Grant will help region increase competitiveness, economic growth and job creation

YOUNGSTOWN — New federal resources will provide The Ohio State University and four regional economic development districts with a new strategic plan to create a regional advanced manufacturing innovation hub that will serve a 25-county region of Ohio.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, announced today that the Youngstown/Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization will be included in the mix.

Along with OSU, the other districts that will benefit from the package will be the Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District, the Reno/Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and the Akron/Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association.

The districts will receive a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to develop a strategy to help the region increase competitiveness, economic growth and job creation.

In all, the U.S. EDA approved a grant for $199,766 that will be allocated among OSU and the four regional development districts.

The project is funded through the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership, which is designed to accelerate manufacturing programs and create good-paying jobs in the manufacturing sector.

“Together, OSU and these four regional economic development districts can connect entrepreneurs, students, researchers, and workers with the resources needed to create the next generation of American manufacturing jobs,” Brown said in a press release. “Small businesses are essential to our economy, and through this award, Ohio can lead the way in economic development.”