WASHINGTON — On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration announced the awarding of a $400,000 CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, Ridgway, Pa., to update economic development plans and fortify programs to assist communities in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Trump Administration is eager to allocate these essential CARES Act funds and deliver on our promise to help American communities recover from the impact of COVID-19,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “I am proud of the perseverance and strength shown by our communities coast to coast throughout this pandemic, and these funds will help provide North Central Pennsylvania with the necessary resources to make a swift and lasting economic comeback.”

North Central, an EDA-designated Economic Development District (EDD), is one of the more than 850 existing, high-performing EDA EDD, University Center, Tribal, and Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grant recipients invited to apply for supplemental funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The CARES Act, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, provides EDA with $1.5 billion for economic development assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.