U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4.7 Million to Boost Workforce Development and Business Expansion Efforts in Kentucky

Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, edamedia@eda.gov

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is investing $4.7 million in the state of Kentucky to support workforce development and business expansion in the region.

The EDA investments announced today are:

Goodwill Industries of Kentucky in Louisville will receive a $2.8 million grant to expand and renovate the Goodwill Opportunity Center in Bowling Green to provide life skills and job readiness training to low-income and underserved populations. This EDA investment will be matched with $757,000 in local funds.

Logan Industrial Development Authority in Russellville will receive a $1.9 million grant for water and roadway infrastructure improvements at the West Industrial Park to support the aluminum manufacturing sector. This EDA investment will be matched with $480,000 in local funds.

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda is ensuring that all communities have the resources and opportunities they need to compete and thrive in today’s economy,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These EDA investments will advance that mission by providing new opportunities for workforce training, business expansion and economic growth in Kentucky.”

“The Economic Development Administration is proud to partner with local communities to support place-based economic growth,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Cristina Killingsworth. “These investments will support good jobs and economic resilience throughout the region.”

“Kentucky’s economy is booming – and we thank the U.S. Department of Commerce for investing in our thriving manufacturing sector as well as our great small businesses,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “Today’s announcement was only possible because we had federal, state and local partners working together to support our continued economic growth and create new jobs for all our Kentucky families.”

“I’m thrilled to see over $2 million in federal funds awarded to support workforce training in my home state of Kentucky,” said Representative Morgan McGarvey (KY-3). “Investments like these are a great reminder of why state, federal, and private partnerships are so important. I’ve seen firsthand the impact of Goodwill Opportunity Centers in Louisville’s most underserved communities, and I’m looking forward to seeing the good this will do for low-income families throughout our commonwealth.”

These projects were made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Barren River Area Development District (BRADD). EDA funds (BRADD) 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.

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.