THE RURAL UNIVERSITIES CONSORTIUM (RUC), COMPRISED OF THE CENTER FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CRD) AT BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY (BGSU) AND THE VOINOVICH SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT OHIO UNIVERSITY (OU), IS PROPOSING TO SERVE A 65-COUNTY REGION (51 OF WHICH MEET EDA DISTRESS CRITERIA) IN THE STATE OF OHIO THAT INCLUDES 31 COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST/CENTRAL OHIO AND 34 COUNTIES IN CENTRAL, SOUTHERN, AND EASTERN OHIO (INCLUDING 32 APPALACHIAN OHIO COUNTIES) WITH A SCOPE OF WORK THAT WILL INCREASE THE RESILIENCY OF THE REGION AND FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH-SKILLED WORKFORCE WHILE ADVANCING EDA'S PRIORITY OF MAKING INVESTMENTS IN RECOVERY & RESILIENCY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & MANUFACTURING, AND EXPORTS AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI). THE RUC'S PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK WILL ADDRESS REGIONAL NEEDS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH BY PROVIDING CAPACITY TO COMMUNITIES AND REGIONAL PARTNERS THROUGH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (GRANT APPLICATION SUPPORT, PL