ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE ON COMMUNITY

Driving federal investments to advance industry clusters: federal investments play a vital role in strengthening our regional economy, particularly in advancing key industry clusters. By leveraging funding, we are accelerating growth in energy, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and robotics. - growing our federal share: in recent years, pennsylvania has consistently captured 4% of all u.s. Federal grant funding. In 2024, swpa surpassed expectations securing 7% of all u.s. Federal fundingand bringing in $2.24 billionto fuel economic growth. - direct application support: two-thirds of our business attraction and expansion projects leveraged federal funds. The conference provides input ontechnical requirements, data analysis, and application processesto help companies secure these dollars. - industrial decarbonization: we supported pennsylvania's successful application to the u.s. Epa for $400m in rise pa (reducing industrial sector emissions)funding, helping manufacturers transition to lower-carbon operations. - new economy collaborative: backed by funding from the build back better regional challenge, the new economy collaborative of southwestern pennsylvania a coalition led by the conference and carnegie mellon university in partnership with 90+ partners has served over 1,100 businesses. This initiative accelerated the adoption of robotics and autonomous systems for manufacturing companies, helped startups scale and connect with industry to commercialize their technologies, and created training opportunities for workers to upskill into robotics adjacent careers in the region.

Shaping the future through thought leadership: driving meaningful economic change requires more than just action it demands insight, strategy, and influence. The allegheny conference continues to be a national thought leader, guiding policies and best practices in economic development. We released a data-driven research series including "the impact of regional business expansion: why "growing our own" matters," "insights on demographics and workforce, four "quarterly vitals" reports, as well as four trend reports on demographics, migration, employment, and workforce.workforce & inclusive growth: we conducted28 listening sessionswithentrepreneurial support organizations, community-based organizations, and mwdbe (minority, women, and disadvantaged business enterprises) leaders. Their insights directly informed new workforce and procurement policy recommendations.