Archived Grants Content

Awards issued prior to 2025 represent actions taken during previous administrations and do not necessarily reflect current investment priorities.

Grant

July 10 - 17, 2020

EDA announced 88 investments from July 10-17, 2020, totaling $102,970,317. These investments include the following: (1) $17,308,670 in 10 Economic Adjustment Assistance projects to help communities design and implement strategies to adjust or bring about change to their economy in response to structural damage to their underlying economic base, which includes four investments for $7,300,000 that will help create 372 jobs, save 66 jobs, and leverage $82,400,000 in private investment; (2) $83,079,597 in 72 Economic Adjustment Assistance-COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Projects to help alleviate sudden and severe economic dislocation caused by the coronavirus pandemic; (3) $1,942,800 in one Public Works project to help communities revitalize, expand, and upgrade their physical infrastructure that will help create 165 jobs and save 165 jobs; (4) $100,000 in one Technical Assistance University Center project to make the varied and vast resources of universities available to the economic development practitioner community; (5) $26,250 in one Local Technical Assistance project to strengthen the capacity of local or state organizations and institutions to undertake and promote effective economic development programs; and (6) $513,000 in three Partnership Planning projects to support the development and implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy process.
- $17,308,670 in 10 Economic Adjustment Assistance projects, matched by $7,612,580 in local investments, as follows:
  - $4,900,000 in 2019 Disaster Supplemental funding, matched by $1,650,000 in local investment, to the Muskogee City-County Port Authority, Fort Gibson/Muskogee County, Oklahoma, to fund critical infrastructure improvements, including construction of a levee to support the Muskogee City-County Port Authority with recovery efforts from a previous flood in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, a designated Opportunity Zone. The project will assist the region by raising the elevation of two existing undeveloped sites in an industrial park, which will help mitigate future impacts from flooding, protect significant public and private investments from future weather events, and bolster economic resiliency throughout the region.
  - $4,500,000 in 2019 Disaster Supplemental funding, matched by $2,894,00 in local investment, to White County and the Town of Wolcott, Monticello/White County, Indiana, to support White County and the Town of Wolcott with upgrading the wastewater treatment facility in the city of Monticello, Illinois. The project will help with recovery efforts from the 2018 floods that impacted the region and caused substantial economic losses. Once completed, the project will increase the capacity and reliability of the plant by increasing resiliency against future flooding, which will allow local business to expand and create job, support economic diversification, attract private investment, and strengthen the regional economy. The grantees estimate that this investment will help create 195 jobs and leverage $73,000,000 in private investment.
  - $3,388,000 in 2019 Disaster Supplemental funding, matched by $847,000 in local investment, to the Town of Ridgeland, Ridgeland, South Carolina, to fund critical infrastructure improvements that will enhance the resiliency of the Town of Ridgeland’s water and wastewater systems in Jasper County, South Carolina. The project will help with recovery efforts from Hurricane Florence by mitigating future flooding and supporting the wastewater system’s continued operation during disastrous events. Once completed, the project will greatly benefit local employers and workers by advancing economic resiliency throughout the region.
  - $2,000,000 in 2019 Disaster Supplemental funding, matched by $500,000 in local investment, to the City of Crockett. Crockett/Houston County, Texas, to support the city of Crockett with upgrading its existing industrial park by making critical broadband and natural gas infrastructure improvements to provide adequate water and fire protection in Houston County, Texas. Once completed, the project will help the region recover from severe flooding, which will support business growth and diversification, create jobs, attract private investment, and advance economic resiliency. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 55 jobs, save 16 jobs, and leverage $3,100,000 in private investment.
  - $800,000, matched by $204,790 in local investment, to the Coastal Bend Council of Governments and the Texas Agricultural & Mechanical University, Corpus Christi/Nueces County, Texas, to support the Coastal Bend Council of Governments with the development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) database that will aid in the study of economic risk and resilience to fill the critical need for inclusive economic development information in Aransas, Bee, Refugio, and San Patricio counties in Texas. The project will assist in developing a tool to share a mapping platform for analyzing growth scenario impacts. Once completed, the project will build business resiliency, enhance community assets, and drive economic development throughout the region.
  - $471,270, matched by $314,180 in local investment, to the SEDA-Council of Governments, Lewisburg/Union County, Pennsylvania, to conduct a feasibility study to determine the viability of constructing a vertically integrated natural gas synthesis plant in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, a designated Opportunity Zone. The study will gather workforce, engineering, and logistics data, to determine the economic and environmental factors for establishing the viability of a synthesis plant. Once completed, the project will assist industry restructuring, support advanced manufacturing, and promote economic growth throughout the region.
  - $400,000, matched by $400,000 in local investment, to the Santa Fe Business Incubator, Santa Fe/Santa Fe County, New Mexico, to fund the revitalization of the Santa Fe Business Incubator to provide technical assistance to cutting edge technology companies in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, near a designated Opportunity Zone. The project will include providing direct technical assistance to businesses, enhancing local technologies and security efficiency, and modernizing the facility. Once completed, this project will help technology companies succeed in the global marketplace, create jobs, attract private investment, and strengthen the regional economy. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 72 jobs and leverage $6,300,000 in private investment.
  - $400,000, matched by $100,000 in local investment, to the Kosrae Housing and Rural Development Authority, Kosrae/Federated States of Micronesia, FM, to support the Kosrae Housing and Rural Development Authority with establishing a Revolving Loan Fund that would cover Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia. The Revolving Loan Fund will provide working capital to agricultural businesses and entrepreneurs in Kosrae, and cover staffing costs during the fund's formative years. Once completed, the project will create and retain jobs while simultaneously reducing Kosrae's dependence upon imports, which will bolster economic resiliency throughout the region. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 50 jobs and save 50 jobs.
  - $250,000 in Assistance to Coal Communities, matched by $702,400 in local investment, to the Eastern Kentucky Pride Foundation, Inc., Somerset/Pulaski County, Kentucky, to support the Eastern Kentucky Pride Foundation with establishing 41 counties in southern and eastern Kentucky as a regional tourism destination. This project will implement a marketing initiative with the destination branding as, “The Kentucky Wildlands, Elevate Your Play,” which will leverage the region’s natural assets and strong cultural heritage to promote new or enhanced traveler experiences that increase tourism spending and strengthen tourism as an economic driver for the region. Once completed, the project will benefit 54 designated Opportunity Zones located within the project area, help promote private capital investment, spur economic resiliency, and create job opportunities in communities that has been impacted by the decline in the coal industry.
  - $199,400, with no local match, to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Cass Lake/Case County, Minnesota, to support the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (LLBO) with conducting a study to assess the feasibility of developing the nation’s first tribally owned and operated housing/construction workforce training program on the LLBO reservation, located within a designated Opportunity Zone. The program will focus on the expansion of apprenticeships and work-and-learn training models, while capitalizing on cross-border trade with Canadian tribes. Once completed, the project will offer additional incentives for private investment in the housing- and construction-related economy, which will help diversify, grow, and expand operations throughout the region.
- $83,079,597 in 72 Economic Adjustment Assistance-COVID- 19 Recovery and Resiliency Projects, as follows:
  - $73,094,468 in 41 COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Projects to the following grantees to capitalize Revolving Loan Funds:
    - $8,866,000 to the Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District, Gulfport, Mississippi, to capitalize a $8,060,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Stone, and Wayne Counties in Mississippi. This EDA investment also provides $806,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $5,310,000 to the State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Juneau, Alaska, to capitalize a $5,310,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the State of Alaska.
    - $4,675,000 to the East Central Iowa Council of Governments, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to capitalize a $4,250,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington Counties in Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $425,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $3,993,000 to the Three Rivers Planning and Development District, Pontotoc, Mississippi, to capitalize a $3,630,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Calhoun, Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Monroe, Pontotoc, and Union Counties in Mississippi. This EDA investment also provides $363,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $3,927,000 to the Northeast Mississippi Planning and Development District, Booneville, Mississippi, to capitalize a $3,570,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Alcorn, Benton, Marshall, Prentiss, Tippah, and Tishomingo Counties in Mississippi. This EDA investment also provides $357,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $3,201,000 to the Region IV Development Association, Twin Falls, Idaho, to capitalize a $2,910,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Counties of Ada, Adam, Blaine, Boise, Camas, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Twin Falls, Washington, and Valley in Idaho. This EDA investment also provides $291,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $3,168,000 to the Panhandle Area Council, Hayden, Idaho, to capitalize a $2,880,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Bonner, Boundary, Benewah, Shoshone, and Kootenia counties of Idaho. This EDA investment also provides $288,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $2,266,000 to the East Central Idaho Planning & Development Association, Inc., Rexburg, Idaho, to capitalize a $2,060,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Counties of Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton in Idaho. This EDA investment also provides $206,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $2,222,000 to the Piedmont Triad Regional Development Corporation, Kernersville, North Carolina, to capitalize a $2,020,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Alamance County, Caswell County, Davidson County, Davie County, Forsyth County, Guilford County, Montgomery County, Randolph County, Rockingham County, Stokes County, Surry County, Yadkin County. This EDA investment also provides $202,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $2,200,000 to the South Delta Planning and Development District, Inc., Greenville, Mississippi, to capitalize a $2,000,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Bolivar, Carroll, Coahoma, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Leflore, Panola, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tunica, and Washington Counties in Mississippi. This EDA investment also provides $200,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $2,024,000 to Region XII Council of Governments, Carroll, Iowa, to capitalize a $1,840,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie, and Sac Counties in Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $184,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $2,013,000 to the American Samoa Government, Pago Pago, American Samoa, to capitalize a $1,830,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: American Samoa. This EDA investment also provides $183,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $2,000,000 to the Southwestern North Carolina Economic Development District, Sylva, North Carolina, to capitalize a $1,820,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Cherokee County, Clay County, Graham County, Haywood County, Jackson County, Macon County, and Swain County in North Carolina. This EDA investment also provides $180,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,955,641 to the South Central Kansas Economic Development District, Inc, Wichita, Kansas, to capitalize a $1,780,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Butler, Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Harper, Harvey, Greenwood, Kingman, Marion, McPherson, Rice, Reno, Sedgwick, and Sumner Counties in Kansas. This EDA investment also provides $175,641 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,800,000 to the Mountain BizCapital, Inc., Asheville, North Carolina, to capitalize a $1,640,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Alleghany County, Ashe County, Avery County, Buncombe County, Burke County, Cleveland County, Henderson County, Madison County, McDowell County, Mitchell County, Polk County, Rutherford County, Transylvania County, Watauga County, Wilkes County, Yancey County. This EDA investment also provides $160,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,650,000 to the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, West Burlington, Iowa, to capitalize a $1,500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Des Moines, Henry, Lee, Louisa Counties in Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $150,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,595,000 to the East Central Planning and Development District, Newton, Mississippi, to capitalize a $1,450,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Clarke, Jasper, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Scott, and Smith Counties in Mississippi. This EDA investment also provides $145,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,562,000 to the North Central Planning and Development District, Inc., Montgomery, Mississippi, to capitalize a $1,420,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Attala, Carroll, Grenada, Holmes, Leflore, Montgomery, and Yalobusha Counties in Mississippi. This EDA investment also provides $142,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,529,007 to the Southern Iowa Development Group, Inc., Creston, Iowa, to capitalize a $1,420,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties in Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $109,007 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,243,000 to the Southeast Idaho Council of Governments, Inc., Pocatello, Idaho, to capitalize a $1,130,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Oneida, Bear Lake, Franklin, Caribou, Power, Bannock, and Bingham Counties in Idaho. This EDA investment also provides $113,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,221,000 to the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments, Henderson, North Carolina, to capitalize a $1,100,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Franklin County, Granville County, Person County, Vance County, and Warren County in North Carolina. This EDA investment also provides $110,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,188,000 to PPEP Microbusiness & Housing Development Corporation, Tucson, Arizona, to capitalize a $1,080,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Counties of Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma in Arizona. This EDA investment also provides $108,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,100,000 to the Boonslick Regional Planning Commission, Warrenton, Missouri, to capitalize a $1,000,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Lincoln, Montgomery, and Warren Counties in Missouri. This EDA investment also provides $100,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,067,000 to the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission, Perryville, Missouri, to capitalize a $970,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Iron, Madison, Perry, St. Francois, and Ste. Genevieve Counties in Missouri. This EDA investment also provides $97,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $1,001,000 to the Clearwater Economic Development Association, Lewiston, Idaho, to capitalize a $910,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce Counties of Idaho. This EDA investment also provides $91,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $967,989 to the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, to capitalize a $880,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Within city limits of Kansas City, Missouri. Counties included in project area: all of Jackson, portions of Clay, Platte and Cass Counties in Missouri. This EDA investment also provides $87,989 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $946,000 to the North Delta Planning and Development District, Batesville, Mississippi, to capitalize a $860,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Coahoma, DeSoto, Panola, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Tunica Counties in Mississippi, and Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, and Lauderdale Counties in Tennessee. This EDA investment also provides $86,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $858,000 to the Meramec Regional Planning Commission, St. James, Missouri, to capitalize a $780,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Dent, Crawford, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski, and Washington Counties in Missouri. This EDA investment also provides $78,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $704,000 to the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, Clayton, Missouri, to capitalize a $640,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Saint Louis County in Missouri. This EDA investment also provides $64,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $671,000 to the Mid-East Commission, Washington, North Carolina, to capitalize a $610,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Beaufort County, Bertie County, Hertford County, Martin County, Pitt County. This EDA investment also provides $61,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $649,000 to the Feed the Hunger Foundation, San Francisco, California, to capitalize a $590,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: State of Hawaii. This EDA investment also provides $59,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $572,000 to the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission, Chanute, Kansas, to capitalize a $520,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson Counties in Kansas. This EDA investment also provides $52,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $550,000 to the UDI Community Development Corporation, Durham, North Carolina, to capitalize a $500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Durham County. This EDA investment also provides $50,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $550,000 to the Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission, Hill City, Kansas, to capitalize a $500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Cheyenne, Decatur, Rawlins, Norton, Phillips, Smith, Osborne, Rooks, Graham, Sheridan, Thomas, Sherman, Wallace, Logan, Gove, Trego, Ellis, and Russell Counties in Kansas. This EDA investment also provides $50,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $550,000 to the Mid Iowa Development Association Council of Governments, Fort Dodge, Iowa, to capitalize a $500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Calhoun, Hamilton, Humboldt, Pocahontas, Webster, and Wright Counties in Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $50,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $550,000 to the Mid Iowa Development Fund, Inc., Polk City, Iowa, to capitalize a $500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Dallas, Polk, Jasper, Story, Boone, Marion, and Warren Counties, Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $50,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $550,000 to Iowa Northland Regional Economic Development Commission, Waterloo, Iowa, to capitalize a $500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, and Grundy Counties in Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $50,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $550,000 to the North Iowa Council of Governments, Mason City, Iowa, to capitalize a $500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Kossuth, Mitchell, Winnebago and Worth Counties in Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $50,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $550,000 to the Southwest Iowa Planning Council, Atlantic, Iowa, to capitalize a $500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Montgomery, Shelby, and Page Counties in Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $50,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $550,000 to the Lake of the Ozarks Council of Local Governments, Camdenton, Missouri, to capitalize a $500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Camden, Laclede, Miller, and Morgan Counties in Missouri. This EDA investment also provides $50,000 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
    - $549,831 to the Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission, Postville, Iowa, to capitalize a $500,000 Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to lend to borrowers in the following geographic region: Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek Counties in Iowa. This EDA investment also provides $49,831 to defray the cost of administering the RLF.
  - 5,804,004 in 17 COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Projects to the following Partnership Planning grantees to provide supplemental financial assistance to update economic development plans and fortify programs to assist communities in responding to the unusual and compelling urgency of the coronavirus pandemic:
  - $4,181,125 in 14 COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Projects to the following Technical Assistance University Center grantees to provide supplemental financial assistance to help them respond to the unusual and compelling urgency of the coronavirus pandemic:
- $1,942,800 in one Public Works project, matched by $485,700 in local investment, as follows:
  - $1,942,800, matched by $485,700 in local investment, to the City of Orange Grove, Orange Grove/Fresno County, California, to fund construction of sewer and roadway infrastructure improvements to support the community and its businesses in Orange Cove, California, a designated Opportunity Zone. The project will open new land for business development, which will help create and retain jobs, attract private investment, promote economic growth and strengthen the regional economy. The grantee estimates that this investment will help create 165 jobs and save 165 jobs.
- $100,000 in one Technical Assistance University Center project, matched by $100,000 in local investment, to support a five-year University Center (UC) program, which is a competitively-based partnership between EDA and academic institutions that makes the varied and vast resources of universities available to the economic development practitioner community.
- $26,250 in one Local Technical Assistance project, matched by $25,750 in local investment, to the Headwaters Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc., Butt/Silver Bow County, Montana, to conduct a study to examine the growth and feasibility of a meat processing operation in Whitehall, Montana. The study will help address the local and regional need for a value-added agriculture processing center in the community and create a framework plan, ownership structure analysis, infrastructure assessment, economic research, and recommendations for the potential facility. Once completed, the project will provide an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.
- $513,000 in three Partnership Planning projects, matched by $225,000 in local investments, to support the development and implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) process. The CEDS process is designed to bring together the public and private sectors in the creation of an economic development roadmap to diversify and strengthen the regional economy.