U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.1 mn grant to Gaston College in Dallas, North Carolina, to support expansion of the school’s Textile Technology Center.
This grant will provide for the purchase of new equipment to support the needs of existing textile and apparel firms, strengthening the talent pipeline, and promoting entrepreneurial opportunities in a region impacted by changes in the energy economy. This EDA investment will be matched with $1.1 million in local funds and is expected to create or retain nearly 160 jobs, according to grantee estimates.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda empowers all communities – including those impacted by shifts in the energy sector – to grow and diversify their economies,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will support industrial workforce development, helping to fill critical, in-demand jobs in the region.”
“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to partner with Gaston College through this strategic, place-based grant as it seeks to bring new opportunities to the region,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA grant will help address local labor needs while building long-term economic resilience in the region.”
“We thank our federal partners for their continued commitment to bolstering North Carolina’s infrastructure,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “This grant will bring good-paying jobs to the Dallas area and help our state’s textile industry thrive.”
This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Centralina Economic Development District (Centralina EDD). EDA funds Centralina EDD to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.
This project is funded under the Assistance to Coal Communities (ACC) initiative, through which EDA awards funds on a competitive basis to assist communities severely impacted by the declining use of coal. ACC projects support economic diversification, job creation, capital investment, workforce development, and re-employment opportunities.
