Cuyahoga County Business Boost Initiative

The cost of moving can be a significant barrier to relocating for work, often deterring individuals from pursuing new job opportunities. Expenses associated with relocation, such as hiring movers, transportation, temporary housing, and even utility connection fees, can add up quickly. Employers that offer relocation assistance can provide it either in advance or upon arrival, depending on company policies and the nature of the relocation package. Some employers offer upfront assistance, covering expenses like moving services, travel costs, and temporary housing directly, or providing a lump sum payment to help cover costs before the move. This approach is particularly helpful for employees who need financial support to manage the immediate expenses of relocation. Relocation assistance can be a highly effective tool for employers to fill in-demand jobs, especially in industries facing talent shortages. By offering financial support to cover moving expenses, companies can widen their candidate pool to include qualified workers who may otherwise be unable or unwilling to relocate due to the high costs associated with moving. Under this program, Employers can access up to $5,000 of matching funds for each candidate the business is eligible for. A 1:1 match is required. An additional $500 per candidate is available if the applicant is identified in the Find the Good Life Candidate Marketplace. The additional $500 for candidates identified through the Marketplace is not subject to match.

The Manufacturing Reinvented grant is a fully-funded opportunity tailored for Cook County manufacturers to enhance their production and sales, develop leadership, and train their workforce. It offers reimbursement for projects that focus on operational improvements, leadership and strategy development, sales and marketing growth, and workforce training.

The Virginia AFID Infrastructure Grant Program provides Virginia political subdivisions with competitive reimbursement grants of up to $50,000 per project to fund community infrastructure development projects that support local food production and sustainable agriculture. Administered by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) through the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID), the program is designed to build community-level infrastructure that primarily benefits smaller, newer, or limited-resource farmers, ranchers, food entrepreneurs, and startup food enterprises. Grants are awarded through semi-annual funding rounds (a fall round with awards typically announced by December 31 and a spring round with awards typically announced by June 30). Grantees have two years from the award announcement to complete their project, with a possible one-year extension. Priority project types include locally owned processing facilities such as commercial kitchens, packaging and labeling facilities, and animal slaughtering facilities, along with farmers markets, food hubs, and other agricultural aggregation facilities. Additional consideration is given to projects that benefit multiple small-scale agricultural producers and to projects located in economically distressed communities. Eligible costs include building construction and renovation, contractual services and installation costs, special-purpose equipment (such as canners, hulling processors, packing and labeling equipment, and delivery vehicles), and salaries and wages proportional to the project. Purchases of land or new buildings, marketing costs, general-purpose equipment, and educational expenses are not eligible. Applications must be made by a Virginia political subdivision (counties, cities, towns, Industrial and Economic Development Authorities, or Planning District Commissions), and applications may be submitted on behalf of more than one locality, provided each applicant contributes matching funds and a single political subdivision serves as the lead applicant and grant administrator. The program generally requires a dollar-for-dollar (1:1) match, though Economically Distressed Localities and projects benefiting multiple small-scale agricultural producers qualify for a reduced 2:1 match. Up to 50 percent of the required match may be provided in-kind or through other matching funds, including federal grants, nonprofit contributions, and funds from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission. Applicants may hold multiple active AFID Infrastructure Program grants but are eligible for only one grant award per grant round and must be in good standing with any prior AFID awards.

Data science is an important cross-cutting research approach in the 2022 - 2026 NIDA Strategic Plan and increasing the capacity of experts in addiction related data science is critical. The purpose of this Notice is to facilitate the entry of investigators to the area of addiction-related data science, including newly independent data scientists or established investigators seeking to incorporate novel and cutting-edge data science methodologies into their research programs for the first time. Through this opportunity, investigators will propose to apply emerging data science methods to answer critical questions requiring advanced data analytic strategies. Projects should be small in scale and answer specific research questions or provide preliminary data for a larger scale project. Applicants are encouraged to use existing datasets, follow FAIR principles, and, when applicable, attend to ethical concerns in the conduct of research involving human subjects. Ultimately, the aim is to expedite the development of robust research programs focused on the convergence of innovative data science techniques and addiction research, with initial projects serving as precursors for subsequent, more expansive research projects.

The Confidence Collective is structured to select 250 women entrepreneurs who will receive access to business coaching, skill-building resources, networking opportunities, and a peer community. Of those 250 participants, 20 will be awarded $20,000 grants intended to support business development and growth. The 250 selected participants will be announced in the coming months, with grant recipients named in fall 2026.