HomeMy WebLinkAboutFirst Federal Community Foundation Recompete Pilot Program - Greg 090123 F Co l`�Iis GregBrotherton, Commissioner District 3
`����� c��s�G 1820 efferson Street
o - Po Box 1220M�
m "' Port Townsend, W'A 98368
..i,WINO. `o w�vw.co.jefferson.wa.us
September 1, 2023
First Federal Community Foundation
105 West Eighth Street—PO Box 351
Port Angeles,WA 98362
Dear Board Directors,
The six Jefferson and Clallam County Commissioners unanimously agreed to work together to form a
broad coalition to pursue a Recompete Pilot Program grant worth $50 million. Congressman Kilmer
authored and sponsored the Recompete Act which was authorized in the Chips and Science Act. The
purpose of the grant is to alleviate persistent economic distress and support long-term
comprehensive economic development and job creation, in places with a high prime-age (25 to 54
years)employment gap.
Municipalities, businesses and nonprofits have come together to form the North Olympic Peninsula
Recompete Coalition.Jefferson County and our many coalition partners are excited about defining
systems and investing in projects that will not only create new living wage jobs but also train those
citizens not in the workforce today to ready themselves for a career that will sustain them.An
inordinate number of people aged 25-54 in our county's have given up on entering into the labor
force and this process we are asking for you to help fund will tackle this challenge to transform our
regional economy.
A major component of our vision and strategy to achieve success is to engage businesses that focus
on our legacy industries within natural resources in cooperation to create new innovations through
a new initiative called the Natural Resources Innovation Center.Jefferson County is committed to
help fund this critical work that the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure is doing on our behalf to
assess the most impactful and viable opportunities.
It is an exciting opportunity for our county governments to engage in such a profound program that
has the capacity to change the lives of many of our citizens that struggle financially and rely on social
services. We hope First Federal Community Foundation will consider the grant application
submitted by the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure and become a committed member of our
coalition.
Sincerely,
Greg Brotherton
Commissioner
Phone (360) 385-9100 Fax (360) 385-9382 gbrotherton@co.jefferson.wa.us