|
Hagan, Chancellor Martin announce $75,000 rural business development grant for A&T State University
Story Date: 10/31/2011
| |
Source: PRESS RELEASE, 10/28/11
United States Senator Kay R. Hagan (NC) and A&T Chancellor Harold Martin today announced that North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (A&T) will receive a $75,000 USDA grant to provide business development assistance to entrepreneurs, agribusinesses, cooperatives and communities in economically challenged rural areas.
“In rural North Carolina unemployment rates are drastically higher than the National rate of 9.1 percent; and among African Americans in our state, unemployment is an unacceptable 16 percent,” said Hagan. “North Carolina has the best colleges and universities in the world, including A&T, and they are playing a critical role in reversing these disturbing unemployment trends. This funding will help A&T provide training and business development assistance to the disadvantaged economic sectors of our state that need it most.”
A&T will use the funding from USDA Rural Development to deliver entrepreneurial training, business start-up assistance, renewable energy and energy efficiency programs, website development training, and other programs designed to cultivate new business opportunities and create jobs.
“These funds will be used to enhance our efforts to support rural economic development and to assist residents in rural communities as they work toward greater economic viability,” said Harold L. Martin Sr., chancellor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. “Following the land-grant model, the expertise of our faculty will be used to help build strong economic engines in rural North Carolina. Already, we have some success in these efforts and we are excited that this will allow us to continue this work.”
|
|
|
|
