New Mexico Economic Development Department Approves 23 Certified Communities Initiative Applications

August 21, 2012  

New MexicoEconomic Development Department Approves 23 Certified Communities Initiative Applications, Awards $179,000 to

Communities for Economic Development Efforts

SANTA FE - Economic Development Secretary Jon Barela and the Community, Business, and Rural Development Team have approved 23 applications for the current three-year program cycle of the Certified Community Initiative program (CCI). In total the department awarded $179,000 in CCI funding.

The assistance provided by CCI is intended to create new jobs as well as increase community pride, help improve communities and the overall state of New Mexico’s economic condition. New standards for receiving funding were also incorporated into the CCI program by the New Mexico Economic Development Department (NMEDD).

“The CCI program has been strengthened and improved by the implementation of new standards,” Secretary Barela said. “Requirements such as having a full-time paid economic developer on staff, or for smaller communities banding together to apply as a region, builds economic development capacity at the local level. The communities that received CCI designation have earned this distinction.”

CCI communities can be counties, federally recognized Indian Tribes or incorporated municipalities. Each community must meet 13 mandatory requirements for certification all focused on job creation and economic development. Once implemented, communities are required to recertify every three years.

Communities certified under the Certified Communities Initiative will receive the following benefits: A community applicant will receive contractual funding of up to $5,000, per year for three years. A regional applicant will receive funding of up to $10,000 plus $1,000 per additional community, per year for three years and the CCI Capacity Assistance Phase applicants receive $2,500 per year for eligible projects to reach CCI application status. The funding is to be used towards special projects such as; workforce studies, grant writers, training expenses and economic development impact studies. Additional benefits of becoming a Certified Community include; increased marketing exposure through website link to NMEDD website and recognition via certificate, plaque presentation, NMEDD press release and recognition in NMEDD marketing materials.

The following list represents communities approved for the CCI program:

CCI-CAP

Sandoval County $2,500.00

Santa Fe County $2,500.00

Village of Los Lunas $2,500.00

Village of Ruidoso $2,500.00

Single Community Applicants

City of Artesia $5,000.00

City of Alamogordo $5,000.00

City of Hobbs $5,000.00

Pueblo of Pojoaque $5,000.00

Cibola County $5,000.00

City of Santa Fe $5,000.00

City of Lovington $5,000.00

City of Rio Rancho $5,000.00

Town of Clayton $5,000.00

Regional Applications

Estancia Valley $15,000.00

Torrance County

Moriarty

Edgewood

Encino

Estancia

Mountainair

Roswell-Chaves County $12,000.00

City of Roswell

Town of Dexter

Town of Hagerman

Southwest NM Council of Governments $18,000.00

Catron County

Village of Reserve

Hidalgo County

City of Lordsburg

Village of Virden

Grant County

Town of Silver City

Village of Santa Clara

Town of Hurley

Deming-Luna County ED, Inc $11,000.00

Luna County

City of Deming

Regional Development Corporation $11,000.00

City of Espanola

Rio Arriba County

Las Vegas-San Miguel EDC $11,000.00

City of Las Vegas

San Miguel County

Greater Gallup EDC $11,000.00

City of Gallup

McKinley County

Carlsbad Department of Development $11,000.00

City of Carlsbad

Eddy County

EDC of Lea County $13,000.00

County of Lea

City of Eunice

City of Jal

Town of Tatum

Clovis Industrial Development Corp. $11,000.00

City of Clovis

Curry County

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Angela Heisel (505) 827-0309