Funding Will Support Innovative Strategies to Grow Rural Businesses, Workforce
ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 15, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Acting State Director Cynthia Morales today announced that the Department is investing $750,000 to create and expand access to high-wage jobs for people in rural Minnesota.
“USDA is committed to increasing access to high-wage jobs and business development opportunities for people in rural communities and regions that need it most,” Morales said. “Today’s investment is a testament to the many innovative strategies at work around the state to ensure that our rural small businesses continue to thrive and create sustained economic growth that will benefit the people living and working in these communities for generations to come.”
USDA is making this $750,000 investment through the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program.
The Itasca Economic Development Corporation will use the grant to expand training and development opportunities at a new community innovation center and purchase prototyping and design equipment for an engineering program offered through the center. The Itasca Economic Development Corporation is working with the Northeast Minnesota Higher Education District, Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training, and Itasca Area Schools Collaborative & Next Career Pathways to:
- Manage logistics for the renovation and move into the new innovation center facility.
- Create business incubation and entrepreneurship opportunities by hosting workshops, helping startups, developing training and more.
- Deliver trade and technical education by supporting workforce innovation through short-term and long-term planning, skills-based programming, talent development, employer recruitment and retention and more.
The RISE program provides funding to help to create and enhance high-wage jobs, accelerate the formulation of new businesses, support industry clusters and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas. To learn more about this and other resources for rural areas, contact a USDA Rural Development office.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit http://www.rd.usda.gov/mn. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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