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The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) has announced the recipients of its 2024 round of grant funding, used to support economic development projects that focus on revitalization and long-term strategic investment throughout Chautauqua County, consistent with the county's economic development strategic plan.
This year, 14 different projects across the county will receive a total $242,000 in grant support from CCPEG. The total value of all 14 projects is estimated to be $1.88 million.
Projects receiving funding come from across Chautauqua County, including Bemus Point, Dunkirk, Findley Lake, Jamestown, and Lakewood. The applicant receiving the largest amount of Partnership grant funding was the Village of Lakewood, which was awarded $30,000 for the Hartley Park Waterfront Revitalization & Improvement Project.
Four other projects each received $25,000, including: Arrowhead Redevelopment Project (Chautauqua Opportunities), Chautauqua County Fair Conceptual Planning and Enhancement Project (Chautauqua County Ag & Fair Association), Dream It Do It Advance Manufacturing Program (Dream It Do It WNY), and Reg Lenna Center for the Arts' Theater Seats & Auditorium Improvement project.
"We were very happy to see a large number of applicants apply for funding," said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development. "Over the past two years, we've supported numerous high priority projects designed to spur economic development, and that trend will continue this year."
Funding from the projects comes from a variety of sources, including Chautauqua County ARPA funding and funding from a multi-year grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.The next round of Support for Economic Development Projects will open in the fall.
A total of 19 applications seeking $506,000 in total grant support from CCPEG were submitted by the deadline at the end of October. Grant awards typically range between $10,000 and $20,000, but requests of up to $50,000 were considered. Projects were selected based on a number of criteria including, readiness, economic impact, leverage potential, geographic distribution, alignment with the economic development strategic plan, and based on input from CCPEG's public-private Advisory Board.
Other grants included:
-- City of Dunkirk Smart Growth Zoning Code Update, $20,000.
-- Digital Ad Campaign for RTPI Anniversary Season for Roger Tory Peterson Institute, $6,250.
-- Findley Lake Senior Housing/Pocket Neighborhood Site Feasibility, Conceptual Design and Technical Assistance Services, $8,000.
-- Healthcare Exploration and Immersion Day, Jamestown Community College, $6,000
-- Kayak/Canoe Launch, Village of Bemus Point, $10,000.
-- Master Plan: Strategic Growth, Village of Bemus Point, $20,000
-- Museum Planning & Conceptual Design Discovery, Robert. H. Jackson Center, $11,750.
-- Key Market Growth Project, National Comedy Center, $20,000.
-- Support for Shop Local Promotion Efforts, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, $10,000.