USVIEDA Incubator Program also awarded $50,000 grant
from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help purchase a generator
CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – September 21, 2018 - The U.S. Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (USVIEDA) announces that Sydney Spence Gruters, the State Director for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands, is in the U.S. Virgin Islands and has visited St. Croix on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 to meet with officials from the Area VII - U.S. Virgin Islands USDA Rural Development Office and the USVIEDA on St. Croix, USVI.
During her first visit to the Territory, Mrs. Gruters congratulated the USVIEDA on being awarded a $50,000 grant by the USDA Rural Development Office to purchase and install a generator that will provide uninterrupted electricity for the Incubator Program facility and for USVIEDA industrial park offices which are located at the William D. Roebuck Industrial Park on St. Croix.
“The USVIEDA applied to the USDA Rural Development Office for this grant in March 2018,” said Cusa Holloway, manager of the Incubator Program. “The installation of this generator will allow for continuous support services to be provided for our Incubator clients and for our business community. Much thanks and appreciation to grant writer Mrs. Jonetta Darden-Hill, and members of the USVIEDA team who were all instrumental in the completion of this grant application.”
Mrs. Gruters also participated in a tour of the William D. Roebuck Industrial Park during her visit with USVIEDA and USDA officials.
“The funding from this grant certainly allows us to continuously provide our business community with the services they need, especially for our Incubator clients and our industrial park tenants,” said Wayne L. Biggs, Jr., USVIEDA assistant chief executive officer/chief operating officer. “We are extremely appreciative of this award, and I am especially thankful for the diligent work of the USVIEDA team for facilitating the application for this grant. We certainly look forward to a continuous relationship with USDA State Director Sydney Gruters, and other USDA officials both locally and abroad,” added USVIEDA Assistant CEO/COO Biggs, Jr.
For more information, contact Cusa Holloway, manager of the Incubator Program, at 340-719-2037, ext. no. 2721.
About the U.S. Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority. The U.S. Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (USVIEDA) is a semi-autonomous governmental instrumentality [of the Government of the Virgin Islands] that was created on February 1, 2001. It is responsible for the promotion and enhancement of economic development of the United States Virgin Islands. The USVIEDA assumes, integrates and unifies the functions of these four entities: Economic Development Commission, Virgin Islands Economic Development Park Corporation, Economic Development Bank and the Enterprise Zone Commission. The USVIEDA accomplishes its mission by attracting multi-national investors to the Territory to establish or relocate their business in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also provides financial assistance for new and existing small to medium-sized businesses in the Territory and assists V.I. residents and business owners with rehabilitating their properties located in blighted and distressed areas that were once vibrant economic centers of activity in the Territory. Learn more about the USVIEDA at www.usvieda.org ; or send an email to info@usvieda.org .
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