September 8 - 12, 2014

Note: Planning and University Center projects are not included in this report.

• $1,579,292 in Public Works funds to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, Saipan, Northern Marianas, to support the construction of sewer system improvements for the redevelopment of the Lower Base Industrial Park on Saipan. The project supports diversification and resiliency of the economy. This investment is part of a $2,105,722 project that the grantee estimates will save 75 jobs.
• $1,477,327 in Public Works funds to the City of Houston, Mississippi, to construct new water infrastructure to serve the City of Houston’s industrial park. These improvements are vital for industries located in the park to meet fire suppression standards, maintain operations, and continue to employ workers. This project will also build a strong foundation for future economic growth in the region. This investment is part of a $2,947,213 project that the grantee estimates will save 1,128 manufacturing jobs.
• $1.25 million in Economic Adjustment funds to the Cleveland Music Foundation and Delta State University, Cleveland, Mississippi, to construct an access road and upgrades infrastructure on the Delta State University campus in Cleveland, Mississippi. This project will enhance and expand the region’s arts and tourism cluster. This investment is part of a $1,785,714 project that the grantees estimate will create 10 jobs and leverage $18.5 million in private investment.
• $1,149,184 in Public Works funds to the Spartanburg County Commission for Technical and Community Education, Spartanburg, South Carolina, to construct a new training facility on the Spartanburg Community College Cherokee County campus. The Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies will house nine flexible lab and classroom spaces for workforce training in welding, computer numeric control (CNC) machine tool technology, and mechatronics, including automated manufacturing and robotics. The project will help meet critical workforce development needs and industry demand for skilled manufacturing technicians. This investment is part of a $5,437,175 project that the grantee estimates will save 84 jobs and leverage $19.992 million in private investment.
• $1 million in Public Works funds to the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, to renovate space in the Texas Medical Complex to serve as an incubator/accelerator for the BCM Innovation Works! in east Houston. This space will be used to advance business development through a validation process in a proof-of-concept environment to develop and nurture new businesses in the biomedical sector. This investment is part of a $2.955 million project.
• $800,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to the Puerto Rico Trade and Export Company and the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company, San Juan, Puerto Rico, to fund a series of technical assistance programs and a business growth network to boost export opportunities for small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Puerto Rico. Expansion of the SMEs, which make up over 95 percent of companies in Puerto Rico, will be a catalyst for Puerto Rico’s “Open for Business” initiative to create jobs and economic growth in the commonwealth. This investment is part of a $1,000,338 project.
• $511,118 in Public Works funds to the Santo Domingo Tribe, Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico, to fund Phase II of the renovation to the historic Santo Domingo Trading Post located on Santo Domingo Tribal lands. The project revives an historic Native American tourist attraction and increases retail opportunities for native artists, who produce world-renown jewelry, pottery and other artisan goods, which stimulates the regional economy. This investment is part of a $511,118 project.
• $510,000 in Public Works funds to the University of Hawaii System, Honolulu, Hawaii, to fund the renovation of the University of Hawaii’s Shidler School of Business in Honolulu, Hawaii. The facility will serve as an accelerator to commercialize and license research ideas at the main campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The project offers entrepreneurs a facility to meet, collaborate and develop business models and plans and obtain associated training, targeted resources and professional services. This investment is part of a $994,000 project that the grantee estimates will create 30 jobs.
• $500,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to TruFund Financial Services, New Orleans, Louisiana, to provide assistance to minority and women-owned businesses in economically distressed communities in the greater New Orleans and Baton Rouge regions. The project will undertake needs assessments of businesses in the area and connect business owners with targeted resources designed to build their capacity, grow their businesses, and create jobs. This investment is part of a $1 million project.
• $400,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to the State of Hawaii, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Honolulu, Hawaii, to support a technical assistance program for entrepreneurs in Hawaii. The program focuses on launching new businesses and products for export in the film, creative media, new media, music, and fashion design industries. This investment is part of an $800,000 project.
• $300,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to the New Orleans Startup Fund, New Orleans, Louisiana, to initiate two new programs: PowerMovesNOLA and EDstartNOLA. PowerMovesNOLA encourages minority entrepreneurs’ participation in the Startup program; and EdstartNOLA develops entrepreneurship education in the New Orleans charter school network. These initiatives are designed to increase productivity, spur innovation and entrepreneurship, and increase long-term regional competitiveness. This project is part of a $600,000 project that the grantee estimates will create 150 jobs.
• $300,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to the Texas Life Sciences Collaboration Center, Georgetown, Texas, to establish a program in the Texas Life-Sciences Collaboration Center to attract foreign companies to central Texas. This project supports the growth of the life sciences cluster and increased exports. This investment is part of a $600,000 project that the grantee estimates will create 500 jobs.
• $300,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to The Good Work Network, New Orleans, Louisiana, to provide technical assistance for disadvantaged small businesses to take advantage of emerging business opportunities within the growing bio-innovation and health care industry cluster in New Orleans. The project will create a database of contract opportunities and the services and products of the targeted small business to help build their capacity, grow their businesses, and create jobs. This investment is part of a $600,000 project.
• $275,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to the Stanly College Trustees of Stanley College, Stanly, North Carolina, to fund the renovation of a building on the Stanly Community College campus to house advanced manufacturing programs. By creating training opportunities in industrial automation, including mechatronics and robotics, the investment will help the region prepare the workforce to better meet the needs of industry today and in the future. This investment is part of a $550,000 project that the grantee estimates will create 26 jobs and leverage $900,000 in private investment.
• $270,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to ACCION New Mexico, Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico, to support the implementation of ACCION New Mexico’s Presto Loan pilot program to promote and develop entrepreneurship throughout New Mexico. The program will target low-to-moderate income, minority, women, and veteran entrepreneurs. This investment is part of a $544,000 project.
• $261,036 in Economic Adjustment funds to the Hacienda Community Development Corporation, Portland, Oregon, to fund the purchase of equipment for a food business incubator in Portland. The project provides both technical assistance and business space for emerging food businesses in the region. This investment is part of a $522,072 project.
• $209,523 in Economic Adjustment funds to Ogeechee Technical College, Statesboro, Georgia, to fund specialized equipment and training materials to begin the Industrial Maintenance Program on Ogeechee Technical College’s Statesboro-Bulloch campus. The program fills a critical workforce training need in the region for industrial maintenance – for jobs in electrical, programmable controllers, pneumatics and hydraulics, mechanical systems, and HVAC maintenance. The increased number of trained employees would help to attract new and expanding companies to the region. This investment is part of a $419,523 project that the grantee estimates will create 41 jobs, save 15 jobs, and leverage $78,000 in private investment.