SWOK ARPA Regional Alliance - FISTA

PROJECT PURPOSE

The FISTA Trust Development Authority was formed to support the efforts of the Army Futures Command challenged the community to find ways to support two Cross Functional Teams (CFT) located at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The #1 CFT program is Long?Range Precision Fires (LRPF) and #5 Air Missile Defense (AMD). This is a Joint efforts supported by the Lawton Fort Sill Communities, academic institutions for technical training and higher education, to support and grow research and development in science and technology outside the gates of their installations.

EVIDENCE

FISTA will offer many unique workforce development opportunities that are not currently available in the region. FISTA has created the Business Integration Center to allow to date 5 Defense Contractors to begin their program development to collaborate with FISTA. Recruit out of state new positions and organizations to Lawton/Fort Sill.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

While SWOK continues to work very hard to improve conditions for our citizens, we continue to struggle with poverty and decline. With 18.5% of our population in poverty and only 45% of our households in owner occupied homes. Our median household income of just less than $48,000 is more than 10% below the state. Lawton is a diverse, inclusive, and progressive community, but we lack the resources to create the kind of community improvement projects that can move us economically to the next level. SWOK has felt impact of the pandemic through stagnant municipal revenues and significantly increasing costs due to supply delays and labor shortage. Somewhat isolated from the region?s larger metropolitan communities, Lawton has seen our labor force slowly eroded through relocation to the larger cities that can provide more quality-of-life amenities. This project puts Lawton on equal footing with Bricktown in OKC and the Gathering Place in Tulsa. Quality of life should be for all communities.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

FISTA's mission is to invest in industrial development and activities that promote high?tech job creation in the City of Lawton an the surrounding region. Project performance will be measured by direct and indirect job creation, high tech wage jobs and oral presentation.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma