Communities and organizations across six rural New Hampshire counties will share $3.7 million in federal funds awarded this by the Northern Border Regional Commission.

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 administers the program in New Hampshire and works with eligible communities and organizations throughout the year.

“For the communities in which they are located, these projects have a significant role in enhancing the local economy,” said BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell. “These grants really make a difference for residents want to build a place where people want to live and work.”

The following projects received awards:

Town of Lincoln; $500,000 to improve fireflow by making modifications to an existing booster pump station at Crooked Mountain and a new 234,000-gallon storage tank at Indian Mountain;

Twin State MakerSpaces, Inc., Claremont; $164,800 for installation of rooftop solar power generation, with savings energy operating costs to be invested for education and workforce development programming in the community;

Town of Swanzey; $500,000 to reconstruct and improve a road, sidewalk and drainage in West Swanzey village;

Meriden Village Water District, Plainfield; $376,000 to install a rapid infiltration basin system at the wastewater treatment facility, upgrading surface water discharge to groundwater discharge;

Colebrook Community Child Care; $158,642 to renovate an existing childcare facility; provide teacher training and create new programs;

Community College System of New Hampshire; $199,842 to create a test facility for welders and computer and technical skills training for advanced manufacturers and other businesses;

Belknap Mill Society, Laconia; $250,000 for interior renovation and restoration of the Belknap Mill to expand education programming;

Town of Newport; $354,183 to replace the water intake pipe system at Gilman Pond, Newport’s primary water supply;

Lakes Region Community College, Laconia; $189,825 to create two teaching laboratories and a dining room facility, increasing training opportunities for students interested in hospitality and tourism industries;

Nansen Ski Club, Berlin; $250,000 to redevelop the historic Nansen Ski Jump as a site for US Nordic-sanctioned competitions and the development of a North Country youth jumping program;

Turning Points Network, Claremont; $250,000 to renovate a structure to serve as the main office for Turning Points Network, enabling it  to expand capacity to deliver its economic independence program;

Town of Groton; $250,000 to repair one mile of class V, town-maintained road, from Sculptured Rocks Road to Sculptured Rocks State Park;

Town of Carroll; $250,000 to improve safety at the intersection of School Street and US Route 302, for future construction of public safety and municipal buildings;

Southwest Region Planning Commission; $75,000 for the planning and technical assistance to municipalities, businesses, and other stakeholders adopting policies and implementing strategies addressing economic development challenges, and improving communities’ capacity to attract and retain businesses, jobs and a skilled workforce.