Reading this newsletter is a good thing, having  your news included is even better. Just send us your economic development news, including activities, events and anything else of interest in the five county area by the third week of each month. Send it directly to Layne at: layne@mcced.org

THANK YOU!!

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District extends their appreciation and thanks Lorena Lowell for her service to the MCEDD Board. Lorena owns Bambinos Bi-lingual Learning Center and has served as a private sector representative on the Board since 2002. She was also a member of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy committee. On the Board and CEDS committee she filled a position as a minority representative and principle regional economic interest representative.
 
The MCEDD Board has opened the process to nominate applicants for the vacant Board position. Applicants must represent a minority interest and a private sector economic interest. Board member interest forms are available at http://www.mcedd.org.
 
All interest forms will be reviewed and provided to the MCEDD Executive Committee. Appointments are made by the Executive Committee and ratified by the Board. Appointments are made for a one year period, which may be renewed. For more information, contact MCEDD at 541-296-2266.

Angel Conference Applications Due March 27 -
Applications for Gorge area businesses to present at the May 19, 2009 conference are being accepted. Call 541-387-6863 for additional information and to kick-off your run at the $100,000 prize. You can download guidelines and an application for review prior to your phone call by clicking here.
 

The Washington Investment Fund (WIF) has approved a $350,000 loan to the Port of Skamania County to build a 20,000 square foot multi-purpose facility in North Bonneville. The loan is part of a $2.4 million grant/loan package.

Currently, all of the Port facilities are leased and the Port cannot meet the demand of business expansion and new business growth in the County.  A current Port tenant, Slingshot, is expanding, and will use ¾ of the new building for light manufacturing purposes, creating and/or retaining approximately 25 jobs in the near term. 

The Skamania County Economic Development Council administers and staffs the WIF.  For more information on available loans and grants through the WIF, visit http://www.skamania-edc.org/wif.htm.

There is still time to give your input to help determine the feasibility of opening a branch or satellite skills center campus in the Columbia River Gorge Region. The deadline for survey responses has been extended to March 30, 2009. The date of the community symposium has been moved to April 8, 2009.
 
Access the survey by clicking on the applicable link below:
School District Personnel
Business Members
Elected Officials

There will be a Community Symposium on April 8, 2009 at the Best Western Hood River Inn from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm with registration starting at 8:30 am. Please RSVP your attendance by March 27, 2009 to Wendy Neihaus at wendy.niehaus@esd112.org or call 360-750-7514.

The Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) Program application deadline is May 15, 2009. Are you working to build capacity in your community or do you have community building, natural resource, or planning projects that you do not have enough time to work on? The RARE Program might be your answer to getting those projects completed.

For more information about RARE and application timeline, including the benefits and the costs of the program, please visit the RARE web site at: http://rare.uoregon.edu/

A Workforce Housing Task Force has been formed in Skamania County to assess and analyze the housing needs in the County. A survey will be distributed in late March to residents throughout the County. A public meeting was hosted in December by the Skamania County EDC to gauge public interest in the need for more affordable housing- housing to accommodate those who want to live here, and want to be able to afford to work here too. From this meeting a group of volunteers formed the taskforce to begin the assessment and implement changes and policies as needed. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. For more information on the Taskforce, please contact Erin Swayze at the Skamania County EDC (509) 427-5110, or eswayze@skamania-edc.org.

As part of Meyer Memorial Trust's (MMT) response to very challenging economic conditions, MMT is launching an Operating Funds grant program to help small- and mid-sized organizations that have been hit particularly hard by the current economic crisis. This opportunity will provide grants of up to $50,000 to key organizations that have received a Responsive or General Purpose Grant from MMT within the past five years and for whom a cash infusion will be critical to weathering the economic storm. Additional information can be found at http://www.mmt.org/grants_programs/sti/.

March 2009 Events

• March 26- USDA-RD Engineering and Environmental Workshop, Redmond, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Contact John Brugger at 503-414-3364 for more information.
• March 27- Deadline for proposals for Gorge Angel Conference.
  
• March 27, 28 & 29 - Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Passport Weekend. Visit www.columbiagorgewine.com for more information.
  

April 2009 Events

• April 1- MCEDD Executive Committee Meeting, 4:00 p.m. at MCEDD office or by conference call.
• April 10 - Leading with Passion, 9:30 am to 11:30 am, The History Museum, Hood River, Oregon. Contact Connie at 541-386-6772 to reserve seat by 4/6/09.
  
• April 14 - Hood River PubTalk, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Details TBA. Call 541-387-6863 to RSVP.
  
• April 15- Oregon Investment Board Meeting, 10:00 a.m., Port of Hood River.
  
• April 28- Gorge Technology Alliance Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Contact jessica@crgta.org for more information.
  
• April 30 - Wasco County Economic Development Commission meeting, 10:00 a.m. Port of The Dalles. Contact Layne at 541-296-2266 for more information.