New Hampshire Delegation Welcomes More than $10 Million for Granite State Projects Through Northern Border Regional Commission
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), welcomed more than $10 million in federal funding for Granite State projects through the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). This funding was awarded through NBRC’s Catalyst Program which supports a broad range of economic development initiatives including projects that modernize and expand access to public water and wastewater services, revitalize transportation infrastructure, establish workforce development programs and facilities, grow the outdoor recreation economy and provide access to new childcare and health care facilities. NBRC also announced one award through the Timber for Transit Program which funds efforts to advance the use of wood-based materials in transportation and transportation infrastructure.
“The Northern Border Regional Commission provides vital support for projects across New Hampshire’s rural communities that bolster local economies, create jobs and provide essential services to Granite Staters,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m thrilled to see this federal funding headed to our state, and I’ll continue working to support and expand NBRC’s impact in New Hampshire.”
“The Northern Border Regional Commission provides critical support to help grow the economy in New Hampshire’s rural communities,” said Senator Hassan. “I am pleased to see this federal funding heading to New Hampshire to help create jobs, expand addiction treatment options, and increase access to child care for families. I will keep working to get New Hampshire’s rural communities the resources that they need to thrive.”
“These awards from the Northern Border Regional Commission will strengthen our childcare workforce and services, upgrade our electric grid and water infrastructure, expand health care access and recovery services, support small businesses and performing arts, and more,” said Congressman Pappas. “These smart investments will drive economic and community development in communities across New Hampshire and invest in our future. I’ll always support projects that grow our economy and support Granite State families.”
“The Northern Border Regional Commission is a critical partner for communities across New Hampshire and this funding will go a long way towards delivering much-needed services and support to hardworking Granite Staters,” said Representative Goodlander. “From increasing access to quality health care to reinvigorating local economies, expanding our child care workforce, and investing in substance use recovery services and facilities, these grants represent an important step forward for our state.”
NBRC encourages business retention and expansion, invests in public infrastructure and promotes tourism across northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York. This vital federal-state partnership for economic and community development provides grant funding to communities within Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton and Sullivan counties.
Shaheen and Hassan have led efforts in Congress that support and invest in the NBRC. Last month, Shaheen and Hassan secured the inclusion of Shaheen’s legislation to reauthorize the NBRC for another five years in the Water and Resources Development Act of 2024 which was signed into law. This legislation also broadens NBRC’s ability to award grants to projects and activities to address the opioid epidemic and other substance use disorders impacting the region. As a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Shaheen secured $46 million for the NBRC in the committee-passed fiscal year (FY) 2025 government funding bill —the highest level ever included in annual government funding legislation.
A list of the New Hampshire projects awarded funding in today’s announcement is available below.
NBRC Catalyst Program Awards
|
Grantee |
Purpose |
Amount |
|
Winchester Economic Development Corporation |
Winchester EDC will use funds to start a revolving loan fund (RLF), with goals of starting new businesses, creating and retaining jobs, and improving the financial stability or expansion of businesses receiving loans. As part of this project, start-ups will receive technical assistance as well as access to loans. |
$500,000 |
|
Families Flourish Northeast Inc. |
Funding will assist in the construction of a 12-unit residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facility for women with children in Lebanon, NH. |
$1,000,000 |
|
Town of Whitefield |
Funding will assist in the replacement and upgrades for water infrastructure. |
$1,000,000 |
|
Whitefield's Official Library Friends |
Funding will fit up a recent addition to the library to establish a "Community & Rural Entrepreneurial Center." |
$827,870 |
|
Gorham Community Learning Center Inc. |
Funds will assist in the renovation of a bank building into a childcare center. |
$1,000,000 |
|
YMCA Alliance of Northern New England |
Funding will be used to conduct a 4-county (Cheshire, Sullivan, Belknap, Carroll) childcare workforce recruitment campaign. |
$265,684 |
|
Town of Wolfeboro |
Funds will be used to make necessary electrical grid upgrades to public infrastructure (Wolfeboro uses a municipally owned utility), which will allow PSI Molded Plastics to add 4 new injection molding machines and 15-20 new jobs. |
$117,749 |
|
Archways |
Funding will be used to add a second floor to Archways' existing Tilton facility, doubling capacity on substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and two workforce pipelines for recovery coaching and family support specialists. |
$1,000,000 |
|
Franconia Soaring Foundation |
Funding will complete work on the Soaring Foundation's training center at Franconia Airport. |
$499,988 |
|
Cornish Community Initiative |
Funds will assist in the renovation of a donated building into a community resource hub, featuring meeting spaces with bathrooms, computers, a maker space, and space for after-school programming. |
$727,456 |
|
Colonial Theatre Group Inc. |
Funding will be invested in an updated marketing research, development, and advertising campaign to reinvigorate the performing arts center and the surrounding area in Keene's downtown. |
$476,309 |
|
Mount Washington Valley Trails Association |
Funding will assist in the construction of accessible trails linking Cranmore Mountain Resort to Intervale Scenic Overlook. This addition will complete a network of trails stretching from North Conway's downtown to the overlook, integrating many of the recreation and tourism assets of the town onto a single path. |
$1,000,000 |
|
Mid-State Health Center |
Funds will assist in the renovation of two suites at Mid-State's Boulder Point facility near Plymouth. This project will expand critically needed medical services in a rural area. |
$300,000 |
NBRC Timber for Transit Program Awards
|
City of Keene |
The project provides for designing and constructing an outdoor hybrid timber pavilion structure to support the expansion of flexible Downtown small business uses year-round. Located on Gilbo Avenue in Downtown Keene, this hybrid timber structure will provide a hub for the Cheshire Rail Trail connection to downtown and serve as an economic catalyst for new business opportunities, new jobs, and private investment. |
$1,756,800 |
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