Brown Announces Federal Resources for Technical and Business Development at Kent State University

USDA Rural Development Grant will Fund Technical Assistance Center for Worker-Owned Cooperative Businesses

WASHINGTON, D.C. – New federal resources will provide Kent State University with a new technical assistance center for worker-owned cooperative businesses in Ohio. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that Kent State University will receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development to fund a center that will provide technical assistance to worker-owned cooperative businesses in Ohio. Some examples of technical assistance include help marketing products, assistance creating new value-added products, and guidance setting up a new manufacturing process.

“Small businesses—especially in rural communities—are the backbone of our economy, creating up to two-thirds of new jobs our country. Access to technical assistance is vital for these small businesses,” Brown said. “These new resources from the USDA will allow Kent State University to continue serving residents of Portage County.”

USDA Rural Development has approved a $175,000 grant to Kent State University.

Brown, Chair of the Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth, and Energy Innovation, has held more 170 roundtables throughout the state, and is the first Ohioan to serve on both the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Senate Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee.

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