The U.S. Northern Border Regional Commission will soon be handing out $1.3 million in federal grant money intended to alleviate economic distress and create jobs in St. Lawrence County and 35 other distressed counties in the four states that make up the Northern Border Region.

Priority will be given to applications for projects in the distressed counties, which also include Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Oswego, Clinton and Fulton, as well as for projects in the Utica-Rome Area, according to New York Secretary of State Cesar Perales, who made the announcement Monday.

In addition to the distressed counties, Cayuga, Essex, Hamilton, Herkimer, Madison and Seneca counties fall within the Northern Border Region.

The evaluation of grant requests will be managed by the New York Department of State (DOS) with assistance from Local Development Districts.

The Department of State's Division of Local Government will accept and review applications and submit them for consideration by NBRC. The Department of State will work closely with Local Development Districts in eligible areas to coordinate assistance to applicants and application intake.

Eligible projects must address one or more of the following: transportation, water, sewer, energy, and telecommunications infrastructure of the region; assist the region’s workers in obtaining job skills and employment related education, as well as promote entrepreneurship, technology and business development; provide basic health care and other public services for those areas that are severely economically distressed and underdeveloped; promote resources conservation, tourism, recreation, and preservation of open space in a manner consistent with economic development goals; and promote the development of renewable and alternative energy sources. The maximum grant for any applicant will be $250,000.

Applications forms for NBRC grants are available at www.dos.ny.gov/communityprojects/funding.html, along with additional information including contacts for the Local Development Districts within the Northern Border Region.

Submissions must be postmarked by Aug. 29, and mailed AND emailed to: New York Department of State, Attention Kyle Wilber, One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231, nbrcgrant@dos.state.ny.us, (518) 473-3355.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said, “These funds will be a great complement to the work we are doing with the Regional Economic Development Councils, and will serve as another tool to help stimulate development and job creation in New York's Northern Border Region.”

Secretary of State Perales said, “This is an excellent way to enhance regional coordination and planning throughout the North Country. These grants will provide qualified applicants with greatly needed assistance to help the region's counties and communities plan for sustainable growth, stem poverty and unemployment, and help boost the region's quality of life.”

The 2008 federal Farm Bill authorized the establishment of the NBRC to help address the community and economic development needs of the most severely distressed portions of the Northeastern United States. Similar in its makeup and mission to the Appalachian Regional Commission, the NRBC builds upon the Appalachian regional development model of focusing federal resources around grassroots community development strategies that meet regional needs. The strength of this regional development model is in its ability to respond to the specific needs of a region whose assets, opportunities and challenges differ greatly from other parts of the country.