Adapting
The Lewis County IDA has adapted to change in the business community by investing and implementing creative programming to support our county as we rebuild post-pandemic. The LCIDA has also been active in various renewable energy PILOTS, business financing projects and collaborative projects with partner entities.
We are paving the way towards creative economic development and growth of our communities through building partnerships, engaging in research and education, developing sound economic development policy, outreach and visibility and strategic funding development.
We will continue to plant the seeds for future growth, and work with partner entities to achieve creative solutions that make Lewis County an attractive and innovative place to live, work and build business.
Partnerships
- Invested approximately $42,000, in partnership with Jefferson County IDA, to create the North Country Regulated Daycare Training Bootcamp through JCC to help facilitate the creation of in home childcare facilities to solve childcare needs.
- The LCIDA hosts monthly Economic Development Partner Meetings with local partners to enhance econ. dev. efforts.
- A partner of the Center for Businesses in Transition Regional Program - we have assisted 10+ businesses with their business transition plans. In 2021, Tug Hill Vineyards successfully transitioned ownership with the assistance of this program.
- Partnering with Jefferson County, St. Lawrence County and DANC through the Drum Country NY partnership to launch a regional business and talent attraction marketing campaign called 'Let's Meet Again.'
- Partnered with Coughlin Web Developers and invested $15,000 over two-years to create the mynny.biz platform, a low-cost, high-quality local website option for small businesses who need e-commerce solutions and an online presence.
Research & Education
- Invested $6,500 in a regional Tug Hill Snowmobile Economic Impact Study, to assess the needs and opportunities in the snowmobile industry in Lewis County. The total study cost was $21,000 across the four-county region.
- Invested $30,000 in technical assistance funding to create the DBA Lewis County Entrepreneurship Program, to provide entrepreneurs and small business owners the technical assistance they need to start and scale-up their businesses in Lewis County.
Policy Development
- Developed the Smart Growth Solar Initiative, in partnership with Lewis County Planning, that included a revised Uniform Tax Exemption Policy through the LCIDA. The new policy provides PILOTs based on the soil type and whether or not the land is actively farmed in Lewis County.
Outreach & Visibility
- Continue to grow our Naturally Lewis brand through social media platforms, website, email, radio and other types of media to promote living, working and building business in Lewis County.
- Partnered with the Lewis County WorkPlace to launch the Work Here Platform on the Naturally Lewis website to promote Lewis County job opportunities.
- Hosted roundtable events with real estate agents and tourism & hospitality business owners to promote collaboration & working together.
Strategic Funding Development
- Approved PILOTS for approximately $236,000,000 of project investment in solar and wind projects in 2021, so far.
- Granted approximately $170,000 in CDBG Microenterprise Grants to 6 local businesses.
- Partnered with the Pratt Northam Foundation and Lewis County to grant approximately $17,000 in Winter Design Challenge grant funds to allow tourism and hospitality entities to create solutions to stay open during the Winter months.
- Worked with Camoin310 to market the former ReEnergy Biomass Facility through an RFP process. The LCIDA board agreed to move forward with a USDA Meat Processing project that will employ approximately 10 people in the first year.
