Job Grants available from CWC

MARGARETVILLE, N.Y., August 6, 2004 - Help is available from the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) for businesses seeking to retain or add employees in Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster Counties.

The CWC has reallocated funds that were not expended on other economic development grant programs into the Job Retention and Creation Grant program for the remainder of 2004.

Grants of up to $2,000 for each job created or retained over three years will be available as part of a financial package for manufacturing, commercial, natural resource or service businesses. A target number of ten jobs must be created or retained. Retail businesses are not eligible for this program.

A business plan is required as part of the application, which may be submitted at any time prior to December 31, 2004.

Firms in the following Towns are eligible to apply, whether they are located inside or outside of the actual New York City Watershed boundary:
Greene County: Ashland, Halcott, Hunter, Jewett, Lexington, Prattsville, Windham
Schoharie: Conesville, Gilboa, Jefferson and Broome
Ulster County: Denning, Hardenburgh, Hurley, Kingston, Marbletown, Olive, Rochester, Shandaken, Wawarsing and Woodstock
In Sullivan County, only businesses located within the boundary of the New York City Watershed in the Towns of Fallsburgh, Liberty and Neversink are eligible.
Delaware County has expended its grant allotment for the year, so businesses there will not be eligible to apply for grant funds.

Grant applications and guidelines may be downloaded and printed by clicking here (as a PDF file). Or, call toll-free, 877-WAT-SHED; or 845-586-1400, Ext. 22 (Phil Sireci) to arrange for an application to be mailed to you.

In addition to the grant program, the CWC offers three low-interest loan programs under the Catskill Fund for the Future: the REDI Loan Program, Micro-Loan Program and the Commercial Septic and WOH Mandates Loan Program. The latter can be used for the repair or replacement of non-residential septic systems, or for other environmentally-related projects required solely due to their location within the West-of-Hudson Watershed.