towards a healthier lifestyle.
Types of applications submitted to this FOA may vary with the target audience, scientific content, educational purpose and method of delivery. IDM STEM resources may include, but are not limited to: game-based curricula; attitude changes toward learning; new skills development; teamwork and group activities; public participation in scientific research (citizen science) projects; and behavioral changes in lifestyle and health. IDM STEM resources designed to increase the number of underserved students (e.g., American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islanders, African American, Hispanic, female, disabled, or otherwise underrepresented) considering careers in basic, behavioral or clinical research are encouraged.
Recently Announced Programs (non-grant):
Public Meetings, Events and Training
Upcoming Economic Development Related Conferences
· ARC Event: Transforming Appalachia Embracing Change to Drive Progress, (Oct17 – 19) ,Pittsburgh
· ICMA Annual Conference. San Antonio TX (October 22-25)
· CDFA National Development Finance Summit, Atlanta GA (November 15-17)
· Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities Annual Meeting, Washington DC (Nov 12–14)
· EPA National Brownfields Training Conference, Pittsburgh PA (Dec 5-7, 2017)
Reports, Tools and Data
SBA Rolls Out New Lender Match Tool to Connect Small Businesses and Lenders
Administrator Linda McMahon, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, has recently announced the launch of Lender Match, the SBA’s online referral tool connecting small business borrowers with participating SBA lenders. Lender Match is an upgrade to LINC (Leveraging Information and Networks to access Capital), introduced as a pilot in 2015.
Lender Match brings together entrepreneurs and SBA lenders to help increase access to capital. It is an upgrade from LINC in its function, design and user experience, making it easier for entrepreneurs to use and connect with potential lenders.
The free online tool allows small business owners to fill out a quick online form, without registration, and then connects them with lenders within 48 hours. There are now fewer, more relevant questions, and lenders are now able to better filter the referral they are sent resulting in more viable matches. Lenders can now optimize their search criteria to identify specific types of borrower referrals for particular lines of business or specialized financing.
Lender Match is a much more user friendly and intuitive platform for entrepreneurs and it provides better guidance on how to be prepared for the loan application process. It has been streamlined from start to finish providing better access to on-screen information.
After lenders have reviewed the information submitted to them by entrepreneurs, those who express interest in the loan will respond within two days. In addition, borrowers will also receive counseling information and resources from the SBA within their local area.
Lender Match is available to all SBA 7(a) and 504 lenders nationwide, including nonprofit lenders that offer free financial advice and specialize in micro lending, loans in SBA’s Community Advantage program, and the SBA’s CDC/504 loan program. It is important to note that you must be an approved SBA lender in good standing to receive borrower referrals.
Prospective borrowers can go to www.sba.gov/lendermatch to get matched with any number of institutions and increase their access to capital.
Economic Development Administration Announces New Grants-in-Aid
The Economic Development Administration announced a number of new grants-in-aid to communities on
October 4 – 5.
- $2.8 million grant to the city of Shelby, North Carolina, to make water infrastructure improvements needed to accommodate the expansion plans of a major paper manufacturing company and serve other businesses needs at the Washburn Switch Business Park. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 180 jobs and generate $330 million in private investment. More …
- $2.5 million grant to the Cumberland County Improvement Authority of Millville, New Jersey, to help build a food commercialization center that will support the county’s food production cluster. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 190 jobs and attract $1.5 million in private investment. The project will include the construction of a 31,000 square foot multi-tenant industrial food processing space, with common shipping and administrative space, HVAC, fire protection, refrigerator system, and utilities such as water, sewer, natural gas, telephone, and electric. The facility will provide space for new food production companies that have expanded and outgrown the nearby Rutgers Food Innovation Center. The project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the South Jersey Economic Development District (SJEDD). EDA funds SJEDD 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.
- $2.5 million grant to the Village of Leipsic, Ohio, to make water infrastructure improvements needed to support business expansion efforts. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 80 jobs, retain 357 jobs, and generate $400 million in private investment.. More …
- $1.6 million grant to the Hispanic Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri, to renovate an existing industrial building located in an economically distressed area of Kansas City for use as small business incubation space. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 90 jobs. The project will assist in the construction and renovations of 13,000 square feet of space that will contain a commercial kitchen, co-working space, conference rooms, and business assistance services. The project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), 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.
- $1.5 million grant to Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, St. Paul, Alaska, to help build a vessel repair and marine supply store facility that will support the region’s commercial fishing sector. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 73 jobs, retain 135 jobs, and generate $22.6 million in private investment. St. Paul Island’s economy is based on fishing and seafood processing. This project expands the commercial fisheries beyond crab and locally caught halibut and benefits the local fishing fleets and the seafood industry.
- 1.4 million grant to the city of Hillsboro, Texas, to make water infrastructure improvements to serve the North Industrial Park. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 240 jobs, retain 265 jobs, and generate $100 million in private investment. The project addresses water pressure and volume deficiencies that impact the North Industrial Park’s ability to maintain existing businesses and attract future employers. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG). EDA funds HOTCOG 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.
- $1.3 million grant to the Southwest Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, to help build a public trans load facility needed to accommodate the location of a major, foreign-owned paper manufacturing company at the Clark County Industrial Park in Gum Springs. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 250 jobs and generate $1.3 billion in private investment. The Southwest Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority was established in May 2010 to pursue a regional approach of developing intermodal facilities to attract and retain industries that ultimately increase and retain jobs. Construction of the public trans load facility, which will include a cross dock, will help establish the Chinese firms $1.3 billion pulp mill.
- $1.1 million grant to DevelopSpringfield Corporation of Springfield, Massachusetts, to help increase the local capacity to support entrepreneurial development in the downtown area. The project will renovate an existing building to provide work space, small individual offices with shared services, and a large meeting/function room suitable for workshops, training, business conferences and other business development needs. The project supports a transitioning economy in Springfield from large manufacturing to a smaller, more specialized manufacturing cluster and an expanding service industry.
- Revolving Loan Fund in Hawaii that will provide loans to new and expanding small businesses. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create or retain 120 jobs, and generate $4 million in private investment. This project supports Feed the Hunger Foundation’s business lending programs by complementing an existing EDA-funded Revolving Loan Fund. The investment will have an immediate and long term impact on the state of Hawaii through enhanced access to credit capital and technical assistance to new and expanding small businesses, which will lead to small business job creation and diversification, and contributes to the development of a growing, self-sufficient food system.
- $3 million grant to Delaware Innovation Space, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware, to support the renovation and refitting of a portion of a 135,000 square-foot building located at the DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington to serve as the home of Delaware Innovation Space, Inc. (DISI), a technology and science incubator, and multi-tenant facility. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 657 jobs and generate $80 million in private investment. The DISI will provide a cost-effective space for start-ups and maturing businesses alike. The surrounding geographic area includes historically mature companies operating in chemical, biotechnology, and the material economy. Researchers and businesses will benefit from their proximity and relationships with one another. Further, DISI will create more jobs for new workface entrants and early-career professionals. This project provides a unique opportunity to create an affordable business incubator and will maximize EDA’s support to produce well-paying jobs that will directly impact the regional economy.
Manufacturing Sector: Utah MEP Center Opens Satellite Centers
October 3 —The University of Utah Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center is pleased to announce the opening of satellite offices and hubs in four key regions of Utah. The MEP Center provides services and consulting to Utah manufacturers to support increased sales, cost savings, investment and job growth.
In order to expand their reach to manufacturers in all areas of the state, the MEP Center is partnering with Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Bridgerland Technical College in Logan, Mountainland Technical College in Lehi, and Utah State University in Vernal. These partners will also promote the MEP Center’s mission and ensure their regional manufacturers connect to the resources and services the MEP Center offers.
Working side by side with Utah manufacturers, the
Selected Federal Agency Announcements and Related for the Week of October 9, 2017
The following is a selection of recent announcements gleaned from various federal sources and colleagues, and is provided to EDA’s Economic Development Integrators to increase our awareness of complementary resources for economic development. Special thanks to ETA and other federal partners for sharing content included below.
Click here to view all weekly federal announcement posts.
Contents
Funding & Resource Announcements. 1
Announcements of Federal Funding Available: 1
USDA Invites Applications for FY18 Farm to School Grants. Closes Dec 8. 1
Recently Announced Programs (non-grant): 3
Public Meetings, Events and Training. 3
Upcoming Economic Development Related Conferences. 3
- ARC Event: Transforming Appalachia Embracing Change to Drive Progress, (Oct17 – 19) ,Pittsburgh 3
- ICMA Annual Conference. San Antonio TX (October 22-25). 3
- CDFA National Development Finance Summit, Atlanta GA (November 15-17). 3
- Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities Annual Meeting, Washington DC (Nov 12–14). 3
- EPA National Brownfields Training Conference, Pittsburgh PA (Dec 5-7, 2017). 3
SBA Rolls Out New Lender Match Tool to Connect Small Businesses and Lenders. 4
Economic Development Administration Announces New Grants-in-Aid. 4
Manufacturing Sector: Utah MEP Center Opens Satellite Centers. 7
Disaster Recovery Resources. 7
Funding & Resource Announcements
Announcements of Federal Funding Available:
USDA Invites Applications for FY18 Farm to School Grants. Closes Dec 8.
The USDA Farm to School Program is housed within the Food and Nutrition Services’ (FNS) Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS). This request for applications (RFA) announces the Secretary of Agriculture’s intent to award competitive grants for: (i) Training; (ii) Supporting operations; (iii) Planning; (iv) Purchasing equipment; (v) Developing school gardens; (vi) Developing partnerships; and, (vii) Implementing farm to school programs. Eligible applicants include: schools, school districts, state and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, small- and medium-sized agricultural producers or groups of small- and medium-sized agricultural producers, and non-profit entities working with schools or school districts
Grant funds will be made available on a competitive basis, subject to availability of Federal funds, using three grants tracks: 1) Implementation grants to help scale or further develop existing farm to school initiatives. Implementation awards range from $50,000 – $100,000; 2) Planning grants to help entities organize and structure their efforts for maximum impact by embedding known best practices into early design considerations. Planning awards range from $20,000 – $50,000; and 3) Training grants to support trainings that strengthen farm to school supply chains, or that provide technical assistance in the area of local procurement, food safety, culinary education, and/or integration of agriculture‐based curriculum. Training awards range from $20,000 – $50,000.
More information about the program can be found here: Farm to School Grants – FY 2018
Link to grants.gov is here: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=297858
USDA RD Utilities Program Accepting Applications for Training and Technical Assistance (TAT) Grants. Closes Jan 2, 2018.
The US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Services Program is accepting applications from eligible nonprofits for the FY2018 Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grant Program. The announcement can be viewed on www.grants.gov.
This program helps qualified, private nonprofits provide technical assistance and training to identify and evaluate solutions to water and waste problems; helps applicants prepare applications for water and waste disposal loans/grants; and helps associations improve the operation and maintenance of water and waste facilities in eligible rural areas.
USDA expects to make up to 17 awards, subject to availability of funds. Single-state applications are accepted annually through your local RD office from October 1 – December 31. Multi-state or national applications are accepted through the RD National Office. Program resources including the FY 2018 Technical Assistance & Training Grant Application Guide are available online (forms, guidance, certifications, etc.) at www.rd.usda.gov.
HHS/NIH Announces Funding Opportunity to Develop Interactive Digital Media STEM Resources to Address Student Career Choice; Seeks Diversity in Healthcare Sector Workforce
This HHS/NIH funding announcement may be of interest … see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-18-403.html and direct links in the inset box … excerpts follow …
HHS has announced a Federal funding opportunity announcement “to provide opportunities for eligible small business concerns (SBCs) to submit National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant applications to develop interactive digital media STEM resources that address student career choice and health and medicine topics for P-12 students and teachers or Informal science education (ISE) audiences.” NIH supports and encourages emerging new educational technologies that will provide IDM STEM resources for students, teachers and the community. The science education research objective of this FOA is the development of new IDM resources that will advance our understanding of how STEM-based gaming can improve student learning.
The FOA also encourages IDM STEM resources that will stimulate behavioral changes towards a healthier lifestyle.
Types of applications submitted to this FOA may vary with the target audience, scientific content, educational purpose and method of delivery. IDM STEM resources may include, but are not limited to: game-based curricula; attitude changes toward learning; new skills development; teamwork and group activities; public participation in scientific research (citizen science) projects; and behavioral changes in lifestyle and health. IDM STEM resources designed to increase the number of underserved students (e.g., American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islanders, African American, Hispanic, female, disabled, or otherwise underrepresented) considering careers in basic, behavioral or clinical research are encouraged.
Recently Announced Programs (non-grant):
Public Meetings, Events and Training
Upcoming Economic Development Related Conferences
· ARC Event: Transforming Appalachia Embracing Change to Drive Progress, (Oct17 – 19) ,Pittsburgh
· ICMA Annual Conference. San Antonio TX (October 22-25)
· CDFA National Development Finance Summit, Atlanta GA (November 15-17)
· Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities Annual Meeting, Washington DC (Nov 12–14)
· EPA National Brownfields Training Conference, Pittsburgh PA (Dec 5-7, 2017)
Reports, Tools and Data
SBA Rolls Out New Lender Match Tool to Connect Small Businesses and Lenders
Administrator Linda McMahon, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, has recently announced the launch of Lender Match, the SBA’s online referral tool connecting small business borrowers with participating SBA lenders. Lender Match is an upgrade to LINC (Leveraging Information and Networks to access Capital), introduced as a pilot in 2015.
Lender Match brings together entrepreneurs and SBA lenders to help increase access to capital. It is an upgrade from LINC in its function, design and user experience, making it easier for entrepreneurs to use and connect with potential lenders.
The free online tool allows small business owners to fill out a quick online form, without registration, and then connects them with lenders within 48 hours. There are now fewer, more relevant questions, and lenders are now able to better filter the referral they are sent resulting in more viable matches. Lenders can now optimize their search criteria to identify specific types of borrower referrals for particular lines of business or specialized financing.
Lender Match is a much more user friendly and intuitive platform for entrepreneurs and it provides better guidance on how to be prepared for the loan application process. It has been streamlined from start to finish providing better access to on-screen information.
After lenders have reviewed the information submitted to them by entrepreneurs, those who express interest in the loan will respond within two days. In addition, borrowers will also receive counseling information and resources from the SBA within their local area.
Lender Match is available to all SBA 7(a) and 504 lenders nationwide, including nonprofit lenders that offer free financial advice and specialize in micro lending, loans in SBA’s Community Advantage program, and the SBA’s CDC/504 loan program. It is important to note that you must be an approved SBA lender in good standing to receive borrower referrals.
Prospective borrowers can go to www.sba.gov/lendermatch to get matched with any number of institutions and increase their access to capital.
Economic Development Administration Announces New Grants-in-Aid
The Economic Development Administration announced a number of new grants-in-aid to communities on
October 4 – 5.
- $2.8 million grant to the city of Shelby, North Carolina, to make water infrastructure improvements needed to accommodate the expansion plans of a major paper manufacturing company and serve other businesses needs at the Washburn Switch Business Park. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 180 jobs and generate $330 million in private investment. More …
- $2.5 million grant to the Cumberland County Improvement Authority of Millville, New Jersey, to help build a food commercialization center that will support the county’s food production cluster. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 190 jobs and attract $1.5 million in private investment. The project will include the construction of a 31,000 square foot multi-tenant industrial food processing space, with common shipping and administrative space, HVAC, fire protection, refrigerator system, and utilities such as water, sewer, natural gas, telephone, and electric. The facility will provide space for new food production companies that have expanded and outgrown the nearby Rutgers Food Innovation Center. The project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the South Jersey Economic Development District (SJEDD). EDA funds SJEDD 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.
- $2.5 million grant to the Village of Leipsic, Ohio, to make water infrastructure improvements needed to support business expansion efforts. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 80 jobs, retain 357 jobs, and generate $400 million in private investment.. More …
- $1.6 million grant to the Hispanic Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri, to renovate an existing industrial building located in an economically distressed area of Kansas City for use as small business incubation space. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 90 jobs. The project will assist in the construction and renovations of 13,000 square feet of space that will contain a commercial kitchen, co-working space, conference rooms, and business assistance services. The project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), 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.
- $1.5 million grant to Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, St. Paul, Alaska, to help build a vessel repair and marine supply store facility that will support the region’s commercial fishing sector. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 73 jobs, retain 135 jobs, and generate $22.6 million in private investment. St. Paul Island’s economy is based on fishing and seafood processing. This project expands the commercial fisheries beyond crab and locally caught halibut and benefits the local fishing fleets and the seafood industry.
- 1.4 million grant to the city of Hillsboro, Texas, to make water infrastructure improvements to serve the North Industrial Park. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 240 jobs, retain 265 jobs, and generate $100 million in private investment. The project addresses water pressure and volume deficiencies that impact the North Industrial Park’s ability to maintain existing businesses and attract future employers. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG). EDA funds HOTCOG 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.
- $1.3 million grant to the Southwest Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, to help build a public trans load facility needed to accommodate the location of a major, foreign-owned paper manufacturing company at the Clark County Industrial Park in Gum Springs. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 250 jobs and generate $1.3 billion in private investment. The Southwest Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority was established in May 2010 to pursue a regional approach of developing intermodal facilities to attract and retain industries that ultimately increase and retain jobs. Construction of the public trans load facility, which will include a cross dock, will help establish the Chinese firms $1.3 billion pulp mill.
- $1.1 million grant to DevelopSpringfield Corporation of Springfield, Massachusetts, to help increase the local capacity to support entrepreneurial development in the downtown area. The project will renovate an existing building to provide work space, small individual offices with shared services, and a large meeting/function room suitable for workshops, training, business conferences and other business development needs. The project supports a transitioning economy in Springfield from large manufacturing to a smaller, more specialized manufacturing cluster and an expanding service industry.
- Revolving Loan Fund in Hawaii that will provide loans to new and expanding small businesses. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create or retain 120 jobs, and generate $4 million in private investment. This project supports Feed the Hunger Foundation’s business lending programs by complementing an existing EDA-funded Revolving Loan Fund. The investment will have an immediate and long term impact on the state of Hawaii through enhanced access to credit capital and technical assistance to new and expanding small businesses, which will lead to small business job creation and diversification, and contributes to the development of a growing, self-sufficient food system.
- $3 million grant to Delaware Innovation Space, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware, to support the renovation and refitting of a portion of a 135,000 square-foot building located at the DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington to serve as the home of Delaware Innovation Space, Inc. (DISI), a technology and science incubator, and multi-tenant facility. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 657 jobs and generate $80 million in private investment. The DISI will provide a cost-effective space for start-ups and maturing businesses alike. The surrounding geographic area includes historically mature companies operating in chemical, biotechnology, and the material economy. Researchers and businesses will benefit from their proximity and relationships with one another. Further, DISI will create more jobs for new workface entrants and early-career professionals. This project provides a unique opportunity to create an affordable business incubator and will maximize EDA’s support to produce well-paying jobs that will directly impact the regional economy.
Manufacturing Sector: Utah MEP Center Opens Satellite Centers
October 3 —The University of Utah Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center is pleased to announce the opening of satellite offices and hubs in four key regions of Utah. The MEP Center provides services and consulting to Utah manufacturers to support increased sales, cost savings, investment and job growth.
In order to expand their reach to manufacturers in all areas of the state, the MEP Center is partnering with Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Bridgerland Technical College in Logan, Mountainland Technical College in Lehi, and Utah State University in Vernal. These partners will also promote the MEP Center’s mission and ensure their regional manufacturers connect to the resources and services the MEP Center offers.
Working side by side with Utah manufacturers, the University of Utah MEP Center provides direct support by assessing and identifying company needs and provides recommendations to help manufacturers become more globally competitive. The MEP Center is a fee for service entity but offsets client costs by applying federal and state matching dollars. By utilizing the MEP Center, manufacturing companies receive high-quality work at a cost many would not be able to otherwise afford.
Disaster Recovery Resources
- Survivors seeking to register for disaster assistance should be instructed to register online through disasterassistance.gov, or through the FEMA app (https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app). These are the fastest ways to apply. If survivors cannot access the internet or download the FEMA app, they can call 1-800-621-3362.
- Disaster Recovery Assistance: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
- Hurricane Harvey Information: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-harvey
- Hurricane Irma Information: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-irma
- Hurricane Maria Information: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-maria
University of Utah MEP Center provides direct support by assessing and identifying company needs and provides recommendations to help manufacturers become more globally competitive. The MEP Center is a fee for service entity but offsets client costs by applying federal and state matching dollars. By utilizing the MEP Center, manufacturing companies receive high-quality work at a cost many would not be able to otherwise afford.
Disaster Recovery Resources
- Survivors seeking to register for disaster assistance should be instructed to register online through disasterassistance.gov, or through the FEMA app (https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app). These are the fastest ways to apply. If survivors cannot access the internet or download the FEMA app, they can call 1-800-621-3362.
- Disaster Recovery Assistance: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
- Hurricane Harvey Information: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-harvey
- Hurricane Irma Information: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-irma
- Hurricane Maria Information: https://www.usa.gov/hurricane-maria