$350,000 in Grant Money Available to Oneida County Businesses

$125,000 Already Awarded to Two Local Companies

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today, that $350,000 in grant money is available to help startup and existing companies in the county provide new job opportunities.

The Oneida County Program Income Grant program is designed to utilize the county’s New York State Office of Community Renewal program income funds to enhance flexibility and affordability and assist new and existing County businesses provide new job opportunities and retain existing jobs.

“This $350,000 could be a huge benefit to eligible county businesses,” Picente said. “As the funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, I encourage members of our business community to take advantage of this opportunity and apply before it is no longer available.”

Assistance is offered as a grant to eligible businesses through Mohawk Valley EDGE. The program may encompass projects within microenterprise, small business and economic development frameworks as defined by the New York State Office of Community Renewal Community Development Block Grant guidelines.

So far under this grant program, two firms, Paris Compression Molding, LLC, of Waterville and Riverhawk Company, of New Hartford, have been awarded $35,000 and $90,000 respectively, to assist with machinery and equipment purchases and business expansion.

“Capital in smaller dollar amounts is often difficult to access for our small business community,” said Steven DiMeo, President of Mohawk Valley EDGE. “This partnership with Oneida County helps startup and existing companies provide new jobs opportunities, keep existing jobs and, ultimately, broaden the tax base of Oneida County.”

In order to qualify for the Oneida County Program Income Grant program, businesses must:

• Be involved in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, agri-business, high technology, research and development and traditional and innovative small business sectors.

• Fall into the business categories of: Microenterprise (5 employees or less, including the owner(s)); Small Business (6 - 25 employees) or Economic Development (greater than 25 employees).

• Be located within Oneida County, but outside of the CDBG entitlement cities of Utica and Rome.

• Create jobs which are available to, or held by, low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons as defined by NYSOCR and CDBG guidelines. In the case of a microenterprise, if the owner of the applicant business is to be considered as a new job, he/she must meet low- or moderate-income CDBG guidelines at the time of application to the program.

Grant funding may be used for the purchase of capital assets such as production machinery and equipment, furniture, fixtures and working capital uses.

For more details on the program and to apply for funding, please visit: https://www.mvedge.org/2018/10/02/oneida-county-program-income-grant/

The grant application deadline is Jan. 31, 2019.