CUMBERLAND — The Cumberland Economic Development Corp. has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Senator George C. Edwards Fund to create a financial incentive package to attract the aerospace/defense engineering firm SPARC Research to Western Maryland.
SPARC, based in Warrenton, Virginia, is a growing company dedicated to advancing the state-of-the-art in solid rocket and airbreathing propulsion and related technologies.
SPARC will establish satellite engineering operations in Cumberland to facilitate partnerships and collaboration with other aerospace/defense contractors and institutions of higher learning in the region, according to a news release issued by the CEDC.
“We are honored to receive this grant from the George C. Edwards Fund,” CEDC Executive Director Matt Miller said. “This support will enable us to attract SPARC, with the larger goal of attracting other businesses within the aerospace/defense industry to Cumberland — backed by our robust higher education partners, quality of life and proximity to Washington, D.C.”
“As a rapidly growing aerospace small business, we are excited about this opportunity to bring high tech jobs to my native Cumberland, Maryland, and look forward to what’s in store for our future there,” SPARC Research President Matt Cornwell.
Tom Moore, SPARC vice president and site manager for the new office, said with three local employees already on staff, “SPARC is looking forward to making the beautiful Rosenbaum Building in Cumberland’s Historic City Center our new SPARC West” home.
“We are committed to developing and hiring local STEM talent through partnerships with West Virginia University, Frostburg State University and Allegany College of Maryland — more specifically, through their Western Maryland Works makerspace,” he said.
“Economic growth is the key to Maryland’s prosperity,” Gov. Wes Moore said. “We must continue investing in high-tech industries of the future that will help unlock our full potential — including aerospace and defense.”
Bringing SPARC Research to Western Maryland “will create jobs, leverage our highly-educated talent pool, and drive economic growth,” Moore said. “We are grateful for the (CEDC) and the George C. Edwards Fund for supporting this project and creating new opportunities for Marylanders.”
The Senator George C. Edwards Fund is a four-year, $50 million program designed to spur economic growth across Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties by investing in infrastructure and business development projects.
Established in 2022, the fund prioritizes projects that create sustainable jobs, improve infrastructure and attract private investment to the region.
Over the past two years, the fund has supported projects totaling $290.1 million in economic value through $36.8 million in grant funding, with over $18.4 million awarded in 2024 alone.
“We are happy to support the CEDC, the city of Cumberland and SPARC Research’s expansion to Baltimore Street,” said Jake Shade, executive director of the fund. “These high-paying jobs will be a great addition to our community.”