Last week, Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced a series of programs to equitably invest the $3 billion in funding the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration received from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Secretary Raimondo laid out the Biden Administration’s vision for the investment during the White House press briefing on Thursday.

What people are hearing in their local news:

Associated Press: “This is about real help for communities across the country as they rebuild,” Raimondo said Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press. “It’s about longer-term investments to help communities build themselves back from the bottom up in the ways that work best for them.”

Sinclair: The Biden Administration is set to deliver a $3 billion boost…beginning this morning the government will begin accepting applications for economic development grants intended to create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

WABE (NPR Atlanta, GA): The Commerce Department says the focus of the Investing in America's Communities program will be on areas that are economically distressed and underserved they've been among the hardest hit during the pandemic. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says they'll be looking to fund programs that promote equity.

ABC News: Whether it is investing in a coal mining community, or in regional tourism, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says new "investing in America" grants being announced Thursday are designed so every community in America feels empowered and included to get back on their feet in the wake of the pandemic.

Reuters: There is also $100 million "specifically for Indigenous communities, which were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic," the department added.…Some $300 million in funding will also be set aside to aid hard-hit communities dependent on coal and other energy-sector work.

Nexstar: Secretary Raimondo says it will also help support moms who are forced to leave the workforce during the pandemic to take care of their kids

Scripps: The grants are targeted at job training programs, developing new industries, and supporting local infrastructure. Recipients will be picked based on their anticipated return on investment to taxpayers.

NPR: The Biden administration says 3 billion dollars in economic development grants is available to communities to support local infrastructure, job training programs, and to develop new industries.

WDTV (CBS Clarksburg, WV): The West Virginia coal community is eligible to receive millions of dollars in grants courtesy of the American Rescue Plan.

Good Morning San Diego: The grants will go towards supporting local infrastructure jobs, training programs, and developing new industries. Officials hope the grants will create hundreds of thousands of jobs and help struggling cities make long term investments.

WSAW (CBS Wausau, WI): President Biden’s administration says it’s making 3-billion dollars in economic development grants available to communities - a tenfold increase in the program paid for by this year's covid-19 relief bill.

KCRA (NBC Sacramento, CA): The goal is to help struggling communities make long term investments to drive development.

What people are saying:

Senator Jeanne Shaheen @SenatorShaheen: $3 billion is heading to communities across NH and the nation to jumpstart our economic recovery from the pandemic. These grants from the #AmericanRescuePlan will invest in infrastructure, job training, education and more.

Senator Joe Manchin @Sen_JoeManchin: GOOD NEWS: West Virginia is eligible to apply for six programs totaling $3 billion from the #AmericanRescuePlan to support economic development across West Virginia and America, and $300M will be invested for coal community economic development. https://www.manchin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/manchin-announces-west-virginia-eligible-for-3-billion-economic-development-funds-300-million-for-coal-communities

Read the fact sheet on the Investment in America’s Communities announcement HERE.