New Hampshire Delegation Applauds Nearly $3 Million Recently Awarded to the Northern Border Regional Commission

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) alongside U.S. Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) applauded $3 million in federal funds recently awarded to support the Northern Border Regional Commission’s (NBRC) efforts to foster economic development across the states of New Hampshire, Maine, New York and Vermont. These funds, secured by Shaheen through her role on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, were allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development’s Rural Business Development Grant Program.

“New Hampshire’s rural communities play a critical role in providing resources that foster economic development across our state,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m proud that the federal funds I helped secure have been allocated towards helping support the Northern Border Regional Commission’s efforts to invest in rural businesses, bolster our outdoor recreation industry and create more good jobs.”

“The Northern Border Regional Commission provides critical support for economic development in New Hampshire’s rural communities,” said Senator Hassan. “This latest federal funding will support our workforce and our outdoor recreation economy – it’s a critical investment in the Granite State businesses and workers that help our rural communities grow and thrive.”

“The Northern Border Regional Commission plays a critical role in strengthening our rural economy across New Hampshire,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “From expanding opportunities for small business owners who drive our economic growth to investing in our outdoor recreation workforce, these significant federal resources will help create good-paying jobs and lift up communities in the North Country and beyond.”

“The Northern Border Regional Commission drives key economic development in New Hampshire communities and creates more good-paying jobs,” said Congressman Pappas. “I’m glad to see this grant awarded to support rural small businesses and workforce development in our state, including New Hampshire’s outdoor recreation industry. I’ll continue working to address the needs of small businesses and ensure they have the resources they need to grow and thrive.”

These federal funds enhance the Northern Border Regional Commission's work to catalyze economic development in New Hampshire’s rural communities, as well as communities in Maine, New York and Vermont. The funding will support rural businesses, outdoor recreation, workforce development and economic development initiatives across the region.

Recipients of funds allocated through this award in New Hampshire include:

• Coös Economic Development Council (Lancaster, NH) — $144,260
• Upper Valley Snowsports/Whaleback (Enfield, NH) — $100,000
• White Mountain Science, Inc. (Littleton, NH) — $216,048
• Shugah Valley Snow Riders (Claremont, NH) — $252,190

Shaheen has led efforts in Congress that support and invest in the NBRC, and she included her bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and expand the NBRC’s reach in the Farm Bill that was signed into law in 2018. With support from Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), the legislation expanded the NBRC to include Cheshire County and communities in Belknap County. Shaheen also worked to include language to ensure portions of NBRC funds be directed to assist rural communities affected by past mill closures, as well as support new markets and the infrastructure needs of the forest products industry. Shaheen led a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers, including the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation, in calling for the inclusion of dedicated funding for the NBRC in COVID-19 relief legislation. In the government funding legislation signed into law in 2020, Shaheen helped secure $30 million for the NBRC, which was a $5 million increase above the fiscal year (FY) 2020 funding level. That legislation also included a Shaheen priority of eliminating the non-federal match requirement on FY2020 NBRC awards and future awards related to COVID-19 recovery, reducing potential hurdles to increased participation among eligible communities. Shaheen also helped secure $40 million for the NBRC in federal government funding legislation for FY2023 that was signed into law, which is a $5 million increase above the FY2022 funding level and the highest the program has ever been funded. In addition, Shaheen and Hassan helped negotiate the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provided $150 million to the NBRC – historic funding that will go toward infrastructure and community development projects throughout the region. As Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Shaheen recently chaired a committee hearing on the importance of the outdoor recreation economy, the key role of small businesses in this industry and the challenges they face.  

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