Governor DeWine announces new grants to spur economic development; Adena Local Schools, Shawnee State among recipients
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced Tuesday that more than $8.2 million in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) will be directed toward eight projects in Ohio that support workforce and economic development in communities impacted by the downturn of the coal industry.
The funding is part of the federal Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative to help address coal-related job loss in the Appalachian region. The Governor's Office of Appalachia, a division of the Ohio Department of Development, worked with local development districts in Ohio's Appalachian region to identify projects that could qualify for funding and aid in the federal application process.
“In Ohio, we are making significant investments into our Appalachian region, creating a better place to call home, attracting new businesses and supporting sustainable economic growth,” said Governor DeWine, who serves as a member of the Appalachian Regional Commission. “This funding will support our work to help ensure all Ohioans have the opportunity to live up to their God-given potential.”
Recipients include:
• An ARC grant of $40,000 to Adena Local School District in Frankfort, Ohio, for the Adena Works: Empowering Tomorrow's Makers project. The project aims to create a transformative coalition of stakeholders, manufacturers and other community entities that will identify the STEM workforce development and training needs of at-risk populations, including underserved, unemployed, substance-use-disorder–impacted, veterans, non-traditional, youth and homeless populations. As a result of this project, Adena and their partners will develop three plans: a needs assessment to identify local skill gaps, business needs and workforce and training needs; a sustainability plan to identify strategies for cost efficiencies, leveraging resources and training demands for a skilled labor workforce; and a strategic plan that will inform a future implementation plan, as well as the development of a manufacturing lab to provide STEM education for these at-risk populations.
• An ARC grant of $1,999,092 to Shawnee State University in Scioto County, Ohio, for the Shawnee State University Advanced Manufacturing Center: An Investment in Our Future project. The project aims to strengthen the advanced manufacturing workforce in 10 counties in Southern Ohio and Northeast Kentucky with the renovation of a training center housed at Shawnee State University. It will also fund costs related to Manufacturing on the Move, a K-12 career exploration program designed with local employers to ensure alignment with industry demands so that participants can develop the skills required for employment. This project will serve 3,400 students, improve 3,350 students, serve 12 businesses, improve eight businesses and renovate 8,700 square feet over the span of three years.
A complete list of Ohio POWER award recipients can be found at: https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/OHIOGOVERNOR/2024/10/25/fil….
Funding will be used to strengthen a variety of industries, such as advanced manufacturing, entrepreneurship, healthcare and workforce development and will enhance job training and employment opportunities, create jobs and attract new sources of private investment in coal-impacted communities.
“These funds will support community strategies to build new industries and equip local residents with the skills needed to benefit from upcoming economic development projects,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “Creating new jobs and the accompanying prosperity requires strategic planning and investment. I hope these grants will help implement successful strategies in these communities.”
“By making defining investments like these, Ohio is creating a more vibrant economic future for the people who call Appalachia home,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. “The projects we are announcing today showcase the power of collaboration between local, state and federal governments, as well as private organizations. By investing in local infrastructure and small businesses, we’re creating jobs and driving sustainable economic growth that will benefit generations to come.”
“ARC’s POWER initiative supports coal-impacted communities' preparation for the next phase of Appalachia’s economy, while ensuring that residents have a say in the course of their own futures,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “The investments announced in this round of POWER will help train workers, advance new industries, and build upon the progress already being made toward a brighter future full of economic opportunity for our region.”
This latest announcement is the ARC's largest POWER investment since the initiative was launched in 2015, with projects impacting 188 counties in 10 Appalachian states.
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