$2.3M Cares Act Grant to Help Ohio Manufacturers

YOUNGTOWN, Ohio – The Ohio Development Services Agency has been awarded $2.3 million in federal grants to help manufacturers in the state respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

Through the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, small and medium-sized manufacturers will be able to access services that “directly support manufacturers’ ability to adjust and respond to current manufacturing needs — for example, the accelerated production of personal protective equipment — as well as services that support manufacturers’ ability to improve their competitiveness as the marketplace adapts to the coronavirus disruption,” said U.S. Sen. Rob Portman in a statement announcing the funding.

The grant is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Among the services available are no-cost assessments to identify challenges, the expansion of internal and third-party remote training, cybersecurity evaluations, connection with Workforce Development Boards for layoff aversion services, and supplier scouting and matching.

The full list of services can be read in the NIST’s award notice, published here.

“This $2.3 million grant is terrific news for businesses throughout the state of Ohio. I’m pleased to see this CARES Act rescue money helping Ohio businesses so they can continue to serve Ohio as the state continues to safely reopen,” Portman said. 

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.