By speaking with one voice and putting forth one collaborative proposal with input from across the bi-state St. Louis metro, the St. Louis region has succeeded in winning a $25 million highly competitive federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant.
“One voice with one plan led to a big win for St. Louis,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc., which is the formal applicant on behalf of the St. Louis metro, an effort it coordinated and spearheaded with the public-sector St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. “We can’t say this enough: when the St. Louis metro works together and speaks with one voice, we succeed. Working together as a metro is working, and it is how we will win this next decade for St. Louis.”
The Greater St. Louis, Inc. proposal was one of only 21 selected to receive a grant, less than 4% of the original applicant pool of 529. In addition to the $25 million federal grant, $16.3 million in local matching funds will go toward the effort, bringing the total investment in the metro, to date, to $41.3 million.
The grant will be used to develop the St. Louis region’s globally significant advanced manufacturing industry cluster, including the construction of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center (AMICSTL) in North St. Louis City.
“Uniting in support of AMICSTL is proof positive of how the St. Louis region succeeds when we work together,” said Dennis Muilenburg, Chair of AMICSTL and a member of the Chair’s Council of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “As a result of regional collaboration, St. Louis will now be home to a state-of-the-art facility and expandable campus that will drive diverse and equitable economic growth and elevate St. Louis as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and technological innovation.”
Source: Greater St. Louis, Inc. One Metropolitan Square, Suite 1300 St. Louis, MO, 63102, USA