News you can use

Hi-Line 'Promise Zone' finalist

Opportunity Link Inc.’s 11-county region was one of the top three finalist in being recognized as a possible “Promise Zone.”

Barbara Stiffarm, the executive director of Opportunity Link, said the region her organization covers was very close to being on of the five selected for the designation of “Promise Zone.”

“Promise Zones are part of a new federal initiative to fight poverty nationwide by providing community leaders with the tools they need to rebuild their communities and invest in economic growth … ,” a press release from Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., says. “Finalists are eligible to receive technical assistance as well as national publicity to help promote promising practices in their communities.”

Another Tester press release says Obama named the new zones, “a blend of rural, urban and tribal communities,” at a White House assembly.

Stiffarm said Opportunity Link’s region falls under the tribal-rural category.

“We’ve heard from the USDA in regards to being selected,” Stiffarm said. “They’re encouraging us to be prepared to submit to the next round of applications.”

The next round will begin in late February or early March, Stiffarm said, and she has high hopes for Opportunity Link’s region, which includes Hill, Blaine Liberty and eight other Hi-Line counties, as well as three Indian reservations.

Only five areas were selected in the entire United States this round.

“It was quite interesting what the Promise Zone designation was supposed to bring,” Stiffarm said. “One of the things that I found most promising about the Promise Zone designation is it offered an opportunity to complement the regional planning activities.”

Stiffarm said the designation is designed to provide special tax incentives to give the region an economic boost via tactics such as entrepreneurism.

The designation would not have brought in grant funds for the region, but would raise the amount of technical assistance the region receives.

“To be asked to submit another application and to rank as high as we did is very exciting,” Stiffarm said.

Stiffarm said Opportunity Link is receiving assistance with their application for the designation to strengthen it and make it more attractive to the judges.

“We’ve raised the interest in these federal agencies to help us achieve our goals,” Stiffarm said.

According to a press release, the five zones named as “Promise Zones” are in San Antonio, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, southeastern Kentucky and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

These are five of 20 zones Washington plans to give the designation to over the next three years.

“I applaud Opportunity LInk on this achievement and for their commitment to build on this success,” said Tester in the press release. “These communities show incredible vision by working together to improve lives across our region. This is the kind of collaboration and leadership that creates strong communities, and I will continue to support Opportunity Link and the folks that they serve.”

Stiffarm said achieving the goal of receiving the designation is close.

“I’m encouraged that we’re a step closer to it and we’re going to keep trying,” Stiffarm said.

———

Follow John Paul Schmidt on twitter @HDN_JPSchmidt.

 

Reader Comments(0)