Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.95 Million to Establish Entrepreneurial Center to Support Business Growth in Johnstown, Pennsylvania

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $1.95 million grant to the Johnstown Regional Development Authority of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to build a new entrepreneurial center to house growing small businesses. The center will also help persons recovering from opioid addiction reenter the local workforce. The EDA grant, to be matched with $1.95 million in local funds, is expected to create 124 jobs.

“The Trump Administration is committed to boosting business growth in local economies across the country, especially those impacted by the downturn of the coal economy and the opioid epidemic,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “This new facility will provide Johnstown with the space it needs for new small businesses to grow and create new jobs for the local workforce.”

“Supporting locally-devised strategies to boost economic opportunity is a major focus of the Economic Development Administration,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “EDA is pleased to support Johnstown’s strategy to chart a new course for its residents who have overcome opioid addiction and create renewed economic dynamism in southwestern Pennsylvania.”

“Small businesses and their employees are truly the backbone of our community in western Pennsylvania, and this new grant will both support these hardworking Pennsylvanians and pave the way for new economic growth in Johnstown,” said Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13). “The Economic Development Administration is making critical investments in our community that will create jobs, support entrepreneurs, strengthen our workforce, and provide second chances for those struggling with substance use disorder. It is my privilege to work alongside the Trump Administration and the hardworking people of Johnstown to support these new economic opportunities.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission (SAP&DC). EDA funds the SAP&DC) to help 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.