Your Support for the Regional Innovation Program Needed

As Congress continues negotiations over the FY15 federal budget, SSTI is hard at work trying to secure additional funding for the Regional Innovation program. The Regional Innovation Program was authorized under the American COMPETES Act and is designed to provide funding to support regional innovation activities. The Senate has approved $20 million for the program for FY2015, while the House did not provide any funding for the program. SSTI has prepared a support letter to Congressional leaders and is seeking organizations to sign on to the letter. The more organizations that sign will increase our chances to secure funding. The deadline for signatures to this letter is Thursday, July 31.

To add your organization to the list, please email Caroline Wagner at cwagner at sheridangroupdc dot com. The letter follows:

Barbara Mikulski                                                         Richard Shelby

Chairwoman                                                                Ranking Member

Commerce, Justice & Science                                      Commerce, Justice & Science

   Appropriations Subcommittee                                    Appropriations Subcommittee

142 Dirksen Senate Office Building                            125 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC  20510                                              Washington, DC  20510

Frank Wolf                                                                  Chaka Fattah

Chairman                                                                     Ranking Member

Commerce, Justice & Science                                      Commerce, Justice & Science

   Appropriations Subcommittee                                    Appropriations Subcommittee

H-309, The Capitol                                                     1016 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, DC  20515                                              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,