U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $3.7 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Construct Tribal Grocery Store in Lower Brule, South Dakota

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3.7 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule, South Dakota, to support construction of a grocery store on Tribal lands.

This grant will create workforce opportunities while increasing access to quality food. This EDA investment is expected to create 13 jobs, according to grantee estimates.

“President Biden is committed to supporting Tribal communities in their recovery from the coronavirus pandemic,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will assist the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in creating an important Tribal enterprise designed to increase economic resilience.”

“Tribal communities were disproportionally impacted by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA investment will grow the economy on the Tribal reservation and create new job opportunities for Tribal members.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by Planning and Development District III. EDA funds Planning and Development District III 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.

This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program, provides a wide range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

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 invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.