State awards economic grants

The New Mexico Economic Development Department awarded grant funding to 14 cities, chambers of commerce and other organizations.

The state economic development department announced the winners of this year’s Local Economic Assistance & Development Support Program grant, which provide up to $25,000 on a cost reimbursement contract to support economic development projects that produce positive outcomes, according to a news release from the agency.

The organizations receiving funding include: Town of Mountainair ($2,730), Grow Raton ($9,020), Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corp. ($25,000), Greater Gallup Economic Development Corp. ($25,000), Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance ($25,000), Santa Fe County ($10,000), Lovington Economic Development Corp. ($8,000), MainStreet Truth or Consequences ($10,637), Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation ($15,000), Roswell-Chaves County Economic Development Corp. ($25,000) and Sandoval Economic Alliance ($25,000).

The LEADS grants awarded in fiscal year 2020 helped create more than 650 jobs across the state, along with rural entrepreneurship training opportunities, according to the release.

As part of the LEADS program, the department also announced that three organizations — the Santa Fe Business Incubator, WESST and the South Valley Economic Development Center — each received $25,000 for programs supporting entrepreneurs working from home, according to the release.