Grant

July 30-August 3, 2012

  • $500,000 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, to fund Project 17: Together We Succeed, a regional initiative in a 17-county region of Southeast Kansas targeted at creating and sustaining jobs in advanced manufacturing by accelerating innovation. The project will create an asset-based development plan to spur job and wealth creation; map regional assets; profile the innovation capabilities of businesses; connect businesses with innovation resources; and empower project recipients to proactively work together to enhance the competitiveness of goods producing entrepreneurs and existing businesses in the region. This investment is part of a $1,892,318 project, which includes $215,000 from USDA.
  • $500,000 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Network, Abingdon, Virginia, to support Appalachian Spring, an initiative that provides technical assistance to small businesses in the arts, outdoor recreation, broadband, and local foods industries. Using asset-based and creative economy methods, this project will support the diversification of the local economy by revitalizing downtown districts across southwest Virginia. This investment is part of a $1.89 million project, which includes $215,000 from USDA and $100,000 from ARC.
  • $500,000 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, to support the partnership of Mississippi State University with the region's small existing businesses and entrepreneurs to integrate the university's work in innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology as a mechanism to enhance economic growth. The project will train entrepreneurs to accelerate the formation of new and innovative businesses, link small businesses and entrepreneurs into strategic clusters via networking opportunities, and identify strong growth prospects in existing industry clusters and business opportunities. This investment is part of a $1.88 million project, which includes $215,000 from USDA, $250,000 from DRA, and $100,000 from ARC.
  • $500,000 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Natural Capital Investment Fund, Inc., Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to support the West Virginia Value Chain Cluster Initiative, a pioneering, statewide project that will expand the business and financial capacity of four regional food-related value chain clusters. The project identifies new businesses in food-related clusters; provides technical assistance and coaching services to strengthen management, operations and financial expertise; offers access to capital; provides advice on technological improvements, assists in new business development; and shares best practices among cluster members, to raise income levels and create new job opportunities. This investment is part of a $1,770,540 project, which includes $215,000 from USDA and $100,000 from ARC.
  • $500,000 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Western North Carolina Regional Economic Development Non-Profit Corporation, Fletcher, North Carolina, to develop planning, feasibility studies, and pilot programs to identify and promote investment in major supply chain opportunities and provide western North Carolina businesses access to new technology from regional universities and other research and development centers by leveraging the area's agricultural assets. This investment is part of a $1.63 million project, which includes $215,000 from USDA and $100,000 from ARC.
  • $500,000 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center and the North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, to provide technical assistance, strategic planning support, advanced manufacturing and supply chain analysis, and cluster networking opportunities for manufacturers and large and small supply chain companies to accelerate industry growth and job creation in the North Carolina eastern regional aerospace and automotive cluster. This project targets Lenoir, Greene, Wayne, Wilson, Edgecombe, and Pitt counties. This investment is part of a $1.43 million project, which includes $215,000 from USDA.
  • $500,000 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Southern Carolina Regional Development Alliance, Barnwell, South Carolina, to support the development of highly skilled, advanced manufacturing workers for area manufacturers through the creation of the Nuclear and Advanced Manufacturing Skills Academy (NAMSA) in the region composed of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton counties. This investment is part of a $1.245 million project, which includes $150,000 from USDA.
  • $493,750 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Northern Community Investment Corporation, Lancaster, New Hampshire, to support the creation of the Northern Tier Farm and Forest Jobs Accelerator. This project will assist communities in rural New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont to improve energy efficiency, develop new fuel sources, enhance the entrepreneurial environment, increase telecommunication capability, strengthen transportation infrastructure, and improve regional marketing of value-added wood products. This investment is part of a $1,418,750 project, which includes $215,000 from USDA.
  • $434,890 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Marshall University Research Corporation, Huntington, West Virginia, to support a partnership between Marshall University and Concord University that leverages regional resources to create workforce development opportunities in advanced manufacturing and tourism across southern West Virginia. By building business knowledge and workforce skills across the region, the project will entice investors to the region, stimulate the creation of new companies, improve worker performance, enhance the region's online presence, and serve as a model for similar communities across the country.

    This investment is part of a $1,266,438 project, which includes $183,095 from USDA and $100,000 from ARC.
  • $367,600 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Wholesome Wave Foundation Charitable Ventures, Inc., Bridgeport, Connecticut, to support the New England Food Hub Initiative, a project targeted at addressing the demand for locally produced foods. This project provides technical assistance and links to capital to support the development and growth of food producers, processors, storage, and transporters throughout New England.. This investment is part of a $1,136,300 project, which includes $200,550 from USDA.
  • $345,023 in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Bristol Bay Native Association, Inc., Dillingham, Bristol Bay Borough, Alaska, to support the development of a sustainable commercial fishing industry cluster in the Bristol Bay region. Project activities include technical assistance services, organization and management of an industry focused conference event, and the development of a regional fisheries business cooperative. This investment is part of a $690,046, which includes $60,000 from USDA.
  • $119,203 in in 2012 Rural Jobs Accelerator* funds to the Bi-State Regional Commission/Henry County Economic Development Partnership, Rock Island, Illinois, to create a single, unifying rural economic development entity to serve a three-county area in western Illinois. The Henry-Rural Rock Island-Mercer County Economic Development Consortium (HRRM EDC) will fill a gap in economic and community development services by developing a rural economic development plan and cluster analysis for the region, conducting a business needs assessment, supporting the engagement of entrepreneurs, and boosting rural tourism in the region. This investment is part of a $387,000 project, which includes $74,297 from USDA.
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    *Project is funded through the Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator challenge, a national competition administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) with support from nine additional Federal agencies. Each Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator investment is designed to spur job creation and economic growth in distressed rural communities by identifying and leveraging local assets and strengthening linkages to industry clusters.