City of Tucson and Southern Arizona Coalition Seek Project Proposals as Part of EDA’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant Process
The City of Tucson is hosting a general information session related to the work of the Southern Arizona Coalition for Climate Adaptation and Resilience on Thursday, Jan. 13, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. This session will provide an overview on how to participate in project proposal submissions as part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Phase Two Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant.
The City of Tucson was named one of 60 finalists in the EDA’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge Phase One competition on behalf of the work of the Southern Arizona Coalition for Climate Adaptation and Resilience. The Coalition came together in response to a call for applications to the EDA for funding economic development projects that would help communities transform regional economies. According to Barbra Coffee, the City’s director of Economic Initiatives, the Coalition’s Phase One application was centered on regional collaboration.
“It was important for us to bring together as many stakeholders as possible from all over Southern Arizona in order to address critical gaps and identify key opportunities that might help us think about economic development in a whole new way,” Coffee said.
The Coalition seeks project proposals related to sustainable agriculture, water resources, and clean energy The timeline for submitting a proposal will be discussed at the Jan. 13 meeting and a recording of the meeting will be available afterward. The Coalition has identified five components in which projects will be supported that have the potential to create jobs, increase wages, reduce unemployment in vulnerable communities, and attract high-growth industries. Each one of the primary coalition members will coordinate the review of project proposals from the community in the areas of:
- Research Innovation and Translational Technology: Led by the University of Arizona
- Workforce Resilience: Co-led by Pima Community College and Arizona Western College
- Entrepreneurship: Led by Startup Tucson
- Sustainable Infrastructure: Co-Led by City of Tucson and Greater Yuma Economic Development Partnership
- Seed Funding: Led by Community Investment Corporation
Additional Coalition partners with the responsibility of providing guidance and alignment with the Coalition’s equity framework include the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, and Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.
Jeffrey Anthony, project manager for the City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives, has been named the regional economic competitiveness officer tasked with coordinating the work of the Coalition.
“This general information session is designed to inform the public on how to participate in the Phase Two application process and ways to engage in this transformative opportunity for Tucson and all of Southern Arizona,” Anthony said.
Ensuring an equitable and inclusive process will be central to the Southern Arizona Coalition for Climate Adaptation and Resilience process with proposals being reviewed by an independent Equity Advisory Committee.
Coalition members representing each of the five components will present an overview of the specific process for each component and how to submit successful proposal briefs that will be reviewed by the Coalition.
The meeting will be held virtually, and registration is open to all at the following link, and you can sign up for updates on ConnectTucson.com.
About the City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives The City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives coordinates the City’s economic development programs for the purpose of attracting jobs and investment to the City of Tucson. It also offers local small business and entrepreneurial assistance and encourages workforce development to foster a long term sustainable and diverse local economy. For more information or to contact the Office of Economic Initiatives, visit ConnectTucson.com.
About the EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge The “Build Back Better Regional Challenge” is one of EDA’s many programs aimed at building strong regional economies and supporting community-led economic development. EDA was allocated $3 billion in supplemental funding under the American Rescue Plan to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build back better by accelerating economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building local economies that will be resilient to future economic shocks. For more information about EDA’s American Rescue Plan programs, visit eda.gov/ARPA/.
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