Communities in Clallam, Jefferson & Grays Harbor Counties to receive $1 million in planning grants from Recompete Pilot Program

WA coalition now among 22 applicants eligible for $50 million implementation grants in 2024

Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, announced $1 million in new federal funding from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for two economic development initiatives on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. The funding is being awarded through the Recompete Pilot Program, which aims to alleviate persistent economic distress and support long-term, comprehensive economic development and job creation.

The Recompete Pilot Program was adopted into 2022’s CHIPS and Science Act, a sweeping investment in American innovation and manufacturing led by Sen. Cantwell.

“These awards will help people on the Olympic Peninsula develop innovative new ways to tap into their natural resources and modernize their maritime and timber industries to ultimately increase the number of stable and high-paying jobs in the region,” Sen. Cantwell said. “Today’s announcement also means that the Olympic Peninsula is now one of 22 communities eligible to compete for up to $50 million in federal funding to implement their new economic development plan. Washington is an innovation state, but we didn’t become a powerhouse overnight – we built our workforce and grew our collaborative partnerships over decades. Programs like Recompete will help us continue that growth by tapping into the talent, expertise, and innovation throughout the state.”

EDA awarded a $500,000 Strategy Development Grant to the North Olympic Peninsula Recompete Coalition (NOPRC) – and named it a national finalist for an Implementation Grant. The NOPRC, a new coalition of members from both Clallam and Jefferson Counties, as well as area Tribes, is crafting an economic initiative that aims to help the legacy timber and maritime industries evolve, while preparing students for living wages and in-demand jobs in those industries.

The Strategy Development Grant awarded by EDA will facilitate the NOPRC’s initiatives to boost job creation, enhance workforce development, and improve access to support services. Through partnerships with key educational institutions such as Peninsula College and the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, the coalition aims to provide specialized training opportunities that align with the labor needs of the local maritime and timber businesses. The NOPRC is one of 22 national finalists for a Phase 2 Implementation Grant, which could see the coalition awarded between $20 and $50 million to execute the proposal.

EDA also awarded a $500,000 Strategy Development Grant to the Washington State Coastal Counties Initiative – an initiative being led by Greater Grays Harbor for Grays Harbor and Pacific counties. Focused on reducing the prime age employment gap, the Strategy Development Grant will assist the initiative as it aims to undertake a bottom-up, equitable strategy to create jobs, remove economic barriers, and ensure inclusive growth for historically marginalized communities on Washington state’s Pacific Coast.

The Recompete Pilot Program was established in the Rebuilding Economies and Creating Opportunities for More People Everywhere to Excel Act (RECOMPETE Act), which was introduced by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA-06) and later incorporated into Sen. Cantwell’s CHIPS and Science Act.

About the Recompete Pilot Program:

Phase 1 of the Recompete Pilot Program will invest in persistently distressed communities to create and connect people to good jobs. This program will create renewed economic opportunity in communities that have for too long been forgotten. To do so, the program targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment significantly trails the national average to close this gap through large, flexible investments. As part of the EDA’s place-based economic development approach, the Recompete Pilot Program aims to meet communities where they are by offering grant opportunities that ensure sustainable and equitable economic growth across the U.S.

Recompete Finalists will compete in Phase 2 of the competition, with 4-8 Recompete Plans ultimately receiving implementation funding averaging between $20 and $50 million.