[OMS_MANAGERS] Updates from Business Oregon: ROI grant open; Regional Workshops invite feedback on Business Incentives

Tue Aug 26 16:49:12 PDT 2025

Sheri, Thanks for sharing the Business Oregon updates.
I was able to attend the Business Incentives Regional Workshop and was pleased to see that Main Street and the important role of local Main Street programs came up several times during our conversation.  I would encourage any of you in the Portland Metro area or mid-Willamette Valley to consider attending the September 22 and 23 meetings.  This is a great opportunity to showcase the Economic Vitality work that you do and potential Busienss Oregon incentives that could scale appropriately for Main Street businesses and development projects.

Business Incentives Regional Workshops
Join Business Oregon for a Workshop to help shape the new Statewide Economic
Development Strategy, provide feedback on Oregon's current Business Incentive
Programs and suggest new Business Incentives for the 2027 Legislative Session.
o September 18, 1-4 pm: Virtual
o September 22: Portland
o September 23: Albany
o October 27-29: Oregon Economic Development Association Conference session
to share findings and gather additional input
RSVP to Attend - Click here<https://biznews.oregon.gov/acton/fs/blocks/showLandingPage/a/14786/p/p-012a/t/page/fm/0> to register.
Questions? Contact your Business Oregon Regional Development Officer<https://www.oregon.gov/biz/aboutus/regions/Pages/default.aspx>

Timothy Bishop, CMSM
Economic Development Director
City of La Grande - Economic Development Department
P.O. Box 670 / 1000 Adams Avenue
La Grande, OR  97850
tbishop at cityoflagrande.org<mailto:tbishop at cityoflagrande.org>
Office:  541-962-1308
Cell: 541-962-5994
Fax: 541-963-3333
Web www.lagrandeed.com<http://www.lagrandeed.com/>

From: OMS_MANAGERS <oms_managers-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> On Behalf Of STUART Sheri * OPRD
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 4:10 PM
To: Oregon Main Street Network Members <oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: [OMS_MANAGERS] Updates from Business Oregon: ROI grant open; Regional Workshops invite feedback on Business Incentives

STOP and VERIFY - This message came from outside of the City of La Grande.
________________________________

Business Oregon Grant Program to Support Rural Communities - Apply by Sept. 22nd
Business Oregon is pleased to announce a Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) for the
2025-2027 Rural Opportunity Initiative (ROI) Grant Program. ROI is an investment in the
vision and aptitude of rural communities and aligns with Business Oregon's strategic plan to
grow local businesses, cultivate rural economic stability, and champion opportunities for
underrepresented Oregonians. The Oregon Legislature has allocated approximately $2.1
million to the ROI Grant Program for the current biennium.

The ROI Grant Program focuses on empowering rural communities to support
entrepreneurs and small business growth through the cultivation of strong entrepreneurial
ecosystems. At its core, ROI is designed to create an economy that works for all Oregonians.
It is inclusive and community-driven, empowering local leaders to implement collaborative
strategies that elevate the role of entrepreneurship in rural economic development,
enabling entrepreneurs to create place-based enterprises that boost local economies.
Small businesses and entrepreneurs drive rural economies and are a major source of
opportunity for growth. In addition to supporting entrepreneurship and small business
growth, the ROI Grant Program's emphasis on cultivating a healthy ecosystem helps build
resiliency and makes businesses more likely to survive a crisis by having access to a full
complement of resources. By focusing on ecosystem development, the ROI Grant Program
helps entrepreneurs thrive in the good times and recover after disruptions.

In lieu of a "one size fits all" approach with specific objectives to which each community
must align, the program reflects community priorities and acknowledges that the best
people to determine the right approach for a community are the residents themselves.
This RFGA is expected to result in the selection of a cohort of ROI grant recipient
communities for the 2025-2027 biennium. In addition to grant funding for their projects,
ROI grant recipients will have access to a consultant to help augment local capacity and
engage in peer learning opportunities with other ROI grant recipients. Grant recipients will
have until June 30, 2027, to implement their projects.

This RFGA will close on Monday, September 22, 2025. A virtual information session for
interested applicants will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Click<https://oregon4biz.zoom.us/meeting/register/GPR5ok8aSoiCdo25ei1-rw#/registration>
here<https://oregon4biz.zoom.us/meeting/register/GPR5ok8aSoiCdo25ei1-rw#/registration> to register. An evaluation committee comprised of internal and external stakeholders
will review applications and make funding recommendations with Notices of Intent to
Award expected by mid-November, 2025. For more information on Business Oregon's ROI
Grant Program, visit https://www.oregon.gov/biz/.

Business Incentives Regional Workshops
Join Business Oregon for a Workshop to help shape the new Statewide Economic
Development Strategy, provide feedback on Oregon's current Business Incentive
Programs and suggest new Business Incentives for the 2027 Legislative Session.
o September 18, 1-4 pm: Virtual
o September 22: Portland
o September 23: Albany
o October 27-29: Oregon Economic Development Association Conference session
to share findings and gather additional input
RSVP to Attend - Click here<https://biznews.oregon.gov/acton/fs/blocks/showLandingPage/a/14786/p/p-012a/t/page/fm/0> to register.
Questions? Contact your Business Oregon Regional Development Officer<https://www.oregon.gov/biz/aboutus/regions/Pages/default.aspx>

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Sheri Stuart (she, her, hers) |  Oregon Main Street Coordinator
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Oregon Heritage, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Cell: (503)551-3705
725 Summer St NE, Ste C
Salem, Oregon 97301

Visit our website<http://www.oregonheritage.org/>, Like us on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/OregonHeritage>, Visit our Blog<http://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/>, Join the Oregon Heritage News e-news<https://omls.oregon.gov/mailman/listinfo/Heritage> Check our LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/oregon-parks-and-recreation-department/>.

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