December 21, 2023 – Decatur has been chosen as a finalist for funding from the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program from the US Department of Commerce and Economic Development Administration.
Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski(IL-13) announced yesterday that Decatur’s Recompete Plan has been selected as one of 22 finalists for funding from the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program out of more than 600 applicants nationwide. The application – submitted by Richland Community College – was the only community college application selected as a finalist.
According to a summary, the 2023 Decatur Recompete Plan requests approximately $50 million to address key inhibitors causing unemployment among underserved populations in Decatur.
“Scaling its proven EnRICH training model, the Finalist will prepare workers for manufacturing job opportunities in the emerging electric vehicle and precision fermentation sectors. In Decatur, Black employment in the service area trails Black employment in the region and the nation due to an inequitable education system and decades of deindustrialization. Through a three-pronged strategy, the Finalist aims to train residents for good manufacturing jobs, provide comprehensive wraparound supports, and strengthen manufacturing pathways for high school seniors. With regional growth of bio-manufacturing firms and state investments in electric vehicle production, Richland Community College will work to ensure underserved communities are included in regional growth, ” the summary reads. To see the full plan, CLICK HERE.
“One of my top priorities in Congress has been looking for federal funding opportunities and advocating for projects in Central and Southern Illinois,” said Congresswoman Budzinski.“I’m thrilled to join the Economic Development Administration to announce that Decatur has been selected as one of 22 finalists for federal Recompete funding. This announcement underscores the strength of Decatur’s application and positions our community for significant federal investment. I look forward to continuing my work with EDA to secure economic development resources for our community.”
“The CHIPS Act and the Biden-Harris Administration continue to open doors for Illinois working families,” said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. “The Recompete Plan will help ensure economic development impacts every community, including those who have historically faced barriers to employment. I’m pleased that Decatur and Richland Community College have been recognized as finalists for the funding, and I look forward to championing their program in years to come.”
“Richland has been committed to changing lives and improving the economic vitality of our communities through rigorous and effective workforce training for many years, we are elated to be named finalists and are confident that, if chosen, we will continue to provide a prepared trained workforce through our EnRich Program by moving adults out of unemployment and out of poverty into productive careers that will strengthen our community, bolster the local economy, and most important, change individuals’ lives for the better,” said Dr. Cristobal “Cris” Valdez, President of Richland Community College.
“Decatur Public Schools is ecstatic about the possibility of receiving this funding to connect our high school students to viable career opportunities in our community. DPS recognizes the need to be intentional about connecting our high school students to opportunities before High School graduation. This will increase the likelihood for students to become successful, thriving, productive citizens in our community. This has a direct impact on the Prime-age employment gap in our community,” said Ashley Grayned, Executive Director of Innovative Programs & Strategic Planning with Decatur Public Schools.
“We realize success by combining our strengths and forming deliberate, collaborative approaches to address our community’s challenges. An incredible amount of coordination between these four agencies was put forth for the first phase of this application process. With Recompete Plan Approval, now we are eligible to apply for an infusion of $20 to $50 million into our community to not only address but also prevent our persistent Prime Age Employment Gap.” said Nicole Bateman, President of the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur-Macon County.
The Recompete 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. Recompete Finalists are eligible to apply for the second phase of the Recompete Program, which will award an average of $20 to $50 million in implementation funding to support a wide range of activities across workforce development, business and entrepreneur development, infrastructure, and additional planning, predevelopment, or technical assistance.
The Recompete Finalists are located across 20 states and territories and represent a cross-section of urban and rural regions. Of the 22 Finalists, seven are focused exclusively on rural America and five are led by or involve Tribal organizations as a primary partner. Additionally, seven Finalists’ plans involve labor organizations as part of their proposed investments.
