Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4.4 Million to Build Tribal Business Incubator in Minnesota

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $4.4 million grant to the Lower Sioux Indian Community of Morton, Minnesota, to support the construction of the Lower Sioux Intergenerational Cultural Incubator. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 138 new jobs and spur $1.6 million in private investment.

“The Trump Administration is committed to ensuring communities have access to the tools that can help the private sector expand and thrive,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “The Lower Sioux Intergenerational Cultural Incubator will give entrepreneurs and tribally-owned businesses the capacity they need to succeed and, in turn, accelerate local economic growth.”

“This project will connect business owners and entrepreneurs in the Lower Sioux Indian Community to training and other business development resources that will help them succeed,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “We greatly appreciate this federal grant, which will help the project get up and running, expand the Tribe’s recreation center, and create an estimated 138 new jobs.”

“It’s crucial that everyone has the tools they need to succeed in the 21st Century economy,” said U.S. Senator Tina Smith, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. “This incubator will help accomplish just that, by providing both workforce development training and a space for budding entrepreneurs in the Lower Sioux Indian Community.”

This investment will support construction of an addition to the tribe’s existing recreation center. The business incubator will broaden access to workforce training and business development opportunities in the region. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Southwest Regional Planning Commission. EDA funds the Southwest Regional Planning Commission to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.