Town applies for grant

The town has opted to apply for a 2006 Economic Development Reserve grant, which could make as much as $500,000 available through the Department of Commerce for the Sparta Teapot Museum.

Reading information about the eligible uses of funds to the council members, Town Manager Bryan Edwards explained, "Economic Development Project grants provide funding to units of government or non-profit organizations to be used for economic development projects that, for example, leverage regional assets, enhance community readiness for industry, encourage entrepreneurism and small business development, or have the potential for significantly improving the quality of life in a particular areas."

According to information about the 2006 Economic Development Reserve, the project selection will be based on the degree which projects reflect 11 factors. However, it is not required that the individual projects reflect all of the factors.

The 11 factors include the probability of the projects' success, whether or not the project would foster economic development in a community or region experiencing job loss because of the decline of traditional industries, national and global opportunities for the state's businesses and communities and the fostering of entrepreneurial business growth and how the project would leverage unique local or regional assets and existing defense and assets related to homeland security. Other factors include small-town revitalization, regional or multi-jurisdictional cooperation, how it targets the development of technology-based industry, what type of economic impact the project would make on the community and region, community support of the project. The final factor to be considered by the department is the support for the project within the community and region.

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