Success Stories

The place-based investment is core to EDA’s mission, with our team working closely with local community leaders to ensure EDA’s grants support targeted economic development based on each community’s unique needs. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, which allows EDA’s grants to be flexible, dynamic, and meet the moment that’s called for in each community. In Lubbock, Texas, that has translated into multiple EDA investments, as leaders turn a painful Air Force Base closure into economic opportunity for the region.

Reidsville is a small North Carolina community about twenty miles from Greensboro. Known as “Lucky City,” the residents have a simple motto: ‘live simply, think big.’

The dramatic landscapes of Inyo County, California make it a popular filming location, with more than 400 movies and countless television ads shot in the surrounding area. It is also a destination for outdoor enthusiasts who are drawn to its iconic locales, such as Death Valley and Mount Whitney. All of these visitors require fuel, food, and other supplies, a need upon which the Bishop Paiute Tribe are moving to capitalize.

Frost Fire Park in Northern North Dakota has been driving tourism to the Pembina Gorge for nearly half a century. Located just five miles from the Canadian border, the weekend ski area attracts skiers and snowboarders from hundreds of miles away who not only enjoy winter sports but also frequent hotels, restaurants, and small businesses in the area. 

“To grow is to prosper.” For the residents of Floyd County, Virginia, it’s more than just a motto emblazoned on the county seal. It’s a way of life, embedded in both the history and the culture of this rural community nestled among the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.

Nancy Martinez, owner of Nide Jardin in Aurora, Illinois, opened her 2,400-square-foot plant and home decor store in August 2023 with assistance from a flexible loan from a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) supported by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).

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.

For more than thirty years, True Access Capital (TAC) has been empowering small business owners and entrepreneurs in Delaware and Pennsylvania, providing them with startup capital. Since opening its doors in 1991, TAC has provided nearly $50 million in funding to more than 1,400 organizations, allowing them to, in turn, open for business as well.

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.