July 11, 2018

Duckworth, Durbin Announce $70,000 for Strategic Economic Planning in North Central Illinois

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced $70,000 in federal funding today to help create jobs and encourage economic development throughout North Central Illinois. This funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Planning Program, which assists communities as they develop and implement plans to enhance their local economies.

“It’s important for local community and business leaders to have access to the resources they need to create opportunities that drive economic development in North Central Illinois,” Duckworth said. “This funding will go a long way toward helping revitalize local economies, and I will continue working closely with Senator Durbin to secure the investments that hard-working Illinoisans in every part of the state deserve.”

“This federal funding will help give North Central Illinois communities the tools to reach their economic goals and incentivize local investment,” Durbin said. “Senator Duckworth and I will continue working to ensure that all parts of our state have access to these critical federal investments that drive growth.”

“North Central Illinois Council of Governments is pleased and grateful at the announcement of the Partnership Planning Award,” said Duane Calbow, Economic Development Planner at North Central Illinois Council of Governments. “With the approval of our partnership planning application, our Economic Development District will be able to continue efforts to implement and improve our 6 county Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The CEDS document is part of a local planning and implementation process designed to create jobs, foster more stable, resilient, and diversified economies, improve living conditions, and provide a mechanism for guiding and coordinating the efforts of persons and organizations involved with economic development and the well-being of our citizens. We would like to thank everyone who assisted in this process.”

Under today’s announcement, the North Central Illinois Council of Governments, which includes the counties of Bureau, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, Putnam and Stark, will receive $70,000. The Commission will use the funding to develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) in coordination with the EDA – a process that brings the public and private sectors working together to produce a blueprint for economic prosperity that improves the quality of life for community members throughout the region.

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