[ad_1]
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — For years, Ballard County has longed to construct a riverport to capitalize on its strategic location on the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Landing a federal grant would assist launch the venture, however there’s one catch — the agricultural Kentucky county cannot afford its share of the funding.
Kentucky lawmakers are working to overcome these obstacles with a House-passed measure that features $450 million to cover local funding matches for communities and nonprofits that wrestle to scrape collectively the cash to qualify for federal help.
KENTUCKY HOUSE DELIVERS $1.3B EDUCATION FUNDING INCREASE BUT OMITS UNIVERSAL PRE-Ok
“It’s going to be a game-changer,” stated Ballard County Judge-Executive Todd Cooper.
The appropriation has the potential to draw billions of {dollars} in federal grants into the Bluegrass State, fueling financial growth, infrastructure, group revitalization, transportation and different initiatives that in any other case may by no means get off the bottom.
Kentucky legislator Richard Heath has spearheaded an effort to encourage state communities to find out about necessities for acquiring federal matching funds.
“From the state’s perspective that’s a fantastic return on investment,” stated Hannah Conover, government director of Grant Ready Kentucky, a charitable program that provides technical assist to communities and nonprofits battling the complexities of submitting federal grant requests.
“There’s an enormous amount of federal funding for a broad array of things,” she added. “But getting access to that federal funding is really hard. And this is going to open the door for folks that previously have been shut out of these opportunities.”
The state GRANT program could unlock federal grants to assist coalfield communities struggling from the lack of mining jobs. It could assist communities recovering from devastating pure disasters, such because the 2021 tornadoes that hit components of western Kentucky and 2022 flooding that inundated areas of Appalachia.
The matching funds are a part of a a lot bigger appropriations invoice. That measure, which faucets into Kentucky’s huge price range reserves to make one-time investments, comparable to paying down state pension liabilities and supporting infrastructure and financial growth, received 96-0 House passage final week to advance to the Senate. Republicans have supermajorities in each chambers.
The Kentucky regulation that created the GRANT program handed with little fanfare in 2023, however the prospect of leveraging state {dollars} to win a lot bigger federal grants is drawing appreciable consideration from communities and nonprofits. Lawmakers appropriated $2 million final yr to get this system began and gauge grassroots curiosity by providing sufficient funding to cover matches for just a few initiatives.
Already, practically 100 purposes totaling greater than $102 million in matching fund requests have been submitted to the Department for Local Government, which evaluates requests and awards funding. Those totals are anticipated to develop considerably if the subsequent spherical of state funding wins remaining approval.
Officials are hoping for stepped up efforts statewide to help communities and nonprofits in requesting federal grants, with the proposed new spherical of state assist looming to cover local matches.
The initiative has drawn sturdy bipartisan assist. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear says this system has “tremendous potential to help communities across Kentucky secure much-needed federal funding.” Republican Rep. Richard Heath, the lead sponsor of final yr’s measure, says it is a “once-in-a-life opportunity to get some things done that probably would never have gotten done.”
“We’re not looking for murals on walls,” Heath stated lately. “We’re not looking for sidewalks. We want projects that are life-changing and game changers.”
Building a riverport can be that form of venture for Ballard County, with the potential to entice enterprise and improve markets for farmers, Cooper stated. The county, located alongside Kentucky’s westernmost tip, wants extra jobs for younger adults to halt its regular inhabitants decline, he stated.
The riverport venture is predicted to price $50 million to $60 million. Area officers final yr utilized for a $9 million federal grant to assist construct the port at Wickliffe, the county seat 240 miles (386 kilometers) southwest of Louisville. The grant required a 20% local match, Cooper stated.
“That was almost $2 million we would have to come up with that we do not have,” Cooper stated.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
In jap Kentucky, the nonprofit group Backroads of Appalachia would really like a federal grant to open extra transitional housing for ladies in restoration from substance abuse, stated Erik Hubbard, the group’s government director. The group primarily based in Lynch, 158 miles (254 kilometers) southeast of Lexington, hopes state {dollars} will assist safe its match.
“As always, it comes to the match,” Hubbard stated. “We could get a lot more funds for our people in our region, but it all comes down to our budget.”
[ad_2]
Source hyperlink