The Obama Administration recently announced a $26 million multi-agency Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge to foster innovation-fueled job creation through public-private partnerships. These coordinated investments are intended to catalyze and leverage private capital, build an entrepreneurial ecosystem, and promote cluster-based development in regions across the U.S.
“This $26 million Accelerator Challenge is yet another example of the Obama Administration’s commitment to supporting American manufacturers in building things here and selling them everywhere,” said John Bryson, U.S. Commerce secretary. “We are so pleased to join with our federal agency partners to further strengthen the American manufacturing sector, which creates high-quality, good paying jobs. Commerce’s Economic Development Administration has a strong record of investing in regional innovation clusters that foster the job creation and business development crucial to an economy that is built to last. This challenge further bolsters our efforts and builds on the momentum we have seen in the manufacturing sector in recent months, including the 489,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs that have been added since January 2010.”
Advanced manufacturing is critical to the health of the national economy and provides essential goods and equipment directly to consumers, as well as to a range of industries, including the energy production, agriculture, medical and computing industries, and the security and intelligence sectors. Approximately 12 projects are expected to be chosen through a competitive inter-agency grant process. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that will help grow a region’s industry clusters by strengthening connections to regional economic development opportunities and advanced manufacturing assets; enhance a region’s capacity to create high-quality sustainable jobs; develop a skilled and diverse advanced manufacturing workforce; increase exports; encourage the development of small businesses; and accelerate technological innovation.
The deadline for applications is July 9, and guidelines for submissions are accessible on Manufacturing.gov. In addition to the six funding partners, the initiative is supported by eight other federal agencies: U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, Housing and Urban Development; Environmental Protection Agency; Denali Commission; and the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA), Minority Business Development Administration (MBDA), and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
For additional information, visit http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=734.
