Twelve New Hampshire projects will receive grants, totaling over $1.5 million, from the Northern Border Regional Commission to spur economic and community development in the North Country and Upper Valley.

Announced Aug. 2 by Gov. Hassan and US Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the recipients are:

• The New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development; $42,000 supporting the creation of a five-year economic development strategy for New Hampshire, aligning economic development resources across agencies and organizations to address the state’s most pressing economic development needs;
• The Town of Northumberland; $200,000 to build critical water and sewer infrastructure at the former Groveton mill;
• The Town of Littleton; $110,000 to construct one mile of multi-modal trail connecting an existing regional system within the River District Revitalization project;
• The Grafton Regional Development Corp.: $50,000 for improvements at the Enterprise Center in Plymouth, including the completion of an office suite, which will assist the center to incubate and build more startup businesses;
• The New England Ski Museum; $100,000 to renovate the former North Conway Community Center into a branch of the museum;
• The Town of Ashland Water and Sewer Department; $250,000 to help fund a new septage receiving station, which will help revitalize the town’s mill area;
• River Valley Community College; $50,000 to for renovations to the Lebanon Academic Center;
• The City of Berlin; $250,000 for the construction of the first phase of a multi-use trail and river walk adjacent to the Androscoggin River;
• The University of New Hampshire; $145,000 to continue the efforts of the NH Broadband Mapping and Planning program to accommodate mapping and analysis in northern New Hampshire, collect local data, extend speed test promotional efforts, and deliver three technical assistance workshops;
• Solider On; $250,000 to assist in the creation of a 52 units of affordable, service enriched, permanent housing for veterans;
• Tri-County CAP; $60,500 to expand the Friendship House in Bethlehem, a residential program that services low-income people recovering from substance use disorders;
• Friends of Wentworth Park; $42,500 for the relocation and completion of a restored historic wooden covered bridge over the Baker River Falls;
• Eastern Slope Airport, Fryeburg, Maine; $250,000 to build an aircraft hangar to attract new seasonal visitors and outside investors. Although in Maine, New Hampshire’s state partners were impressed by the project’s heavy economic impact on the Mount Washington Valley. This is a multi-state application in which the Eastern Slope Airport also applied for $250,000 from Maine’s NBRC allotment.