Federal Grant Award Summary

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded Maumee Valley Planning Organization (MVPO) $140,000 through the Economic Development Support for Planning Organizations program (CFDA 11.302) for the period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This Partnership Planning investment supports the development and implementation of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the five-county region comprising Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding, and Williams counties in northwest Ohio. The CEDS will serve as a strategic economic development roadmap designed to diversify and strengthen the regional economy through coordinated planning efforts.

MVPO, as the designated regional planning organization for the Maumee Valley Planning Organization, will lead stakeholder engagement across public and private sectors to create an actionable economic development strategy. The primary deliverable is a comprehensive regional CEDS that identifies regional economic assets, establishes development priorities, and provides an implementation framework to guide job creation and economic growth initiatives, particularly targeting higher-skill, higher-wage employment opportunities in the economically distressed region. This planning investment enables MVPO to coordinate regional economic development planning and facilitate multisector collaboration among civic, business, labor, and community stakeholders throughout the service area.