Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo called the Build Back Better Regional Challenge program the marquee of American Rescue Plan programs at a regional conference June 15.
She said the Economic Development Agency program represents a commitment to rebuild American communities by the Biden administration, particularly those that have historically been underserved, according to a June 15 news release.
“The program was created with the belief that local community leaders — public, private, civic and labor — are best positioned to build the blueprint of their own economic future,” Raimondo said in the release.
She expressed pride the program helped form enduring partnerships using local assets that enable regions to compete globally and drive the nation’s economic recovery, the release said. The holistic investments it provides will make a difference in areas that have been left behind.
Regional leaders were told the program helps them build multi-stakeholder governance models and activate new partnerships, according to the release. More than $2 billion have been leveraged in corporate, philanthropic, state and local matching funds.
“By continuing to work together, we provide a model for others in government and in economic development to emulate,” she said in the release.
