Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $400,000 in CARES Act Funding to Boost Economic Development Programs Critical to Helping an 8-County Region in Northeast Mississippi Respond to Coronavirus
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
June 16, 2020
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $400,000 CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the Three Rivers Planning & Development District, Pontotoc, Mississippi, to update economic development plans and fortify programs to assist communities in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Trump Administration is eager to allocate these essential CARES Act funds and deliver on our promise to help American communities recover from the impact of COVID-19,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “I am proud of the perseverance and strength shown by our communities coast to coast throughout this pandemic, and these funds will help provide the necessary resources to make a swift and lasting economic comeback.”
“This investment comes at a crucial time to help our economy come roaring back and provide hard-working Americans with new opportunities,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “We are pleased to make this investment in the Three Rivers Planning & Development District to hire a Disaster Recovery Coordinator and develop a plan with business and industry leaders to help the region not only recover from Covid-19, but recover stronger.”
“We are grateful for our federal partners' support throughout this unprecedented pandemic as we work to protect the health and well-being of all who call Mississippi home,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “This grant to the Three Rivers Planning & Development District will help boost our recovery efforts for Northeast Mississippi and our state as a whole. Investing in our economic development, we will rebuild and emerge stronger than ever.”
“Mississippi’s communities have been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak,” said Senator Roger Wicker. “This emergency supplemental funding for the Three Rivers Planning and Development District will give northeast Mississippi a much-needed boost as it prepares for recovery and future economic growth.”
“Job growth and economic activity in this region of Northern Mississippi has been dynamic, but the coronavirus slowed that progress,” said Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. “This EDA investment is a tool Three Rivers can use to support this area actively recover from the pandemic and get more people to work.”
“Economic development is a top priority in Mississippi’s First Congressional District,” said Congressman Trent Kelly (MS-01). “These funds, provided through the CARES Act, will deliver additional support to recruit businesses and industries.”
Three Rivers Planning & Development District, an EDA-designated Economic Development District (EDD), is one of the more than 850 existing, high-performing EDA EDD, University Center, Tribal, and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grant recipients invited to apply for supplemental funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The CARES Act, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump on March 27, 2020, provides EDA with $1.5 billion for economic development assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
On May 7th, Secretary Ross announced that EDA is accepting applications for CARES Act Recovery Assistance funding opportunities.
EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. For complete information, please visit our recently updated EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance page.
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.