NEWS
RELEASE
United States Department
of Agriculture Rural Development
3001 Coolidge Rd. 2nd Floor North Suite 200 East Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: (517) 324-5204 Fax: (517) 324-5225
alec.lloyd@mi.usda.gov
HOUGHTON, KEWEENAW COUNTIES RECEIVE $65,000 FROM USDA FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
EAST LANSING, June 25, 2008 U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Director for Michigan Gene DeRossett today presented a ceremonial check for $65,000 to the Small Business Association of Michigan to promote economic development in Houghton and Keweenaw counties.
Todays event helps demonstrate the variety of ways we are helping improve the quality of life for Upper Peninsula residents, said DeRossett. In May, we commemorated loans and grants to purchase police and fire vehicles, and now we are focusing on the economic environment.
The money is a Rural Business Enterprise Grant and will be used to accelerate the growth of small and emerging businesses in the area.
USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, Rural Development provides equity, liquidity, and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/.
#