Washington
| Program | # of Grants | EDA Funds |
|---|---|---|
| Public Works | 3 | $4,405,300 |
| Economic Adjustment Assistance | 1 | $2,060,000 |
| Disaster Relief | 1 | $2,805,000 |
| Technical Assistance | 2 | $212,948 |
| Planning | 21 | $1,248,000 |
| Total | 28 | $10,731,248 |
During FY 2012, EDA awarded 28 grants totaling $10.7 million throughout the State of Washington. These investments encourage the growth of advanced materials and metals industries, as well as entrepreneurship, research, and disaster resiliency. The State has a focus on cutting-edge technologies and its application to other industries, including advanced manufacturing, as evidenced by several of these awards, including the Jobs Innovation Accelerator award to the Columbia River Economic Development Council. These investments alone are projected to create or retain 930 jobs according to grantee estimates.
Investment Spotlight: EDA Investment Creates Jobs on Tribal Lands
The Tulalip Tribes consist of thirteen Indian tribes and bands which inhabit the area of the reservation that was created by the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott. The Tribes are longtime recipients of EDA partnership planning funds, which they have used to create and update their Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS). With a traditional fishing-based economy, the Tribes sought to diversify their economy starting in the 1990s. Guided by their CEDS, the Tribes focused on 2,000 acres they own along Interstate 5, about 40 minutes north of Seattle and 80 minutes south of the Canadian border, as a tourism destination development. Over the last 20 years, the Tribes have developed Quil Ceda Village, the first federally-recognized tribal city in the country. This development includes Seattle Premium Outlets, with 110 stores, as well as big box retailers, restaurants and specialty businesses. Building on this growth, the Tribes also developed Tulalip Resort, which includes a four-star hotel, and the Tulalip Amphitheater.
While this growth has created significant employment opportunities for the Reservations, the Tribes constantly reevaluate their needs and opportunities through the ongoing CEDS process. As a result, the Tribes coordinated to create Tulalip Broadband and Tulalip Data Services which offer technology services to Tribal members and businesses looking to locate near tribal lands. All of these businesses have brought jobs and income both to Tribal members and the surrounding community and serve as a strong example of how long-term, coordinated economic development planning can lead to increased prosperity.