WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03) announced the City of Tucson as one of 60 finalists for the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Phase 1 Build Back Better Regional Challenge. The City of Tucson will receive $500,000 in federal funding to further develop the Southern Arizona Coalition for Climate Adaptation and Resilience:  a cluster to drive sustainable agriculture, preserve water resources and develop clean energy.

“The City of Tucson is leading the way for a sustainable future,” said Rep. Grijalva. “This project will create good-paying jobs for working people and help us tackle the growing threat of climate change. I am proud to support this coalition and their efforts to make our community more equitable, competitive and resilient. ”

More information on the Southern Arizona Climate Adaptation and Resilience plan can be found here.

The finalists were chosen from a pool of 529 applicants and each will receive a grant of approximately $500,000 to further develop their proposed projects. These grants will help the finalists take their projects to the next level and position those who ultimately do not receive Phase 2 implementation awards to find new partners and sources of funding.

The Build Back Better Regional Challenge provides transformative investments – up to $100 million per grantee – to develop and strengthen regional industry clusters across the country, all while embracing economic equity, creating good-paying jobs, and enhancing U.S. competitiveness globally.