400,000 planning grant from the Recompete Pilot Program will help historically disadvantaged residents overcome barriers to employment
Earlier this year, Casey pushed for Biden Administration to select PA applicants for Recompete funding and Casey sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Raimondo urging the approval of Chester’s application to program
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman, and Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) secured an economic development grant for Chester to help the city identify and create a plan for tackling locally-specific barriers to prime-age employment, such as access to child care, transportation, and educational opportunities. The $400,000 strategy development grant comes from the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, which was established by the CHIPS and Science Act.
“The people of Chester are fighting hard for a stable future, and in the Senate, I am doing everything I can to fight alongside them,” said Senator Casey. “This award will help connect residents to the tools and support they need to secure good jobs, like access to childcare, transportation, and skills training. When folks have the skills and the resources they need to compete for good-paying jobs, they can provide for their families, get quality health care, and improve their quality of life. This is a game-changer for Chester, and an example of how the CHIPS and Science Act is providing economic opportunity across Pennsylvania.”
“I’m proud to have joined with our delegation to fight for this funding and help the City of Chester connect residents with good-quality jobs. We need to make sure that no town or place is left behind, and this investment in Chester’s workforce will help people there find jobs and spur economic development,” said Senator Fetterman.
“I fought to pass the CHIPS and Science Act to deliver the investments needed to revitalize the economic health of PA-05 communities that have suffered decades of disinvestment, so I was proud to support the City of Chester’s application for this transformational program,” said Rep. Scanlon. “Chester is at an important inflection point right now, and this program will be a critical catalyst for growing quality jobs in the city and connecting residents with those good-paying jobs.”
“Governor Josh Shapiro and our Administration are focused on building a more dynamic economy in Pennsylvania by investing in our workforce and strengthening our communities, and these grant awards through the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program will help boost those efforts,” said Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger. “Chester will use this funding to help individuals overcome barriers to employment, like the lack of childcare, transportation, and job training – as well as make critical investments in industrial site preparedness and small business support services – expanding our workforce in Pennsylvania and paving the way for real growth. I want to thank the Economic Development Administration and Department of Commerce teams, as well as Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation, for their support in securing this award.”
After voting to establish the Recompete program in the CHIPS and Science Act, Senator Casey advocated to ensure that Chester would be included in the program. In October, he wrote a letter of support to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in support of Chester’s application to the program.
The Recompete Pilot Program makes targeted investments in communities struggling with high prime-age employment gaps and reflects an increased commitment at the federal level to spurring economic development in communities that have long been left behind. By making large, place-based investments, the program allows persistently distressed communities to address the barriers to employment most prevalent in their own regions.
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