1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “University Centers for Growth, Development, and Prosperity Act of 2022”.
University Centers for Growth, Development, and Prosperity Act of 2022
A BILL
To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to establish university centers to encourage certain economic development, and for other purposes.
2. Economic development agency university centers
Establishment— Title II of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“219. University centers
“(a) In general—The Secretary shall make awards to institutions of higher learning for such institutions to serve as university centers.
“(b) Geographic coverage—The Secretary shall ensure that one university center is established in each State to provide services in such State.
“(c) Prioritization of historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, Hispanic-Serving institutions, and minority-Serving institutions—In establishing university centers under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize institutions of higher education that are eligible to receive funds under section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).
“(d) Duties—The university centers established under this section, to the extent practicable, shall—
“(1) collaborate with other university centers;
“(2) collaborate with economic development districts, trade adjustment assistance centers, Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Business Centers and Rural Business Centers of the Minority Business Development Agency, and other relevant Federal economic development technical assistance and service providers to provide expertise, applied research, and technical assistance to develop, implement, and support regional strategies that assist in job creation, high-skilled regional talent pools, and business expansion in a region’s innovation cluster;
“(3) provide technical assistance, business development services, and technology transfer services to businesses in the service area of the university center;
“(4) establish partnerships with one or more commercialization intermediaries that are public or nonprofit technology transfer organizations eligible to receive a grant under section 602(d)(1)(B) of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (42 U.S.C. 1862s–9(d)(1)(B)); and
“(5) provide to communities and regions assistance relating to data collection and analysis and other research relating to economic conditions and vulnerabilities that can inform economic development and adjustment strategies.
“(e) Funding—The Secretary may provide to each university center under this section for each fiscal year an amount that is not less than $500,000 and not more than $1,000,000.”
Conforming amendment— Section 3(12) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3122(12)) is amended by inserting “a university center established under section 219 or” after “means”.
Clerical amendment— The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 note) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 218 the following new item: