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Archive for February, 2018

New Hampshire: Land of Economic Opportunity for the Second Year

Tuesday, February 27th, 2018

New Hampshire leads the Northeast for economic opportunity.

For the second year in a row, New Hampshire landed in the top five ranking of U.S. News and World Report’s Best States, leading the Northeast in a comprehensive review of economic and social criteria.

“New Hampshire is among the best states in the nation to live, work and raise a family,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “Our State’s #1 ranking for opportunity is something that all Granite Staters can be particularly proud of today. We will never stop emphasizing that New Hampshire is open for business, open for workers, and open for opportunity.”


The full report is available at usnews.com.


The Granite State also led the nation in economic opportunity for the second straight year, a category that looks at median income, poverty rates and other factors. The state also got high marks in multiple categories: Low crime rate (#1); educational attainment (#3); low unemployment rate (#3); quality of life (#4); patent creation (#6) and low tax burden (#7).

“New Hampshire consistently performs well in these comprehensive rankings because it offers the best combination of financial opportunity, education, and quality of life,” said Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs. “More importantly than rankings, we see it on the ground: New Hampshire’s businesses are expanding, communities are investing.”

 

 

 

Northern Border Regional Commission Applications Available

Thursday, February 22nd, 2018

Applications are now available for the next round of Northern Border Regional Commission grants.

Applications are now available for the next round of grants available from the Northern Border Regional Commission for projects strengthening infrastructure and promoting economic development in four rural New Hampshire counties.


Information sessions will be held from 1 – 3 pm, March 6 at the Enterprise Center at Plymouth, 1 Bridge St., Plymouth. The deadline for submitting applications is May 11.


The commission, created by Congress 10 years ago, provides funding for projects in 36 rural counties across northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. In New Hampshire, agencies and organizations in Carroll, Coos, Grafton and Sullivan Counties can apply.

Proposals will be accepted for projects related to transportation, telecommunication and basic public infrastructure; workforce development; entrepreneurship, technology, or business development; resource conservation, tourism and recreation, or publicly owned renewable energy development, and projects for basic health care and other public services.

The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs will coordinate applications for the state. When the rankings are complete, Gov. Chris Sununu will put forward the priority projects to the commission.

In 2017, the NRBC awarded 13 grants in New Hampshire, totaling over $2.2 million to projects in Bethlehem, Claremont, Colebrook, Conway, Cornish, Lancaster, Littleton, Lyme, Rumney, Wolfeboro and Whitefield.

For more information about applying for the grant program, contact Mollie Kaylor at the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development at 271-6305 or mollie.kaylor@livefree.nh.gov. The application is available at http://nbrc.gov/.

Webinars Explore Logistics of Doing Business in Canada and Latest Information on BREXIT

Thursday, February 22nd, 2018

Canada’s proximity to the Granite State makes it New Hampshire’s largest trading partner.

Canada is the largest single export market for the United States and highly receptive to U.S. goods and services. Proximity affords U.S. firms with a significant advantage to selling in this market.

Are you maximizing your opportunity? Whether you currently export to Canada or are new to exporting, the importance of developing a strategic approach to this market is critical to your success.


Sending Temporary Workers to Canada from the United States
Tuesday, April 10
1-2 pm (EST)
$25 (USD)
Register here.


This webinar series, hosted by US Commercial Service, is designed to help businesses strengthen the skills necessary to do business effectively in Canada and is beneficial to U.S. companies, such as architects, engineers, technicians and installers. It will cover the process for temporary travel to Canada for  after-sales warranty repairs; business development, and trade show participation.

Some of the questions that will be addressed include:

• What is Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker/International Mobility program?
• Do I need to have a work permit to do temporary work in Canada?
• Can temporary entry under NAFTA apply to my company?
• What documentation is required to send a temporary worker to Canada?
• Asking your own questions to the subject area expert.

The speaker will be Jacqueline Bonisteel, associate with Corporate Immigration Law Firm.

For more information, contact Tracey Ford, Commercial Specialist, +1 (613) 688-5406.


Implications of BREXIT for NH Exporters 

The official date for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union is March 29, 2019 – a little more than one year from now. This is a major policy event that will have dramatic implications for New Hampshire exporters to Europe.

Negotiations with the EU as to the terms of the withdrawal are currently focused on the U.K.’s outstanding financial obligation to the EU; the post-Brexit status of the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic; and the status of UK/EU citizens living across the post-Brexit borders.


U.S. Commercial Service webinar on BREXIT updates
Thursday, March 22
Noon – 1:30 pm EST
$50
Register here.


The two sides are seeking to conclude agreement on these initial three areas in December 2017, which would pave the way for subsequent negotiations on the post-Brexit trade relationship between the UK and EU. The UK Government has reached an uneasy internal political consensus that a transition period of up to two years will be required after March 2019 to fully implement the exit from the EU – a time period most observers view as insufficient.

In addition to the ongoing Brexit negotiations, the U.S. and the United Kingdom held the second meeting of the U.S. – UK Trade and Investment Working Group in London on November 13-14, to continue discussions on ways to ensure commercial continuity and strengthen two-way trade ahead of Britain’s March 2019 exit from the European Union. The working group is also laying the groundwork for a potential post-Brexit bilateral U.S.-UK free trade agreement.

Webinar Presenters:

  • John Simmons, Minister Counsellor for Commercial Affairs CS London
  • U.S. Mission to the European Union, Commercial Specialists Liliana Popescu (Standards); Isabelle Roccia (Digital Economy); Matthew Kopetski (Chemicals); Antonio Dai-Pra (Healthcare), and NOAA Fisheries Representative  Stephane Vrignaud.

For more information, contact: Anastasia.Xenias@trade.gov

 

Request for Proposals for New Hampshire Economic Development Plan

Friday, February 16th, 2018

The Department of Business and Economic Affairs on Feb. 15 issued a Request for Proposals for consulting services for the development of a statewide economic development plan.

The deadline for those proposals is 3 pm, April 2; deadline for questions is March 8.

The RFP materials are here.

 

 

On the Road with Business and Economic Affairs: Monadnock Region

Monday, February 5th, 2018

Business and Economic Affairs Commissioner Taylor Caswell, joined by Mollie Kaylor, business resource specialist for the Division of Economic Development, visited the Monadnock region last month, with stops in Peterborough and Dublin.

Caswell was the speaker at the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce breakfast and later met with members of the Peterborough Economic Development Authority, talking about successes and challenges in the region.

A tour of NH Ball Bearings rounded out the morning, before heading to Dublin and Yankee Publishing for lunch, tour and a wide-ranging discussion about tourism and New Hampshire.