Budzinski Announces $450,000 Federal Planning Grant for Springfield Economic Empowerment Project

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that the Springfield Economic Empowerment Project has been awarded a $450,000 Recompete Strategy Development Grant to hire a Recompete Plan Coordinator and Economic Development Officer and support strategic implementation planning. 

Springfield Economic Empowerment Project, led by the city of Springfield, will leverage the grant to increase local coordination and planning activities to create and connect workers to good jobs in geographically diverse and persistently distressed communities. The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment is significantly lower than the national average, with the goal to close this gap through flexible, locally driven investments. 

“Since my first day in Congress, I’ve been focused on advocating for federal funding to support projects in Central and Southern Illinois,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “Today, I couldn’t be happier to join the Economic Development Administration in announcing a $450,000 grant for the Springfield Economic Empowerment Project. This announcement means new resources dedicated to creating a workforce development strategy to spur economic growth in the parts of our community that have been left behind for too long.”

“We are thankful to the Biden-Harris administration for this win for Springfield. As the capital city of Illinois, the City of Springfield is committed to championing efforts to improve the economic mobility of our distressed communities. Our public, institutional, and philanthropic partners’ coalition has been leading the way to bridge economic gaps holistically. The ReCompete Program funding will elevate our efforts to revitalize Springfield’s socio-economic fabric. The Springfield Economic Empowerment Project stands as a symbol of Springfield’s unwavering commitment to inclusive growth. We are excited to hit the ground running,” said Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher.

“Springfield’s success in securing the Strategy Development Recompete Grant represents a pivotal step toward addressing enduring economic challenges within our city. The Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance is pleased to join forces with the City and other partners in workforce and economic development like Cap 1908, Lincoln Land Community College, Land of Lincoln Workforce Alliance, Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln, among others, in our shared mission to address the employment gap in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods. With the EDA’s investment bolstering our collective efforts, we’re poised to reshape Springfield’s economic landscape, fostering inclusive growth, nurturing new businesses, and ensuring equitable opportunities for every member of our community,” said Abby Powell, Director of Business Development at the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance. 

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.

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