WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded two CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to organizations located in Northwest, Ohio totaling $3.15 million. The funds will be used to help local businesses respond to economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

EDA funds are include:

  • $555,000 grant to Bowling Green State University, in Bowling Green, Ohio to develop a Workforce Strategy and Recovery Plan for a four-county region in Northwest Ohio which includes Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, and Fulton counties.
  • $2.6 million grant to the Wood County Port Authority in Rossford, Ohio, to make roadway, water, and sewer infrastructure improvements needed to increase the capacity of connector roads and support local logistics in Wood and Lucas Counties. This project is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs and retain 64 jobs.

“These funds will provide the Northwest Ohio region with additional tools and resources to address the economic fallout from COVID-19,” said Brown. “Not only will this investment will build up local infrastructure, but it will develop programs to help Ohioan find good paying jobs”.

The EDA is the only federal government agency focused exclusively on economic development. The program is designed to provide financial assistance to communities, and promote economic development. The CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, provides the EDA with $1.5 billion specifically for economic development assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare, and respond to coronavirus.

EDA grants are awarded through a competitive process based upon the application’s merit, the applicant’s eligibility, and the availability of funds.  More information on EDA’s grant process and investment process can be found at www.eda.gov

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