USDA Rural Development program awards $50K grant to local nonprofit

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program awarded a $50,000 grant to a Bowling Green nonprofit that helps metals industries throughout Kentucky.

Metals Innovation Initiative is a public-private partnership that works with manufacturers, educators and governments to solve problems affecting the state’s third largest industry. This grant will be used to create jobs in the metals industries for eastern Kentucky.

Jerilyn Bristow, manager of member engagement for MI2, says, “We’re looking to use the innovation that we’re bringing to the industry in order to help create some jobs. So we’re going to use it in order to explore what is possible around creating these jobs. Basically, a lot of them would be remote jobs. We may help people start their own business if they have innovative solutions. There’s all these different pieces that we’ll explore.”

Travis Burton, state director for USDA Rural Development KY, says, “But the reality is, what is good for rural Kentucky is good for our farmers. And as we grow the economy in rural Kentucky, it does help our farmers.”

Metals industries in Kentucky have over a thousand facilities and have created 36,000 jobs in the state, adding $38 billion to its economy. Metal Innovation Initiative works to connect businesses with their needed workforce: students and jobseekers. MI2 also supports recycling and clean energy solutions in that business.