February 20 Webinar to Offer Guidance on “Manufacturing Community” Competition Applications February 2015

On Friday, February 20, 2015, the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the International Economic Development Council will hold a free webinar to provide information and guidance to communities applying for designation as "manufacturing communities" from the administration's Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP). The competitive application process was opened in January 2015 to give communities 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 ten cabinet departments and agencies to support communities' economic development strategies to attract global manufacturers and their supply chains. The deadline to apply for the special designation is April 1.

Led by the White House National Economic Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce, the IMCP aims to help accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing in the United States by rewarding best practices in community and economic development. It brings together the resources of multiple agencies and departments, including ARC, to help communities create globally competitive environments that grow, retain, and expand manufacturing investment and spur international trade.

The webinar will be held at 2:00 p.m. and will provide an overview of the IMCP, updates about the application process, and an opportunity to ask questions about both the partnership and the application process. Registration is available online at http://www.iedconline.org/events/2015/02/20/training-course/investing-in-manufacturing-communities-partnership-round-2/.