Congressman Charles Bass

March 26, 2012

CONCORD, NH – Congressman Charles F. Bass (NH-02) today hailed approval of a $781,250 Economic Development Assistance (EDA) grant for the Enterprise Center at Plymouth, an economic development incubator operated jointly by the Grafton County Economic Development Council and Plymouth State University.

Bass wrote a letter of support for the Grafton County Economic Development Council's grant application last year and visited the site last April with EDA Regional Director Willie Taylor.

Bass said:

"This grant announcement is great news for the Grafton County Economic Development Council and the Plymouth region. Small businesses are the engine of economic growth in our state and create the majority of new jobs. It only makes sense that we do everything we can to make it easier for entrepreneurs with good ideas to turn those ideas into reality, and the Enterprise Center at Plymouth will help them reach their business goals. I'm excited to visit the Center again when it's finished and see the incubator in action."

Mark Scarano, the Executive Director of the Grafton County Economic Development Council, said, "EDA funding for this project is crucial and we are very pleased that Congressman Bass advocated for us with the EDA. Thanks to our partnership with EDA and federal EDA assistance, the Enterprise Center at Plymouth project can move forward and begin assisting new and emerging businesses in central New Hampshire."

The Enterprise Center will be located at 149 Main Street in Plymouth and will be staffed by Plymouth State University employees to assist entrepreneurs with business support services, mentoring, networking, and providing space for young firms. EDA funds represent half the cost of the project; the Grafton County Economic Development Council successfully raised the required matching funds. The GCEDC will use the funds to construct two additional floors at the Center, creating additional space for anchor tenants, incubator tenants, and business assistance providers.

Bass recently signed onto a bipartisan letter to the House Appropriations Committee urging the Chairman and Ranking Member to support level funding for the Economic Development Administration during the Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations process.

-- 30 --