St. Louis Awarded $25 Million Federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant

– Greater St. Louis Inc. and St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and other regional partners collaborate on regional award –

St. Louis, MO – A collaborative effort by Greater St. Louis Inc. and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (STL Partnership) and other community partners, has helped bring a federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant worth $25 million to the region, the organizations announced today. The centerpiece of the proposal is to create the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center St. Louis (AMICSTL) as a new innovation anchor institution in North St. Louis City physically adjacent to Ranken.

Greater St. Louis Inc. and the Partnership will co-lead implementation of the award providing overall guidance, governance, execution, and community engagement.

“This grant illustrates the tremendous things that can happen when we bring organizations together on behalf of our community and region,” said Rodney Crim, CEO and President of St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. “When we work together, when we collaborate and share resources and knowledge, we win. This is a significant victory for St. Louis and the entire region.”

The St. Louis proposal was one of 21 winners selected out of the original 529 applicants.

“When we all work together – St. Louis County, St. Louis City and the region – it makes a difference for our community. This award recognizes the teamwork, potential, and spirit of St. Louis as we build our collective future,” said County Executive Dr. Sam Page.”

In 2015, St. Louis Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (RAMP) was formed by the STL Partnership with planning assistance from the Department of Defense and the Office of Economic Adjustment to identify the region’s assets and opportunities to build a resilient regional manufacturing economy. RAMP spurred the planning for the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center St. Louis (AMICSTL), which recently received a $5 million grant from the Boeing Company, and will be a part of this award with a $7 million grant to realize this vision.

AMICSTL will be located on the North Side of St. Louis in the triangle between Ranken Technical College, Cortex, and the National Geospatial Agency, and will serve as a hub of research, innovation, and start-ups. This area is part of St. Louis City’s Equitable Economic Development Strategy Framework led by St. Louis Development Corporation.

Advanced Manufacturing & The St. Louis Regional Tech Triangle

Functioning as a “hub and spoke” model, the St. Louis Build Back Better partners will provide a central network for growing St. Louis’ advanced manufacturing innovation ecosystem by identifying and deploying next-generation technologies, supporting innovators and entrepreneurs in accelerating the transition from idea generation to prototyping and production, and developing a steady stream of qualified and diverse workers. Advanced manufacturing and the Tech Triangle align with the strategic recommendations of St. Louis’ Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and the STL 2030 Jobs Plan.

About St. Louis Economic Development Partnership 

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership provides economic development services for the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. The Partnership works in collaboration with the St. Louis Development Corporation, Greater St. Louis, Inc., the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Missouri Partnership, and other economic development partners to attract, retain, and grow companies coming to or expanding in the St. Louis region.

 

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