January 2020
In This Issue
Spotlight: U.S. Economic Development Administration and Indiana University Launch New Opportunity Zones Tool Assistant Secretary Fleming Opportunity Zone Tool Quote
On January 14, EDA and Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business announced the launch of the USA Opportunity Zones tool. This new web-based tool will help local economic and community developers, investors, the more than 390 EDA-designated Economic Development Districts (EDDs), and others across the nation better target private investment to Opportunity Zones. As economic development practitioners build their five-year Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), incorporating Opportunity Zones is a new and promising tool for further enhancing economic growth. Success Story: Southwest Region Economic Development Association Recognizes Outstanding ‘Star of the Southwest’ Projects at 2019 Annual Conference EDA Assistant Secretary John Fleming, Deputy Assistant Secretary Dennis Alvord and Austin Regional Director Jorge Ayala Presenting SWREDA Awards
The Southwest Region Economic Development Association (SWREDA) is a voluntary association of executive directors of Councils of Governments and Economic Development Districts working across EDA’s five-state Austin region. On December 4, SWREDA honored five impactful projects as part of the organization’s 2019 Annual Conference “Leveraging Local Assets, Building Regional Economies” in Santa Fe, NM. These ‘Star of the Southwest’ awardees are recognized for having made a measurable and positive impact on their regions. Highlight: U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $7.4 Million to Support Workforce Training and Emergency Management Efforts in Disaster-Impacted Areas of California.jpg) Assistant Secretary Fleming announcing $7.4 million in EDA grants in California
On January 6, Assistant Secretary Fleming announced two EDA grants totaling $7.4 million to the state of California. The grants, announced at Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) in Sonoma County, will support disaster-related workforce training and emergency management efforts in wildfire stricken areas of the state. The EDA grants will be matched with $1.075 million in local investment. |
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Opportunity Zone Regulations Finalized On December 19, 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department issued final regulations (PDF) on Opportunity Zones, one of the nation’s most bipartisan initiatives to combat poverty. Since January 2018, EDA has invested more than $348.8 million in 251 projects in or near Opportunity Zones across the U.S. Reminder: Fiscal Year 2019 Disaster Supplemental Funding Available EDA has $587 million available to aid disaster recovery in areas that received a federal disaster designation as a result of Hurricanes Florence, Michael, Lane, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, wildfires and other calendar year 2018/2019. Stronger CEDS, Stronger Regions 2020 SnapshotNADO Research Foundation and EDA’s "Stronger CEDS, Stronger Regions" training program has recently been awarded additional funding to advance for another two years and will continue to assist regions as they undertake CEDS planning processes that can serve as a practical road map to regional progress and prosperity. As the program enters this next phase, NADO is asking to please help update on your CEDS training needs and goals to help inform our future programming, resources, and training curriculum by January 31, 2020. All materials created from "Stronger CEDS, Stronger Regions" are posted free online at www.cedscentral.com. Educational Association of University Centers (EAUC) and EDA WebinarThe next EDA UC and EAUC webinar will be held on Wednesday January 22 at 3pm ET. Registration is not required. View information and webinar access instructions. Communities Chosen to Participate in 2020 Regional Innovation Initiative10 communities will receive EDA-funded technical assistance from Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc. (RISI) to kickstart entrepreneurship and tech-powered job creation. Read more about the program in RISI’s press release.
EDA in the News!
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