Grant

September 21 - 25, 2015

  • $1,985,218 in Public Works funds to the Fresh Ministries and the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture, Jackson, Florida, to support construction of the Agri-Business Economic Development Center in the U.S. Virgin Islands for use by the Fueling Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (FEED) program. FEED will provide hands-on training and classroom sessions to individuals interested in mastering the skills required to own, manage, or work within the innovative aquaponic and hydroponic growth systems, state-of- the-art nurseries, and field-based farming. The center will serve as a catalyst for the revitalization of the agriculture industry and diversification of the territory’s economic base. This project is part of a $2,481,522 project that the grantees estimate will create 46 jobs.
  • $1.4 million in Public Works funds to the Siete del Norte Community Development Corporation, Embudo, New Mexico, to fund phase 1 of the renovations for the new Hunter Arts and Agricultural Center, which is a two-building complex comprised of the Northern New Mexico Food Hub and the multi-use Ford Hunter Building in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. The project supports the sustainable production, aggregation, and processing of agribusiness products to help improve the regional economy. This investment is part of a $1,793,068 project.
  • $1.275 million in Public Works funds to the Board of County Commissioners of Garrett County, Maryland, to support construction of a wastewater treatment plant in the Keyser’s Ridge Business Park. The new plant will serve existing businesses and accommodate new commercial/industrial development and job creation in the region. This investment is part of a $2.55 million project that the grantee estimates will create 25 jobs, save 15 jobs, and leverage $1.6 million in private investment.
  • $1,165,265 in Economic Adjustment funds to the Curators of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri, to fund the acquisition and installation of Tier 2 equipment and software for the University’s new Free Enterprise Center. The sophisticated 3-D visualization technology and prototyping equipment and software will be used to train entrepreneurs, industry personnel, displaced workers, and students in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) initiatives. This investment is part of a $2,330,530 project.
  • $1.046 million in Public Works funds to the City of Prairie View, Texas, to construct critical water and sewer infrastructure to support the James Muse Parkway and Old Houston Highway corridor in Prairie View. The project will boost business expansion and provide job opportunities for residents within the region. This investment is part of a $1,446,475 project that the grantee estimates will create 50 jobs, save 100 jobs, and leverage $5 million in private investment.
  • $1,035,013 in Public Works funds to the Houston Industrial Development Authority, Houston, Missouri, to support acquisition of property and construction of a new manufacturing facility in Houston. When completed, the facility will accommodate expansion of existing companies and will be a catalyst for attracting other higher-paying industries to the South Central Ozark region. This investment is part of a $1,725,022 project that the grantee estimates will create 45 jobs and leverage $4 million in private investment.
  • $773,750 in Economic Adjustment funds to the Alderson Broaddus University, Philippi, West Virginia, to support renovation of the former Broaddus Hospital to develop the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, a business incubator facility, on the campus of Alderson Broaddus University. The new center will provide space and “semi-virtual” business incubator services to tenants and resident companies in the rural counties of Barbour, Braxton, Randolph, Upshur, Lewis, Gilmer, and Tucker. This project addresses the need for additional and alternate job opportunities in the region devastated by the loss of coal-related employment. This investment is part of a $1,547,500 project that the grantee estimates will create 137 jobs and leverage $10.944 million in private investment.
  • $750,000 in Public Works funds to Artspace Projects, Inc. and the Oglala Lakota Arts Center, LLC, Shannon, South Dakota, to support construction of the Oglala Lakota Arts and Business Incubator on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. When completed, the incubator will offer incubator space and entrepreneur education and support programming to new and emerging Oglala Lakota artisan businesses and Reservation-based entrepreneurs. This project will be a catalyst for business acceleration on the Reservation, promoting economic diversification, resiliency, and opportunities for job creation. This investment is part of a $2,043,090 project.
  • $750,000 in Public Works funds to the Board of Regents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska, to fund the construction and acquisition of equipment for a wet research laboratory to support the Biotech Connecter program on the University’s Innovation Campus. The project will benefit start-ups and mid-sized bio-technology/bio-science firms, as well as build upon the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) initiatives by offering entrepreneurial skills to students in the Lincoln public schools, the Southeast Community College, and the University of Nebraska system. When completed, the wet research labs will be a hub for microbusiness incubation, business acceleration, and supportive business services that will create jobs and attract private investment to the region. This investment is part of a $1.5 million project.
  • $555,500 in Public Works funds to the City of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to fund improvements to the sewer and force main infrastructure at the Blackburn Industrial Park. The improvements will increase water and sewer capacity resulting in a more efficient system that will support the expansion of existing businesses and startup of new businesses. This investment is part of a $1.111 million project that the grantee estimates will create 150 jobs and leverage $10 million in private investment.
  • $500,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to the ACCION-Chicago, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, to provide additional funds for an existing Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) in Cook County to expand the service area to include Lake County, Indiana. The RLF makes loans to low-income, ethnic minority, small business owners and entrepreneurs, which promotes economic growth and job creation in the region. This investment is part of a $1 million project.
  • $500,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to the West Virginia Coalition for Technology-Based Economic Development to support TechConnect’s ScaleUp West Virginia initiative to bring together the public and private sectors to develop a roadmap to empower and promote growth in West Virginia’s entrepreneurial and manufacturing sectors. The goal of this project is to spur innovation and entrepreneurship, long-term regional competitiveness, economic diversification, and job creation across West Virginia. This investment is part of a $710,000 project.
  • $410,570 in Economic Adjustment funds to the South Central Planning and Development Commission, Houma, Louisiana, to help the South Central Planning and Development Commission fulfill the plans to complete the expansion of its headquarters. This investment will expand an existing facility to enhance economic development and innovation activities in the region. Also, the facility will continue to be used as an emergency command center in South Central Louisiana. This investment is part of a $1,019,803 project.
  • $340,225 in Public Works funds to the Town of Unicoi, Tennessee, to fund the renovation of an existing building in Unicoi for development of the Mountain Harvest Kitchen, a shared-use kitchen incubator. The incubator will serve agricultural/food product entrepreneurs in the seven counties of northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia, and will be a catalyst to boost entrepreneurial activity and job creation opportunities in the region. This investment is part of a $680,450 project that the grantee estimates will create 110 jobs.
  • $300,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to the National Urban League, New York, New York, to support the National Urban League in the development and implementation of a new Entrepreneurship Center Program for businesses in West Baltimore, Maryland. The Urban League, with technical assistance from local, state, and federal programs, will provide the impacted businesses access to work space, infrastructure, and equipment. In addition, the program will provide seminars, training, and technical assistance to local businesses on topics such as startup, management, marketing and promoting a business. This investment is part of a $600,000 project.
  • $286,673 in Economic Adjustment funds to the U.S. Virgin Islands-Bureau of Economic Research, Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands, to support an update of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to include a strategy for boosting the region’s declining tourism industry. The CEDS process will bring together the public and private sectors to examine all aspects of the Territory’s resources—people, resources, natural assets—and create a roadmap to determine best practices for increasing tourism and sustaining and diversifying the region’s economy. This investment is part of a $325,000 project.
  • $200,000 in Economic Adjustment funds to the Gulf Coast Economic Development District, Houston, Texas, to fund an economic resiliency and disaster recovery coordinator. The Coordinator will assist the Gulf Coast Economic Development District by completing an economic impact assessment, GIS mapping, and mitigation plan to improve disaster resiliency and growth. This investment is part of a $250,000 project.
  • $142,500 in Economic Adjustment funds to the Illinois Eastern Community College District 29, Olney, Illinois, to support the Illinois Eastern Community College District 29 in the acquisition of truck driving equipment and a tractor trailer to develop and implement an operational Commercial Driver’s License Truck Driving Course on their campus in Noble, Illinois. The program will provide training and job placement assistance to area residents, and address the need for additional and alternate job opportunities in the region. This investment is part of a $285,000 project that the grantee estimates will create 458 jobs.
  • $113,500 in Short-Term Planning funds to the Greater Portland Council of Governments, Portland, Maine, to support the implementation of the Greater Portland Sustainable Food Production Cluster under the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) program. The project will convene, guide, and support action teams of experts and stakeholders in the six IMCP focus areas of workforce development, supply chain, research and development, infrastructure, international trade, and capital access. This investment is part of a $227,000 project.