Grants draw from the Community Energy Fund and Large Infrastructure Fund
NOME – The Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC) Board of Directors awarded five grants to support communities across Norton Sound and voted to establish a new Commercial Driver License (CDL) support scholarship program to aid regional residents in attaining their commercial licenses.
NSEDC Board approves nearly $1.5 million in funding for community projects
The Board approved two grants from the Community Energy Fund and three grants from the Large Infrastructure Fund. Each fund makes $1 million available to each member community for energy systems and large infrastructure needs.
The individual grants, listed below, will support the purchase of tanks and equipment to build a locally operated bulk fuel tank farm in St. Michael and upgrades and improvements to the bulk fuel tank farm in Savoonga, a children’s playground project in Koyuk, and the development of a new store in Wales.
| NSEDC Program | Organization | Project | Award Amount |
| Community Energy Fund | Native Village of St. Michael | Bulk Fuel Tank Farm Phase 2 | $300,000 |
| Community Energy Fund | Native village of Savoonga | Bulk Fuel Tank Farm Upgrades | $300,000 |
| Large Infrastructure Fund | Native Village of Koyuk | Ililgaat Kanigviat (Children’s Playground) | $300,000 |
| Large Infrastructure Fund | Native Village of Savoonga | Bulk Fuel Tank Farm Upgrades | $300,000 |
| Large Infrastructure Fund | Native Village of Wales | Planning & Design of new Wales Native Store | $99,700 |
NSEDC Board votes to establish a new CDL support scholarship program
In an effort to continually improve educational opportunities for Norton Sound residents, as well as create expanded employment options in member communities, the Board approved a new scholarship that will help offset the cost of obtaining a Commercial Driver License (CDL). A CDL is a valuable certificate that broadens specialized job opportunities. However, CDLs are difficult to obtain in rural areas without the resources available for training and certification. Additionally, they often come at a hefty price, especially if individuals must travel for training, making them potentially cost prohibitive to obtain. The presence of certified individuals within a community helps support projects and activities that require a CDL, such as seasonal construction projects, road work, and driving passenger vehicles. NSEDC is now accepting applications for the CDL scholarship program. Please visit www.nsedc.com for more information.
