CONCORD, N.H. — The Northern Borders Regional Commission is planning to deliver over $9 million in funding for New Hampshire and Vermont municipalities and nonprofits through an infrastructure development investment program.
The program funds employment-generating projects that help to reduce poverty, unemployment and outmigration. Last year’s recipients included the Fairbanks Museum and Catamount Arts, both in St. Johnsbury, the Vermont Council on Rural Development, the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, and FIRST New Hampshire robotics programs in Coos and Grafton counties.
The program also serves areas of Maine and New York. The commission funds economic and community development projects in the four states.
The Caledonian-Record reports letters of interest are due March 26, and applications run from April 15 to May 14. One change this year is that the program will waive its matching funds requirement, in order to deliver maximum relief during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We understand the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the health of our communities, the way that all of us live, and our economy. And so this year if an entity isn’t able to provide matching funds for a project, because of the impact of the pandemic, we have designed what we hope is a really straightforward process for requesting this relief,” said NBRC Executive Director Rich Grogan during a roundtable hosted last week by U.S. Rep. Anne Kuster of New Hampshire.
