Northern Border Regional Commission announces $1.3 million grant process

Sandy Blitz, the Federal Co-Chair of the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), announced that a grant award process has been put in place to begin to accept applications for federal assistance. Chairman Blitz stated that “It is our goal to award approximately $1.3 million in grants by September 30, 2010”.
The NBRC, created by the Congress, to alleviate economic distress, and to save and create job opportunities throughout a thirty-six county region in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, became operational on April 29, 2010 upon Mr. Blitz officially assuming his duties. The Commission has responsibility for fourteen counties in New York; six counties in Vermont; four counties in New Hampshire, and twelve counties in Maine. The NBRC is governed by a Board consisting of the Federal Co-Chair and the Governors of the four states.
In accordance with the law, priority must be given to those “distressed counties” and “isolated areas of distress” within the thirty six counties. Distress is measured by the extent of negative economic distress factors a county or area suffers. The economic distress measurements include per capita income lower than the national average; unemployment higher than the national average; negative out migration; and poverty rates higher than the national average.
Eligible projects must develop the transportation, water, sewer, energy, and telecommunications infrastructure of the region; assist the region in obtaining job skills and employment related education, as well as entrepreneurship, technology and business development; provide basic health care and other public services for those areas that are severely economically distressed and underdeveloped; and to promote resource conservation, tourism, recreation, and preservation of open spaces in a manner consistent with economic development goals; and to promote the development of renewable and alternative energy sources.
Mr. Blitz indicated that each state will develop the process to be utilized within their borders, to secure eligible applications that will meet all the criteria of the NBRC, and hopefully be awarded a grant by the Commission. The local development districts will provide technical assistance to prospective grantees. To learn more about the NBRC grant program, and to receive technical assistance, interested parties should contact their Agency of Commerce, or Department of Economic Development, as well as their local development corporation.
Source: NBRC