RAHALL ANNOUNCES FUNDING TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Underscoring the value of investing in small business development to create new economy jobs, U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) Wednesday announced federal funding to improve the success rate for technology based entrepreneurial business development in West Virginia.

“Investing in home grown entrepreneurial spirit not only makes a lot of sense, it makes a lot of dollars as well,” said Rahall. “As technology advances in all walks of our lives, perhaps now more than ever, technology-based businesses can help deliver new job opportunities both now and into the future.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development has approved a Rural Business Opportunity Grant of $50,000 for the Center for Applied Research Technology in Bluefield to provide technical assistance which will improve the success rate for technology based entrepreneurial business development in West Virginia.

Rahall has actively supported entrepreneurship and small business development in southern West Virginia.  He has cosponsored federal legislation to provide small business tax credits to help biotechnology companies raise capital.  He also has supported Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) programs to increase the participation of small businesses in federally funded research and development, as well as being supportive of local West Virginia institutions like Marshall University and its medical and forensic research programs. 

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