$305,271 in federal grants OK’d for rural Nevada economic projects

ELKO, Nev. — USDA Rural Development State Director Phil Cowee on Sept. 8 announced $305,271 in grant funds for nine projects that will help rural Nevada Tribes, cities and counties to develop rural enterprise and create 52 jobs.

“These are important investments for rural Nevada,” Cowee said in a statement. “I am impressed by the variety of small business start-ups that will result from cities, counties and Tribes stepping up to support business expansion.”

Projects funded include:

• The Elko Band Colony of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone: $68,500 to fund a feasibility study to determine the viability for multiple small tribal businesses.
• The Indian Dispute Resolution Service: $94,771 for two projects to provide on-site business training and technical assistance to Nevada tribes and tribal members to assist in small business start-up and expansion.
• Churchill and Douglas County: $20,000 each to conduct business attraction activities (Churchill) and to complete a regional market analysis and marketing strategy (Douglas).
• Nye County Regional Economic Development Authority: $30,000 to establish a new revolving loan fund in Esmeralda County and continue support to Nye County for an existing revolving loan fund.
• Tahoe Prosperity Center: $20,000 to promote broadband deployment and expand access to wireless data across the Lake Tahoe Basin.
• City of West Wendover: 37,000 to complete a feasibility study to determine the viability of natural gas installation for the West Wendover/Wells service territory.
• Lastly, the Rural Nevada Development Corporation received a $15,000 grant funds for a new position within the RNDC to serve the I-80 Corridor in Northern Nevada between Fernley and West Wendover.