Cochise College has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to provide technical and outreach assistance in rural Cochise County projects. USDA Rural Development State Director Alan Stephens presented the grant last Wednesday at the college’s Small Business Development Center on the Sierra Vista Campus.
The grant funds a partnership between USDA Rural Development and the Cochise SBDC to implement the “Enhancing Program Accessibility in Underserved Rural Communities” project. Only one grant was available to Arizona, and Cochise College was the successful applicant.
“This will help us provide public awareness and technical assistance, training and program support to small and socially disadvantages farmers, ranchers and businesses in rural America,” said Cochise SBDC director Mark Schmitt. “It will also aid our agricultural producers and rural businesses in generating new products, and in creating and expanding market opportunities to increase producer or business income.”
The Cochise SDBC provides free one-on-one assistance to small businesses across Cochise County. Staff members help clients with counseling, planning, marketing, accounting, start-up, licensing, technology development and much more. In the last three years, the SBDC has teamed with 1,331 clients and helped start 122 new businesses. The SBDC also holds dozens of training and professional development workshops throughout the year at various locations in the county.
For more information, visit www.cochise.edu/SBDC or call (520) 515-5478.