August 2016
In This IssueSpotlight: Economic Recovery an Inter-agency Effort: Economic Development Assessment Team to Deploy to Maine Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Erskine announces $4.2 million investment and EDAT to Maine at the University of Maine.
Over the last several years, a number of Maine’s major paper mills have closed, and thousands of hard-working Americans living in rural communities have lost their jobs. In March 2016, Maine Senators Susan Collins and Angus King sent a joint letter to Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker asking for support from the U.S. Department of Commerce to help address the deteriorating economic conditions. In response, on July 29, 2016, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced more than $4 million to help diversify and grow the Maine economy, and shared the bureau will deploy an interagency Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT) to eastern Maine in August. Success Story: TruFund Accelerates Innovative Programs in Louisiana TruFund supports minority and women owned contractors.
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded TruFund Financial a $500,000 EDA funded/$500,000 match grant in 2014 to assist with small business development and growth in Louisiana. In its two-year grant period, TruFund has launched a variety of projects which support minority and women-owned contractors in distressed areas of the state, with concentrations in the two largest metropolitan areas: New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Highlight: EDA Establishes Office of Economic Development Integration (OEDI) Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Bruce Andrews addresses EDI orientation.
EDA has been designated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as the federal government’s official economic development integrator in recognition of both the agency’s successful management of cross-agency initiatives, and in recognition of the fact that it is the only federal agency whose sole mission is economic development. The purpose of the Office of Economic Development Integration (OEDI) is to facilitate direct engagement between communities and multiple federal stakeholders to collaboratively solve complex economic issues. OEDI will connect communities to economic development opportunities across the federal government by serving as an internal resource to EDA regional staff who work with the agency’s clients on a regular basis. |
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White House Forum on Economic Development EDA is modernizing the way economic development is done in the 21st century! On July 21, Assistant Secretary Jay Williams shared programs ushering in this new model and EDA’s new role as the federal integrator of economic development resources at a White House Forum on Economic Development. With the Help of EDA…Mexico Cluster Mapping is Now Available!Did you know EDA works with Harvard University to run the U.S. Cluster Mapping website? EDA has extended support to Mexico for the creation of their own national Cluster Mapping website with the help of the International Trade Administration (ITA) and Harvard University. The website is free and now available. ITA describes the cluster map more in this blog post. NACIE on the road: community sharing of place-based initiatives The U.S. Economic Development Administration's Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE) works to grow America’s innovation capacity to drive job growth and competitiveness while promoting economic development. One powerful tool OIE uses to help accomplish this mission is a federal advisory council of 25 leaders who advise the Secretary of Commerce on important issues impacting American innovation and entrepreneurship. Assistant Secretary Jay Williams addresses EDA Support of Water InfrastructureOn July 19, EDA Assistant Secretary Jay Williams discussed EDA’s role in supporting economically challenged communities for drinking water and water infrastructure during a panel discussion hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Over the past five years, EDA has invested more than $226 million in 170 water and wastewater projects across the United States. EDA Intern Spotlight: William Henagan, University of Virginia Over the last eight weeks, I have had the opportunity to work alongside a talented group of public servants in the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Office of External Affairs. EDA works to promote robust economic growth through innovation and job creation. It has been an honor and a privilege to work on these issues within the Obama administration. |
