Success Stories

In September 2022, President Joe Biden announced the 21 winners of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC), a key component of his American Rescue Plan. The competition was designed to boost economic recovery from the pandemic and rebuild American communities, including those grappling with decades of disinvestment.

Stearns, Kentucky is rich in Appalachian history and culture, founded in 1902 by the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company. Centrally located within the state, adjacent to both the Daniel Boone National Forest and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Stearns was a ‘company town’ for decades serving as a major player in the mining and logging industries. More than 2,000 people lived and worked throughout 18 coal camps.

Commercial drivers play a critical role in our nation’s economy. Those with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) operate the tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and passenger buses that transport supplies, materials, products, and people across the country.  Simply put, commercial drivers help America move forward.

In 2007, Lowcountry Local First (LLF) opened its doors in Charleston, South Carolina. The founders of this non-profit organization wanted to advance economic prosperity and local ownership through innovative and inclusive initiatives—exactly the kind of initiative that would benefit from EDA’s investment.

Since 1943, the State of Maine was home to the Brunswick Naval Air Station, a training facility for pilots heading off to Europe during World War 2. They operated under the motto: “Built for Business.”  Today, that slogan has taken on a new meaning.

Lack of access to broadband is a problem for millions across the country, including residents in the state of Missouri. According to surveys from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the state ranks near the bottom for access to high-speed internet. Some local business owners had to find creative workarounds including completing tasks and then traveling into town to upload their completed work. 

Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is well known for its natural beauty and history, attracting visitors each year to its national parks, Civil War historic sites, and many local wineries. It is also home to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD) and a thriving aviation industry.

Nome, Alaska, is a hub for the transshipment of cargo and equipment from the Lower 48 states to coastal communities in Alaska’s vast territories known as the Unorganized Borough.

“I was just a humble chocolate maker with a dream.” Daniel Herskovic, a gourmet chef who worked at top restaurants in San Francisco, New York, and Chicago, started his luxury chocolate company, Mayana Chocolate, in his apartment and eventually moved to a small table in the corner of a local cheesecake bakery on Chicago’s North Side.

On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian hit Florida’s Gulf Coast, bringing heavy rains and 150 mph winds. It resulted in catastrophic loss and significantly impacted communities throughout the state. The storm left more than 2.6 million residents without power. Ian’s impact on the state’s economy was no less intense, with insurance losses topping $12.6 billion.