The Department of Energy has extended the date for applications to the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. The amended deadline is now August 10, 2009. The first round of applications is non-competitive and applies to the ten largest municipalities in Alaska, select boroughs, and all federally recognized tribal governments and Native regional corporations. The second round will be competitive for all other municipal governments.

In the SWAMC region, eligible round-one applicants are: City of Kodiak, Aleutians East Borough, Kodiak Island Borough, Aleut Corp., Bristol Bay Native Corp., Koniag Inc., and all tribal governments. Click here for a breakdown of Alaska's EECBG allocations (scroll down for the listing). In addition, the Denali Commission is providing up to a 10% match to tribes who coordinate regionally on their application. The Commission is also offering other energy opportunities, including an Emerging Technology Grant. We encourage communities and individuals to look into those programs, and make sure to apply for the EECBG before the August 10 deadline!

SWAMC will pick up on some previous efforts when it receives a new VISTA member in September. This volunteer will focus on three infrastructure-related elements core to economic development of the region: energy, transportation, and broadband delivery. We expect the VISTA to: continue to work with the Southwest Alaska Energy Task Force as they research strategies to reduce the costs and usage of energy in the southwest region; advocate for broadband opportunities and policy recommendations to expand access to Southwest (if not all of) Alaska; and facilitate a strategy to get SWAMC engaged in rural transportation planning. More details about this program will be available once the VISTA arrives.

An initiative to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs launched earlier this month. Direct from their website, "AKSourceLink is a community referral network that links small and emerging business owners in Alaska to local resource partners who offer services that help small businesses grow and prosper." The network is a web-based system, but also includes a hotline number staffed during normal business hours to assist those who would prefer to speak to someone live. SWAMC is proud to be a founding partner of AKSourceLink. Check it out for yourself, and see what you think!

SWAMC has partnered with the other ARDORs in the state to form an umbrella organization, the Alaska Partnership for Economic Development, or APED. APED's role is to leverage the ARDOR program to create efficiencies which will result in more effective programs/projects. This partnership will enable the ARDORs and other economic development organizations to collaborate on multi-regional and statewide efforts. One such effort is the creation of a statewide economic development plan, which APED considers is necessary to prepare for the declining role of oil and gas in the state. APED believes we need to articulate a vision of where we want the state to be in 40 to 50 years, develop a plan, and then create an implementation strategy to get us there. The work has begun and we look forward to participation from the region in these efforts and we will keep you up to date as the project moves along.