ARC Joins Federal Agencies in Accelerating Manufacturing Resurgence with Second Phase of “Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership”

Updated May 28, 2014

To help accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing in the United States, the Obama administration has opened the application process for phase two of the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP), which encourages American communities to develop comprehensive economic development strategies that strengthen their competitive edge in attracting global manufacturers and their supply chains. Led by the White House National Economic Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce, the IMCP brings together the resources of multiple agencies and departments involved in economic development, including ARC, to help communities focus not only on attracting individual investments but also on creating globally competitive environments that grow, retain, and expand manufacturing investment and spur international trade.

The partnership is part of a comprehensive agenda President Barack Obama outlined in his 2013 State of the Union address to create and attract jobs by investing in American manufacturing. In phase one of the IMCP, 44 communities, including 7 in Appalachia, were awarded a total of $7 million to support the creation of economic development strategies that recognize a community's comparative advantages as a place to do business, invest in public goods, and encourage collaboration between multiple entities to expand the area's commercial appeal to investors.

In the second phase of the partnership, communities will have an opportunity to compete for a special designation that will give them priority in consideration for up to $1.3 billion in federal funding and assistance from 11 cabinet departments and agencies. These communities could also potentially receive additional federal investments to further support their economic development strategies. In order to earn the special designation, communities must present strategies that identify technologies or industries in which the communities would be competitive in the future and in which they would make investments related to workforce and training; advanced research; infrastructure and site development; supply chain support; export promotion; and capital access.

Communities must apply on or before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 14, 2014, to be considered for the special designation. Eligibility to participate in phase two is not contingent on having won phase one. For more information on the IMCP and how to apply, see the December 10, 2013, Federal Register notice Announcement of Federal Interagency Competition, Fiscal Year 2014 Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership. [NOTE: The December 10 Federal Register notice states that the application deadline is March 14. The deadline has since been extended to April 14. For information on the deadline extension, see the March 3, 2014, Federal Register notice Extension of Deadline for Applications for Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership Designation.]

On February 19, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the International Economic Development Council held a webinar to provide guidance to communities applying for the special designation. A recording of the webinar, as well as a Q&A log and other webinar materials, is available on the EDA Web site.

Updates on the IMCP and links to additional IMCP-related resources are also available through the EDA Web site. Materials available include an IMCP "playbook" that identifies existing planning grant and technical assistance resources and catalogs best practices in creating economic development strategies.