Author: EDGEadmin

(ROME, NY – August 21, 2018) Last week in Chicago, IL a representative from Mohawk Valley EDGE (EDGE) and other Upstate New York partners participated in their second Consultants Connection Summit of the year. Consultant Connect bridges the gap between leading economic developers and location consultants, providing a platform to gain valuable feedback, helpful insight and lasting business relationships.

Over the course of two days, EDGE connected individually with 17 regional location consultants, keeping a one-on-one ratio on both days. Meeting directly with site selection consultants in this intimate format allowed EDGE to discuss workforce development, location strategy, and industry diversification as it relates to the Mohawk Valley region specifically. The event focused on how to take advantage of the current site selection landscape in the midst of ever changing geo-political relations and how international tariffs are impacting company site selection decisions.
“This effort by Mohawk Valley EDGE truly demonstrates the organization’s breadth of services for the entire Mohawk Valley and allows the staff to keep up with shifting trends, form relationships, and refine our assets,” said EDGE Board Chair David Manzelmann. “Participating in these smaller more individualized events proves EDGE’s commitment to not just attracting large-scale nanotechnology companies, but showcasing our region to all industries.”

Through exclusive, educational networking events and services, Consultant Connect not only gives economic developers an inside look into the world of site selection – it gives them the applicable intelligence necessary to propel their communities forward. EDGE utilized National Grid Marketing Program grants to attend both Consultants Connect Summits this year.

About EDGE:
Mohawk Valley EDGE is a private, not-for-profit, regional economic development corporation serving Oneida and Herkimer Counties. EDGE is an integral part of the long-term effort by the public and private sectors to strengthen opportunities for existing businesses and open the door for new businesses and industries to locate, grow and invest in the region. Find us on Facebook or visit mvedge.org for more information.
CONTACT: Mohawk Valley EDGE; Jennifer Waters; 315-338-0393

About National Grid:
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company that supplies the energy for more than 20 million people through its networks in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the Northeast. National Grid also operates the systems that deliver gas and electricity across Great Britain.
National Grid is transforming its electricity and natural gas networks to support the 21st century digital economy with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy solutions. Read more about the innovative projects happening across our footprint in The Democratization of Energy, an eBook written by National Grid’s US president, Dean Seavers.
For more information please visit our website. You can also follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube, friend us on Facebook, find our photos on Instagram.

About Consultant Connect:
For more information, please visit www.consultantconnect.org or call 269-207-4982

NEWS RELEASE

Friday, February 9, 2018
For immediate release:
Small business lending reenergized in the Mohawk Valley

When small businesses and entrepreneurs fail to qualify for bank loans in the Utica-Rome area, they traditionally have limited options, until now. The Utica Industrial Development Corporation (UIDC) is reinventing its alternative lending in the form of microloans through a strategic partnership with national nonprofit and SBA lender Accion.

“Utica Industrial Development Corporation has been successfully providing gap financing loans to small businesses in the region for over 55 years,” said UIDC Chairman John Snyder. “While our model has a proven record of success, the gap in access to capital has been a huge barrier for many of the small businesses and entrepreneurs that are currently seeking assistance.”

Accion has a 25 year track record of closing the capital gap with microloans and financial education resources around capital. The partnership with UIDC will allow them to provide more of these important resources to Utica’s small businesses.

“Capital is important, but just as important is the one-on-one support we can provide business owners through this partnership. That guidance is so important to an individual’s ability to access the right capital, and invest it in the long-term success of the business,” explains Matt Revere, Manager of Lending for Accion. “Our partnership with UIDC will ensure we’re doing all we can to create success for local businesses.”

Utica Industrial Development Corporation was certified in 2016 by the US Treasury Dept. as a Community Development Financing Institution. This federal certification is provided to organizations that emphasize community and economic development in economically distressed communities. UIDC’s status as a CDFI means that it will be placing increased focus on lending activity in the inner-city areas of Rome and Utica, as well as the villages of Herkimer, Mohawk, Yorkville, and New York Mills, to name a few. While UIDC loans have traditionally gone to industrial and professional commercial businesses, its CDFI status allows UIDC to now participate in mixed-use developments. Additionally, through UIDC’s partnership with Accion, UIDC can now facilitate assistance to retail and consumer service oriented businesses.

“Startup capital in smaller dollar amounts is often difficult to access. We look forward to an increase in microlending in the Mohawk Valley region as a result of this new partnership between Accion, an SBA microlender, and UIDC. With technical assistance provided by UIDC and financing provided by Accion, the business owners will enhance the opportunities for success,” said Steven DiMeo, President of Mohawk Valley EDGE. Mohawk Valley EDGE provides staff services to Utica Industrial Development Corporation.

Learn more about how the partnership can help your business at mvedge.org.

Accion:
us.accion.org
A nationwide lender with deep community roots, Accion creates economic opportunity by partnering with small business owners to provide access to capital and the business support they need to create and grow healthy enterprises and contribute to thriving local economies. Since 1991, Accion has lent over $500 million to more than 59,000 businesses and provided more than 520,000 entrepreneurs with advising services. For more information on Accion small business loans in the United States, please visit us.accion.org.

Utica Industrial Development Corporation:
Formed in 1962, Utica Industrial Development Corporation encourages the location and expansion of industrial and manufacturing capacity, the creation of new and improved job opportunities, the reduction of unemployment and the betterment of individual and community prosperity within the Counties of Oneida and Herkimer, NY. Their goal is to provide advice, technical, and financial assistance to businesses and promote economic growth and business prosperity in the region.

Mohawk Valley EDGE:
Mohawk Valley EDGE (Economic Development Growth Enterprises Corporation) provides a coordinated economic development program that assists your businesses to locate, grow and prosper in Oneida and Herkimer Counties.

584 Phoenix Drive, Rome, NY, 13441
(315) 338-0393
mvedge.org

For more information on specific loan programs click here

PRESS CONTACT
Jennifer Waters
(315) 338-0393
jwaters@mvedge.org