Join More Than 60 Organizations in Supporting the Regional Innovation Program

More than 60 organizations have signed on to an SSTI-initiated letter urging Congressional leaders to fund the Regional Innovation program at $20 million for FY2015. The Regional Innovation Program was authorized under the American COMPETES Act and is designed to provide funding to support regional innovation activities. The program received its first funding of $10 million in FY2014, and the solicitation for that funding is expected to be issued any day. The Senate has approved $20 million for the program for FY2015, while the House did not provide any funding for the program. Organizations signing on to the letter include the Association of University Research Parks, the Angel Capital Association, the National Business Incubation Association, and more than 45 state, local, university and nonprofit organizations. The more organizations that sign increases our chances to secure funding. The deadline for signatures to this letter is Friday, August 15. To read the letter, learn how to sign on, and see those organizations that have already signed on Read more…

To add your organization to the list, please email Caroline Wagner at cwagner@ sheridangroupdc.com. The letter and signatories follow:

Barbara Mikulski
Chairwoman
Commerce, Justice & Science
Appropriations Subcommittee
142 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC  20510

Richard Shelby
Ranking Member
Commerce, Justice & Science
Appropriations Subcommittee
125 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC  20510

Frank Wolf
Chairman
Commerce, Justice & Science
Appropriations Subcommittee
H-309, The Capitol
Washington, DC  20515

Chaka Fattah
Ranking Member
Commerce, Justice & Science
Appropriations Subcommittee
1016 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairwoman Mikulski, Ranking Member Shelby, Chairman Frank and Ranking Member Fattah:

As supporters of SSTI, a national nonprofit organization that leads, supports, and strengthens efforts to improve regional economies through science, technology, and innovation, we urge you to allocate $20 million in funding for the Regional Innovation Program as you work to conference and finalize the Commerce, Justice & Science Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015. We appreciate that the current fiscal environment has meant that you must make particularly difficult choices during the appropriations process. Thank you for your support of this promising program, and for providing the program $10 million in FY14 for its first year of funding.

The Regional Innovation Program was authorized under the American COMPETES Act to encourage and support the development of regional innovation strategies across the country. As members of the tech-based economic development (TBED) community, we recognize that the strategies supported by the Regional Innovation Program have successfully sparked job creation outcomes in our communities. Continuation of these funds would be instrumental in cultivating entrepreneurship, new startups, and commercialization of new products and ideas through access to capital, expertise and networks.

Dozens of TBED programs have generated impressive track records in developing small businesses, creating new employment opportunities and improving local economies. We are confident that an investment in regional innovation can improve job growth, produce startup companies, leverage private dollars, increase wealth generation, and accelerate and enhance the important work currently being done in these areas.

As you move forward into conference for the FY15 Commerce, Justice & Science appropriations bill, we request that you maintain the $20 million funding level outlined in the Senate version of this legislation. Thank you for your consideration of this request, and we look forward to continuing our work together in support of this promising and innovative program.

Sincerely,

1. AccelerateMSP
2. Angel Capital Association
3. Arizona Technology Council
4. Arkansas Research Alliance
5. ASME
6. The Association of University Research Parks (AURP)
7. Ben Franklin Technology Partners
8. BioHealth Innovation 
9. BioHio Research Park
10. BioSTL
11. Connecticut Innovations
12. Excell Partners, Inc
13. First State Innovation
14. Fourth Economy
15. Georgia Research Alliance
16. GreaterMSP
17. High Technology Development Corp (HTDC)
18. Idaho Department of Commerce
19. Idaho TechConnect, Inc.
20. Idea Foundry, Inc.
21. Innovation Policyworks, LLC  
22. Innovation Works
23. Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC)
24. JumpStart Inc.
25. Life Science Alley
26. Life Sciences Discovery Fund
27. Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development
28. Mayo Clinic Business Accelerator & Entrepreneurial Programming
29. Michigan Economic Development Corporation
30. Minnesota High Tech Association
31. MOJO Minnesota
32. National Business Incubation Association
33. NorTech
34. Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
35. Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology
36. ONAMI
37. Oregon BEST
38. RAIN Source Capital
39. Regional Economic Development, Inc. (REDI)
40. Rochester Area Economic Development
41. Rochester Institute of Technology
42. South Dakota State University
43. St. Louis Regional Chamber
44. StarTec Investments
45. Tech2020
46. TechBelt
47. TechColumbus
48. TechConnect West Virginia
49. Technology Councils of North America
50. TechTown Detroit
51. TEDCO
52. The National Council for Advanced Manufacturing
53. The Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance
54. UEDA
55. University City Science Center
56. University Enterprise Lab Biosciences Incubator
57. University of Cincinnati
58. University of Minnesota Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship
59. University of Minnesota Office for Technology Commercialization and Ventures Center
60. University of North Dakota Center for Innovation Foundation
61. Virginia Biotechnology Research Park
62. Water Economy Network
63. West Virginia University
64. Wichita Technology Corporation
65. Wisconsin Technology Council