Hoyer Announces Economic Development Grant
Posted for Congressman Steny Hoyer
Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) announced this week a $100,000 grant awarded to the U.S. Economic Development Administration University Center will launch a five-year program between the University of Maryland and Morgan State University to foster economic development in Maryland.
“I’m pleased to announce the EDA University Center has received grant funding to continue working with local communities to expand economic development opportunities,” stated Congressman Hoyer. “From St. Mary’s County to College Park, the EDA program is having a significant impact on communities across the Fifth District and the state of Maryland, and I am confident that it will continue to spur innovation, grow our economy, and help create opportunities for more Marylanders.”
The EDA University Center provides Maryland communities with targeted assistance, including research commercialization, workforce development and entrepreneurship, as well as business counseling services. The Centers also help local organizations conduct preliminary feasibility studies, analyze data, and convene customized seminars and workshops on topics such as regional strategic planning and capital budgeting.
Among the Center’s current initiatives is a project with St. Mary’s County helping develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Plan.
Robin Finnacom, head of St. Mary’s Department of Economic Development, noted the fortunate overlap of University personnel working with the separate Morgan State and St. Mary’s projects. “This provides great overlap with our local initiative,” she said.
The recently appointed Economic Development Commission has assigned itself the task of developing a comprehensive economic plan for the county’s future; the University Center’s efforts are a pivotal piece of that effort.
In addition to grants and specific projects such as these, the EDA maps and models innovation and entrepreneurial networks using advanced analytical methods like Social Network Analysis, to provide economic development practitioners and policy makers with new tools to visualize the spatial, social and technological organization of innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the state. And creates on-line professional development and economic training courses for local planning practitioners.
Regarding the recent grant award, C. Scott Dempwolf, Director of the University of Maryland – Morgan State Joint Center for Economic Development said, “We look forward to demonstrating some real impacts during this fourth year, including the formalization of a broad-based advisory committee comprised of senior economic development leaders from UMCP and Morgan State, local and state governments, and economic development organizations in Maryland.”
“The faculty and students who will develop this new University Center have the resources to drive the much needed innovation and economic growth our state needs today,” said David Cronrath, Dean of the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. “It is part of our continued commitment as a land-grant institution to use our resources.”
