NH nonprofits, communities share $11 million in rural development grants

CONCORD, NH – Projects in New Hampshire will share $11 million in grants from the Northern Border Regional Commission, including $1 million in grants for projects in Colebrook, Keene, Lancaster, Littleton and Mirror Lake.

The 25 New Hampshire Catalyst Awards, announced Wednesday, are aimed at supporting economic and community development projects throughout the state, including affordable housing, clean energy infrastructure, hospital upgrades and community development. They are part of $43.6 million that was awarded in 66 grants to nonprofits and municipalities in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and New York. It’s the highest amount ever awarded for the grant program after the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allotted $150 million to the NRBC, with $20 million of that going to this year’s catalyst grants.

The NBRC, based in Concord, is a federal-state economic development agency that supports rural development in the four states. It encourages business retention and expansion, invests in public infrastructure and promotes tourism, as well as invests in projects that expand rural access to child care, health care and affordable housing.

There were 46 New Hampshire applicants, seeking $22,886,955. Awardees are:

Theater UP, Littleton. $1 million to construct a new cultural arts center, with the first phase rehabilitation and adaptive re-use of a historic building that has been underutilized on Main Street. (Total project amount $10 million)

Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital, Colebrook. $1 million to create a medically based wellness center by renovating and expanding an existing space for a wellness center, including a recreational pool and therapy pool, a fitness gym, an indoor walking track and multipurpose space for classes, workshops, community events and rehabilitation services. (Total project amount $2,943,454).

Town of Lancaster. $1 million to upgrade aging water, sewer and drainage infrastructure to support downtown business and high-density residential districts. (Total project amount $3,635,116).

Monadnock Economic Development Corporation, Keene. $1 million to help buy a 12.9-acre vacant parcel and develop the infrastructure needed for the Keene Technology and Innovation Park, resulting in at least 140 jobs being created/retained and 80-100 individuals being trained for careers in advanced manufacturing annually. (Total project amount. $23,755,851).

Granite State Adaptive, Mirror Lake. $1 million to build a state-of-the-art energy-efficient equine therapeutic center consisting of an accessible facility including a barn, a classroom, indoor arna, and composting system. This facility will extend the season for adaptive and therapeutic recreation programs with youth, teens, disabled adults, and veterans. (Total project amount $2 million)

Valley Regional Hospital, Claremont. $500,000 to renovate the structure and create ADA-compliant bedroom units as well as dormitory-style spaces to support short-term transitional workforce lodging for up to eight health care workers. (Total project amount $1,484,400).

Monadnock Affordable Housing Corporation (Keene Housing Authority), Keene. $500,000 to develop the vacant Roosevelt School building in downtown Keene into 30 apartments, which will be leased to low- and moderate- income households. Funding will be used for infrastructure including new water and sewer lines, power, interior roads, parking areas, and landscaping. (Total project amount $500,000).

Avesta Housing Development/Mount Washington Valley Economic Council, North Conway. $500,000 to extend road infrastructure to support 160 units of new affordable housing and new business development. (Total project amount $1,100,000).

GALA Community Center, Ossipee. $499,883 to develop workforce, entrepreneur, and small business programming and resources at Maker’s Mill that align with local and regional development plans and results in new businesses, job creation and a more prepared workforce. (Total project amount $557,807)

Mount Washington Observatory, Coos County. $499,046 to modernize and enable meteorologists to provide accurate, real-time forecasts to help conservation, tourism, and recreation organizations in New Hampshire’s North Country plan, develop, and manage natural resource-based tourism while also facilitating their business and workforce development. (Total project amount $608,213).

Monadnock United Way, Keene. $499,015 to the Monadnock Region Afterschool Partnership Program, bringing after school programs together with higher education institutions and local businesses to build career development opportunities and add state-licensed after school childcare providers to the regional workforce. (Total project amount $772,836).

Monadnock Community Services Center, Keene. $496,883 to reduce operating costs with the installation of a 734-panel solar array and directly apply cost savings to workforce attraction and retention initiatives. (Total project amount $1,124,661)

Claremont Development Authority/West Claremont Center for Music & Art, Claremont. $444,397 to support construction, utility, and roof repair work in the second phase rehabilitation of the long-vacant former Claremont National Bank Building into the Creative Center. (Total project amount $597,778.00).

Hannah Grimes Center, Keene. $416,154 to provide the capacity to convene and support formal working groups focused on regional challenges including housing, child care and food systems, a statewide entrepreneur support organization network, and collaborative information sharing among the networks. (Total project amount $511,415)

Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority, Bethlehem. $267,671 to install renewable energy upgrades at The Colonial Theater, including a solar array, air sealing, upgrading exterior doors, and adding insulation. (Total project amount $596,029).

Lakes Region Model Railroad Museum, Wolfeboro. $250,000 to enable a multi-phase project to revitalize the 1872 Freight House to create a model railroad museum and STEM education center. (Total project amount $535,000).

Conway Public Library, Conway. $240,523 to renovate and redesign Library Park as a strategic resource and meet outdoor space needs. (Total project amount $671,047).

Greater Monadnock Collaborative (Chamber of Commerce), Keene. $233,152 for a two-year highly targeted marketing campaign to ages 16 to 29 that showcases the opportunities available in Cheshire County with the goal of recruiting and retaining a modern workforce as outlined in New Hampshire’s Economic Expansion and Recovery Strategy. (Total project amount $280,000).

Clean Energy NH (NH Sustainable Energy Association), Concord. $219,572 to expand the Energy Circuit Rider program to small rural communities in Sullivan County, which will provide direct customized support to the staff and committees of low-income municipalities to assist them in accessing funding, incentives and providers for clean, energy efficient building and renovations, system upgrades and vehicle charging infrastructure. (Total project amount $255,216).

Jackson Ski Touring Center, Jackson. $169,115 to re-route 0.7 miles of the cross-country ski trail system out of the Ellis River flood plain and replace seven non-compliant bridges to meet required White Mountain National Forest’s climate change standards. (Total project amount $342,730).

Claremont Opera House, Claremont. $128,360 to complete a multi-phased project to buy and install audio-video infrastructure upgrades for the theater. (Total project amount $160,664).

WREN: Women’s Rural Entrepreneurial Network, Bethlehem. $65,079 to renovate the interior of the gallery to increase accessibility and community engagement; convert the lower level to a learning center with a media studio; and make the outdoor pocket park more usable, accessible, and attractive as a gathering space. (Total project amount $112,366).

Town of Gilford. $54,000 to permanently site New Hampshire’s first foam densification unit, providing a regional foam recycling program. (Total project amount $108,000).

Town of Lancaster. $50,000 to install a 500,000-gallon water-storage tank and valve near the Lancaster Public Water System plant to address capacity, water quality, and water flow issues. (Total project amount $3,400,000. The state put this project forward for an additional $750,000 in EDA partnership funding consideration).

Town of Lisbon. $18,000 to help provide a parking plan for the downtown area to support residents, businesses and visitors using the Cross-NH rail trail. (Total project amount $38,221).

“With today’s announcements, communities across New Hampshire will have the federal funding needed to ensure our rural communities are not left behind and are put on a stronger foundation for future growth,” U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, said in a joint news release Wednesday from the state’s congressional delegation.

“I am thrilled to see these federal resources heading to projects across our state to expand access to affordable housing, connect families with quality health care, and more,” U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-NH 2nd District, said. “The Northern Border Regional Commission is a key partner in lifting up our economy and rural communities, and I am proud to advocate for it in Congress.”
U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-NH 1st District, said, “From investing in rural economic development to supporting community projects, the Northern Border Regional Commission is a critical resource for Granite State communities. These awards will bolster New Hampshire’s small businesses, health care, housing, workforce, infrastructure, and more.”

The delegation members stressed that the amount of funding was made possible through additional funding allowed by the Infrastructure Act. All four of the members supported the law, which increases federal spending on infrastructure by about $550 billion through 2031.

U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-NH, said, “This new grant is just the latest way that the bipartisan infrastructure law – by strengthening the Northern Border Regional Commission – is making a difference for Granite Staters in rural communities. This grant provides critical investments for rural infrastructure, small businesses, and workforce development – modernizing our economy and expanding opportunity for communities.”

Shaheen added, “By ensuring the Northern Border Regional Commission has the federal funding it needs, we’re able to help expand our support for rural businesses, provide more affordable housing, make health care more accessible and break ground on infrastructure projects.”

Pappas said that the funding announced Wednesday “was made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law which I fought to pass, and I will always fight to support projects in New Hampshire that boost economic growth and invest in our future.”

Shaheen and Kuster also led efforts to expand the NBRC’s reach in the 2018 Farm Bill, which added Cheshire County and communities in Belknap County to the region covered by the NBRC.

Shaheen, with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., this year reintroduced the NBRC Reauthorization Act of 2023, with Kuster leading the legislation in the House. The bill will extend the NBRC’s authorization for another 10 years. Shaheen also helped secure $40 million for the NBRC in federal government funding legislation for FY2023 that was signed into law, which is a $5 million increase above the FY2022 funding level and the highest the program has ever been funded.