Greetings and happy Friday! Here’s our EDALC update for the week:
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Rural Opportunity Initiative (application due Sept. 20) – This week I spent much of my time writing the narrative for the application and getting our project goals vetted by Melissa Murphy from Business Oregon – she says we’re on the right track. I also attended a webinar with Brian Plinski, the director of the ROI program, to get more insights into the program and application process. Requests went out for letters of support from our partners (one is coming up at the Lincoln City Council meeting on Monday evening). Next week, I’ll wrap up the narrative and the project budget and get another review or two done of the application and then we’ll get it submitted.
O2IH/EDA Build Back Better, Phase 1 (internal deadline is end of the month) – Our team had quite a few Zooms this week with key partners (I think the count was ten) as well as the EDA, including a very lively discussion with Birgitte and her team on the educational components of the workforce development pillar. I also spent some time fleshing out the design and deliverables third pillar of the project, which is Blue business retention, expansion, attraction and access to capital.
EDA Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation (deadline January 31) – Key stakeholders came together for another discussion on this APRA-funded opportunity. I let folks know that there didn’t seem to be a smooth fit for EDALC to be the lead applicant for this program (since we don’t own any physical recreation assets). It ended up being a very positive dialog and there may indeed be an excellent multi-jurisdictional project that we could apply for (with EDALC in a supporting, rather than lead role). A few more questions need to be put to our EDA rep. to see if this new approach (which would be a partnership with the Port of Newport, Lincoln City and the Siletz Tribe) is viable within the program guidelines.
Executive Committee – EDALC’s Executive Committee met on Wednesday morning this week to talk through the short-term funding irons we have in the fire, pulling together a long-term baseline budget and SWOT analysis and looking at our capacity and staffing needs in the short term. All in all, a very productive and energizing meeting!
Upcoming – Next Monday, Bob and I, along with a number of other key players, will be presenting a panel discussion on “What is the Blue Economy?” at Business Oregon’s statewide Infrastructure Summit (https://theoregonsummit.com/). On Tuesday, I’ll be facilitating a meeting between Representative Gomberg and Paul Lawson, the owner of the 30 acre industrial parcel at the north edge of Newport.
As a reminder – your Board of Directors resource page is here:
Have a wonderful weekend! I am heading out to camp tonight – we’ll see how it goes without a campfire. I guess I’ll be strumming my guitar to the light of a battery operated lantern!
Thanks for ALL that you are doing out there! Please reach out to me if you need anything at all.
Cheers,
-Paul 🙂