Communities and organizations across six rural New Hampshire counties will share $4.4 million in federal funds awarded by the Northern Border Regional Commission.
“The $4.4 million in awards to New Hampshire by the Northern Border Regional Commission are critical not only to the projects they fund, but to the infrastructure they’ll help strengthen, the jobs they will create, and the communities across the Granite State that will benefit from this investment,” said Gov. Chris Sununu.
Created by the US Congress in 2008, the NBRC is a federal-state partnership working to alleviate economic challenges in northern counties across New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. In New Hampshire, projects are eligible for the Economic and Infrastructure Development Investment program in all, or portions of, Belknap; Carroll; Cheshire; Coos; Grafton, and Sullivan Counties.
The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs works with communities and organizations throughout the year on projects that are eligible for the grants.
“This program fills a major funding gap for a lot of rural communities,” said BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell. “NBRC resources enable those communities to move forward on infrastructure, education, training, and community investments that attract companies and families.”
The following projects received awards:
FIRST New Hampshire, $113,130, to work with North Country schools and businesses to start robotic programs that will help students develop STEM skills;
Hannah Grimes Center, Inc., Keene, $315,298, to advance its entrepreneurial programs and develop its Radically Rural Summit into a self-sustaining event and create a year-round institute;
Laconia Area Community Land Trust, Inc. DBA Lakes Region Community Developers, Belmont, $350,000, to support the Gale School redevelopment project, which expands childcare and creates jobs;
Mascoma Valley Preservation, Grafton, $315,000 to convert the Grafton Center Meetinghouse in to a marketplace and event center;
Monadnock Economic Development Corp., Keene, $1 million to the Keene State College Business Partnership Hub, which will deliver advanced education and training;
New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services/Lakeshore Redevelopment Planning Commission, Laconia, $1 million to complete phase I of the redevelopment master plan involving road, water, sewer, and telecommunication infrastructure;
Sunapee Heritage Alliance, $350,000, to repair the historic livery building and establish non-profit ownership to make it available for community use and programming;
Town of Jaffrey, $1 million to connect three wells and construct a water treatment facility and water distribution system.
Tags: economic development, Northern Border Regional Commission, rural communities