CARIBOU, Maine — Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) officials invite potential grant applicants to an informational meeting Wednesday, April 12, in Caribou on the application process and what projects may be eligible.
The session will be broadcast simultaneously in Caribou, in the Northern Maine Development Commission boardroom at 11 West Presque Isle Road, and in Machias, in the boardroom of Sunrise County Economic Council at 7 Ames Way.
NMDC and the Sunrise County group will facilitate the meeting, set to begin at 10 a.m. Representatives from NBRC will connect simultaneously at the two locations using a web-based internet broadcasting system to provide interested communities and project applicants with up-to-date information about the upcoming grant application cycle for 2017.
NBRC has invested $8 million into about 50 projects throughout the NBRC region since 2010. The most recent investment in Aroostook County was last year, where $250,000 was provided to the Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle. In the past five years, awards have been made in Eastport, Ashland, Van Buren and to the Indian Township Passamaquoddy Reservation, to name a few.
Since its inception, NMDC has played a critical role in promoting, disseminating information and providing guidance to applicants in both Aroostook and Washington counties.
“We are very proud of our role with NBRC as the designated local development district and the positive economic impact NBRC has had, particularly in Aroostook and Washington counties”, said Robert Clark, NMDC executive director.
“The primary focus is to invest in projects that create jobs,” said Alain Ouellette, NMDC planning and development division director. “We encourage all interested municipal and business representatives and economic development officials to attend the meeting.”
The Northern Border Regional Commission was created as a federal-state partnership under legislation approved in the 2008 Farm Bill, with the aim of addressing the economic and community development needs of severely distressed areas in the Northern Forest region.
NBRC provides assistance for projects in seven priority sectors: basic public infrastructure; transportation infrastructure; telecom infrastructure; workforce training and business development; renewable and alternative energy sources; resource conservation, tourism, recreation and preservation of open spaces; and health care and public services in distressed communities.
Pre-registration for the meeting is required. A link to electronic registration can be found on www.nmdc.org.
For more information about NBRC, the grant program and the application process, please visit http://www.nbrc.gov.
