Minnesota
| Program | # of Grants | EDA Funds |
|---|---|---|
| Public Works | 1 | $1,189,500 |
| Technical Assistance |
2 | $273,000 |
| Planning | 7 | $670,511 |
| Total | 10 | $2133011 |
During FY 2012, EDA awarded 10 grants totaling $2.1 million in the State of Minnesota. These investments spurred job creation in the agribusiness, transportation and logistics, mining, and IT startups. These projects leveraged the assets of the university and technical college system and the rural and urban areas of the state to create a holistic approach to economic development that is able to increase productivity, spur innovation and entrepreneurship, and increase long-term regional competitiveness and economic diversification. These investments are expected to create or retain 137 jobs according to grantee estimates.
Investment Spotlight: Critical Infrastructure Improvements Add Jobs in Southwest Minnesota
The City of Dawson is a small, rural community located in southwestern Minnesota. The State of Minnesota Demographic Center projects this region of southwest Minnesota’s population to decline by 15% from 2010 to 2035, continuing a trend that began in the 1940’s. In 2010 alone, in addition to other closures, an agricultural processor was forced to reduce its workforce by 90% because the City could not provide adequate wastewater treatment services. It was also determined that it was not possible to locate additional business within the City’s industrial park due to aging and inadequate road, water, and wastewater infrastructure.
To stem the population and employment decline, the community recognized it needed to enhance its industrial base. In FY 2012, EDA awarded $1,189,500 to the City of Dawson to fund critical improvements to its existing industrial park and to construct a new 65-acre industrial park nearby. This project includes the construction of a new service roadway, new water mains, as well as a storm sewer and wastewater systems. Together with the immediate creation of 20 new jobs at a meat processing facility currently operating in the park, the City estimates that over the next nine years, the EDA investment will result in the creation of a total of 137 new jobs and $35,000,000 in private investment.