Three Rutland County businesses have been awarded a total of $22,000 in Regional Economic Development Grants sought by Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region and provided by the State of Vermont. CEDRR applied for grants on behalf of Dream Maker Bakers in Killington, Taco Experiment in Poultney, and Winning Image Graphix in Pittsford.
The Regional Economic Development Grant Program is administered by the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services. The goal of the program is to provide competitive grants to regional development corporations, municipalities, and nonprofits for capital costs associated with major maintenance, renovation, or planning related to the development of facilities reasonably expected to create or retain job opportunities in Vermont communities. All grants have been awarded for the current year, but the program is expected to resume mid-2021.
Dream Maker Bakers in Killington is a full-service bakery and café specializing in special order cakes and event dessert buffets. This grant will assist with facilities improvements to expand production and enhance their restaurant experience.
Taco Experiment in Poultney is a restaurant offering Mexican food, margaritas, and their signature salsa. This grant will help fund an expansion into an adjacent property to offer a coffee shop experience on Main Street, where they will feature fresh baked goods, craft coffee drinks, espresso, and an assortment of panini sandwiches, muffins, and breakfast sandwiches.
Winning Image Graphix in Pittsford has been in the sign and graphics business for 23 years. As they’ve expanded their services and customer base, they’ve outgrown their space, and this grant will assist in building a new garage for them to move their sign production and vehicle graphics applications into.
“The Regional Economic Development Grants are a great opportunity for small businesses to create jobs and grow our economy,” said Lyle Jepson, CEDRR Executive Director. “Each of these businesses had plans to grow and they were ready, and these grants incentivized them to turn their plans into action. This a valuable program, and I want to thank the State of Vermont for continuing to support small business growth through these grants.”
