As the recipient of a $10 million, four-year grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC’s) ARISE (Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies) fund, Catalyst Connection and the PA Industrial Resource Centers are in a stronger position than ever to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs), including your company, or your supply chain partners, expand or enter the green technology and clean energy sectors.
The funds come from the federal government’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, that Congress passed and the president signed into law, nearly two years ago. It is a stellar example of one arm of the federal government leveraging the funds of another to benefit the common good through grants and tax credits.
Beyond the using the funds in the 12 southwestern Pennsylvania counties we serve (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland) we will be managing collaborations with other Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) organizations representing more than 150 counties across Appalachian Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia. About 60% of the funds will be available to Pennsylvania counties considered part of Appalachia.
MEPs are public-private partnerships created by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) to serve SMMs. Last year nationwide, MEPs including Catalyst Connection, interacted with more than 33,500 manufacturers and helped those companies achieve $18.5 billion in sales, $2.5 billion in cost savings, and create or retain more than 116,500 jobs.
Getting Down to Specifics
Catalyst Connection, along with our MEP partners, will be helping SMMs assess their energy and sustainability strategy and participate in new energy supply chains. Actions that companies can take based on those assessments include upgrading their plants to supply and manufacture hydrogen, use renewable energy and the smart grid to competitive advantage, and decarbonize, construct or retrofit buildings to meet green standards.
We will provide about 1,000 manufacturers with an average of $10,000 for the purposes described. Those companies can then leverage our contribution to generate funding from other not-for-profit sources and from commercial lenders. I foresee our expertise and financial support, along with that of our MEP partners, getting the ball rolling so that larger investments, partnerships, and commercial opportunities can occur over the long term.
As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said more than 2,700 years ago, “Every long journey begins with one step.” While I hope the transition to green technology and clean energy happens as quickly as possible to benefit as many companies and communities as possible, I know change is difficult, and that it often occurs in fits and starts.
The Catalyst Connection team is here to help your company, or the companies of people in your network, position themselves for long-term success. If you believe you can benefit from funding drawn from the ARC ARISE grant, or if you would like to recommend potential recipients, please contact me at 412.918.4265 or pmitchell@catalystconnection.org or Matt Holjes, Managing Director, Business Development, at 412.918.4262
or mholjes@catalystconnection.org