POUGHKEEPSIE – The New York State Strategic Implementation and Assessment Team (SIAT) visited the Hudson Valley Tuesday to tour various consolidated funding application projects as part of their evaluation process for this round’s grants.
The Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council hosted the tour to show the SIAT the progress of previously CFA funded projects in the region and their five-year plan.
“They’re here to evaluate the progress we’ve been making and they’re here to listen to our ideas and strategies for the future, which will lead to proposals that we will submit on behalf of businesses and organizations in our area, which we think, can further strengthen the good economic development that’s taking place,” said Regional Council Co-Chairman and Marist College President Dennis Murray.
The SIAT’s function is to evaluate the progress of previously funded projects and to ascertain the level of which, such projects are contributing to the economic enhancement of the area. Since the regional council grants are performance based, there are certain goals projects that must meet to receive funding.
As part of the SIAT’s tour, members were brought to visit Stewart Airport, The City of Beacon and Marist College’s Cloud Computing, all of which had previously CFA funded projects.
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro felt the SIAT’s response was positive.
“What we heard from them today is that they have been not only impressed with our success in moving projects forward but, they felt an energy in the communities in the projects that they visited a real enthusiasm among people that the Hudson Valley is really poised for greater success and they really have been very complimentary of our efforts,” Molinaro said.
For this round of CFAs, the main criteria for funding will be either
projects for urban renewal, or those that promote regional industry and
innovation clusters.
This round of CFA funding awardees is expected to be announced in the late fall of 2015.
