Article by: Mary Kennedy and Chris Giesen
CEDA representatives Chris Giesen and Abby Wright together successfully authored a $672,096 Business Development Public Infrastructure (BDPI) grant for the City of Kenyon, MN. The grant dollars will be used to develop a new business park by assisting with water, sewer, electric utilities, and street construction costs. Giesen expressed his enthusiasm for the BDPI program stating, “This is a great program for communities looking to build or grow their industrial parks if they are out of space or to assist with infrastructure when a manufacturer expands. The application is very user-friendly for qualifying projects. It was great to work with the City of Kenyon and we are excited to see their project move forward.”
The BDPI program is made available through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and applications are accepted on a rolling basis, depending on the availability of program funding remaining. The program requires a 50% match for BDPI-eligible capital costs and is specifically designed for use by cities in Greater Minnesota to stimulate new economic development, create new jobs, and the retention of existing jobs through public infrastructure investments.