14 projects funded through the Maryland Department of Commerce’s Rural Maryland Economic Development Fund
Gov. Larry Hogan recently announced 14 economic development projects in Talbot County are included in funding for Maryland’s rural counties through the $50 million Rural Maryland Economic Development Fund.
The grant fund, which is overseen by the Maryland Department of Commerce and administered by the five rural regional councils, was announced by Gov. Hogan in 2022 to boost economic development activity, stimulate private sector investment, and create jobs in the state’s rural regions.
Under the program, the five rural regional councils — representing the Upper, Mid, and Lower Eastern Shore, Southern Maryland, and Western Maryland — each received $10 million each to fund key projects in their respective counties. Talbot County is part of the Mid-Shore Regional Council along with Caroline and Dorchester counties.
In September, the Talbot County Council submitted applications for review by Maryland Commerce, with 14 projects receiving approval. The $3.2 million in funding was vetted and allocated by the Council at both a public meeting and through a publicly accessible, open application process.
“These grants and the projects they support will have lasting, transformative impacts in Talbot County,” said Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism Director Cassandra Vanhooser. “These investments will boost our economic development activities while stimulating private-sector investments and creating jobs in Talbot County.”
Economic development projects receiving funding in Talbot County include:
- Chesapeake College’s Future Workforce Training
- Maryland Broadband Cooperative, Inc.’s Mid-Shore Optimal Broadband Network Upgrade
- Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center, Inc’s Talbot County Agbiotech Manufacturing Project
- The Town of Trappe’s ENR Wastewater Treatment Plan Upgrade
- Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s New Visitor Center
- Talbot County Free Library Association’s Building Digital Literacy and Employment Skills
- Building African American Minds, Inc.’s Workforce Development Program
- Talbot County Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s Inclusive Ventures Program
- Talbot County Department of Parks and Recreation’s Frederick Douglass Park on the Tuckahoe Phase II Planning and Implementation
- Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism’s Strategic Plan
- Talbot County Government’s Goldsborough Neck Culvert Improvement
- Talbot County Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s Talbot County Visitors Center Feasibility Study
- Oxford Community Center’s Work Hub; and
- Classic Motor Museum of St. Michaels, Inc.’s Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Program
The Talbot County Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s mission is to enhance and promote a business-friendly environment for current and prospective enterprises and to advocate for policies that support and strengthen the economic vitality of Talbot County. The department’s vision for Talbot County is built on the principles of strong communities, empowered businesses, and innovative solutions.
Business owners and managers are encouraged to receive the department’s Talbot Works newsletter and breaking business news by subscribing at www.talbotworks.org. The department can also be reached at 410-770-8058 or by visiting their office at 11. S. Harrison Street, Easton, Md.
View the full list of Rural Maryland Economic Development Fund projects here.
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