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On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act of 2021, a long-awaited second round of government funding and assistance for businesses and citizens. The legislation provides a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package and a $1.4 trillion government funding package that serves as critical pandemic aid.

On Thursday,  January 14 from 2:30 - 3:30 EST, join IEDC for a webinar on building resilient infrastructure. Problems facing communities today, such as climate change and economic inequality, are so insidious and wide ranging that it can be tough to figure out how communities can address them, and prepare for a resilient future. One tangible approach is addressing the foundation—infrastructure.

At this moment it looks like there is a real possibility that many more of our small merchants will survive the pandemic than many downtown leaders and experts have feared or expected. However, many merchants are surviving by making significant economic sacrifices, often dipping into their retirement savings, credit cards, and family resources. To stay in business long-term, those sacrifices will need to be rewarded with sufficiently robust earnings. The economic environment they will compete in will not be the same as it was pre-pandemic. It will have new threats and new opportunities.

In the face of accelerated economic, social and environmental change, global experts suggest that governments and organizations can stimulate economies, and improve community outcomes by investing in high impact projects. As cities and regions continue working toward recovery, leading with infrastructural improvements and strategic funding will offer new opportunities. During a webinar hosted by Australian firm SGS Economics and Planning, panelists Peter Colacino (Infrastructure Australia), Mitra Anderson-Oliver (Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions), and Kim Bowater (Frontier Advisors) shared lessons from Australia.