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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Business Oregon Grant Program to Support Rural Communities – Apply by Sept. 22nd<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Business Oregon is pleased to announce a Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) for the<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">2025-2027 Rural Opportunity Initiative (ROI) Grant Program. ROI is an investment in the<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">vision and aptitude of rural communities and aligns with Business Oregon’s strategic plan to<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">grow local businesses, cultivate rural economic stability, and champion opportunities for<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">underrepresented Oregonians. The Oregon Legislature has allocated approximately $2.1<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">million to the ROI Grant Program for the current biennium.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The ROI Grant Program focuses on empowering rural communities to support<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">entrepreneurs and small business growth through the cultivation of strong entrepreneurial<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">ecosystems. At its core, ROI is designed to create an economy that works for all Oregonians.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">It is inclusive and community-driven, empowering local leaders to implement collaborative<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">strategies that elevate the role of entrepreneurship in rural economic development,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">enabling entrepreneurs to create place-based enterprises that boost local economies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Small businesses and entrepreneurs drive rural economies and are a major source of<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">opportunity for growth. In addition to supporting entrepreneurship and small business<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">growth, the ROI Grant Program’s emphasis on cultivating a healthy ecosystem helps build<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">resiliency and makes businesses more likely to survive a crisis by having access to a full<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">complement of resources. By focusing on ecosystem development, the ROI Grant Program<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">helps entrepreneurs thrive in the good times and recover after disruptions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">In lieu of a “one size fits all” approach with specific objectives to which each community<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">must align, the program reflects community priorities and acknowledges that the best<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">people to determine the right approach for a community are the residents themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">This RFGA is expected to result in the selection of a cohort of ROI grant recipient<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">communities for the 2025-2027 biennium. In addition to grant funding for their projects,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">ROI grant recipients will have access to a consultant to help augment local capacity and<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">engage in peer learning opportunities with other ROI grant recipients. Grant recipients will<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">have until June 30, 2027, to implement their projects.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">This RFGA will close on Monday, September 22, 2025. A virtual information session for<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">interested applicants will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
<a href="https://oregon4biz.zoom.us/meeting/register/GPR5ok8aSoiCdo25ei1-rw#/registration">
Click<o:p></o:p></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><a href="https://oregon4biz.zoom.us/meeting/register/GPR5ok8aSoiCdo25ei1-rw#/registration">here</a></span></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> to register. An evaluation committee
comprised of internal and external stakeholders<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">will review applications and make funding recommendations with Notices of Intent to<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Award expected by mid-November, 2025. For more information on Business Oregon’s ROI<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Grant Program, visit <a href="https://www.oregon.gov/biz/">
https://www.oregon.gov/biz/</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Business Incentives Regional Workshops<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Join Business Oregon for a Workshop to help shape the new Statewide Economic<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Development Strategy, provide feedback on Oregon’s current Business Incentive<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Programs and suggest new Business Incentives for the 2027 Legislative Session.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">o September 18, 1-4 pm: Virtual<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">o September 22: Portland<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">o September 23: Albany<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">o October 27-29: Oregon Economic Development Association Conference session<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">to share findings and gather additional input<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">RSVP to Attend – <a href="https://biznews.oregon.gov/acton/fs/blocks/showLandingPage/a/14786/p/p-012a/t/page/fm/0">
Click here</a> to register.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Questions? Contact your <a href="https://www.oregon.gov/biz/aboutus/regions/Pages/default.aspx">
Business Oregon Regional Development Officer</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="65" height="72" style="width:.675in;height:.75in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DC16A3.74016100"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;color:#4F6228;letter-spacing:2.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#4F6228">Sheri Stuart
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#4F6228">(she, her, hers) </span>
</b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">| Oregon Main Street Coordinator</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#4F6228"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:3.0pt;color:#A6A6A6">___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Oregon Heritage, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Cell: (503)551-3705<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">725 Summer St NE, Ste C<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Salem, Oregon 97301<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Visit our <a href="http://www.oregonheritage.org/">
<span style="color:blue">website</span></a>, Like us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OregonHeritage">
<span style="color:blue">Facebook</span></a>, Visit our <a href="http://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/">
<span style="color:blue">Blog</span></a>, Join the Oregon Heritage News <a href="https://omls.oregon.gov/mailman/listinfo/Heritage">
<span style="color:#0563C1">e-news</span></a> Check our</span><span style="color:black">
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#333333"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/oregon-parks-and-recreation-department/"><span style="color:#23527C">LinkedIn</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:gray">.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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