Dixie State University in St. George has received a major boost for its Innovation Plaza. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $875,048 grant to Dixie to purchase equipment and support networking activities for the launch of project. According to the school’s estimates, the project is expected to create 260 jobs.
“Dixie State University has worked to pursue a strategy designed to create new economic opportunity through innovation,” said Dennis Alvord, the EDA’s deputy assistant secretary for regional affairs “This project will help allow for the expansion of locally based enterprises by providing them with the tools they need to grow and thrive.”
Innovation Plaza will boast a 10,000-square-foot laboratory for biotechnology, medical and environmental training research. It will also house a 6,000-square-foot entrepreneurial makerspace to create a hub for skills training with a focus on expanding biotechnology innovation in the region.
The Innovation Plaza was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Five County Association of Governments. EDA funds the Five County Association of Governments 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, EDA said.
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.