Washington - U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced $10 million in federal grants that will aid both the Northern New Jersey and Delaware Valley regions in workforce innovation and economic development. The grants, administered over three years by the U.S. Dept. of Labor, are part of the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development Initiative, WIRED, a program aiming to spur economic growth in critical job sectors.

"These grants will provide a critical boost to economic development in both North Jersey and the Delaware Valley," Menendez said. "By facilitating the expansion of high-growth industries and spurring the creation of spin-off industries, these grants will solidify New Jerseys leadership in the life sciences industry and will accelerate our growth in new sectors."

"A strong economy throughout the state is vital for its workforce and the diverse businesses which employ them, and these grants are an essential part in keeping New Jersey strong," said Lautenberg. "We need to do all we can to keep economic innovation and the jobs it has created in New Jersey."

The North Jersey WIRED grants will work to stimulate economic growth by re-shaping the regions workforce investment strategies and building on the competitive assets of the region, according to the Dept. of Labor. The grants, administered through the New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development, will be directed to programs in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, Warren counties.

The Delaware Valley WIRED grants, administered through the Pennsylvania Dept. of Labor in partnership with the Biotechnology Council of NJ, will work to expand economic capacity in several counties throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. New Jersey counties benefiting from the Delaware Valley grants include Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem. The program will specifically work to expand the life sciences industry within the targeted area, working to increase the research, technology transfer, entrepreneurial development and training activities in life sciences.

Each region will be awarded $500,000 to develop a comprehensive plan for implementation. Once that plan is approved, the regions will then be awarded $4.5 million over a three year period to implement their programming. The WIRED Initiative has undergone several generations of grant awards and has directed funds to several regions throughout the country, including Denver, Silicon Valley, and others. The program is managed by the Labor Departments Employment and Training Administration.

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