An effort led by the Birmingham Business Alliance (Alliance), in partnership with Jefferson and Shelby Counties, to enable bioscience job growth in the seven-county region has been awarded a federal grant of $450,000.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) Disaster Recovery Program awarded funds for the execution of a bioscience market intelligence study, strategy and implementation plan that will be led by the Birmingham Business Alliance to:
Identify key bioscience assets, as well as opportunities for growth and investment;
Identify opportunities for existing bioscience businesses to grow capacity; and
Identify opportunities for economic developers and communities to attract bioscience businesses.
“We are seizing a perfect opportunity to build on the national attention Birmingham received during the pandemic,” said Ron Kitchens, CEO of The Alliance. “Based on the role the University of Alabama at Birmingham played in building a COVID-19 treatment and on the work of local companies like BioGX around testing, we will create a comprehensive plan for our region to work with bioscience companies to address the immediate needs of a post-pandemic world and grow jobs as a result.”
The Alliance, the Jefferson County Commission, the Shelby County Commission and 58 INC. led the grant application on behalf of over 45 economic development officials across the Birmingham seven-county region. Nearly 20 key stakeholders in the community provided letters of support.
The goal of this project is for Birmingham to work together with one voice and emerge as a vital bioscience hub nationwide, said Jefferson County Commissioner Steve Ammons.
“The Birmingham Region of Jefferson County is fortunate to call many quality health care systems home,” said Ammons. “These systems have drawn, and continue to draw, assets to our region. This grant will help us map out those assets and tailor our recruiting efforts by identifying companies that would be an agreeable addition to our ecosystem.”
By the end of 2021, the Birmingham Business Alliance, alongside its partners, will convene stakeholders to publish a Request for Proposal and select a consultant to begin the work.
“This bioscience sector study and its implementation plan will help the region maximize and build on its strengths in biotech and health care," said Amy Sturdivant, managing director for Shelby County’s economic development corporation 58 INC. and current board member of BIO Alabama and Southeast Life Sciences..
This project is funded under the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act and administered by the EDA to help communities prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus.