Agenda - 03-03-2015 - 6i - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Proposes a 5- member Subcommittee that will review grant applications. Members are selected as follows: ➢ Agriculture representative from the Orange County Economic Development Advisory Board ➢ A member of the Orange County Cooperative Extension staff ➢ The Agriculture Economic Development staff member from the Orange County Economic Development office ➢ Two farmer members from the Orange County Agriculture Preservation Board • Includes an Orange County Economic Development staff member as a possible Collaborator /Mentor to assist grant recipients with project counseling. • Amends the Application to include more specific details about the applicant's grant proposal to include asking for the following: ➢ Asks if the farm is included in the County's Farm Use Value program for property tax valuation; ➢ Asks for the total estimated cost of the project seeking the grant; ➢ Asks for the name of the farm, the specific crops grown, and the Tax Identification or Social Security Number. • Recommends that a Farm Business Plan (250 words max.) be included in the Application. • Deemphasizes the expectation that "innovation" be a part of the Agriculture grant's use. • Adds a section to the Evaluation Worksheet to ask if the project fills a niche opportunity for farmers, will work well in Orange County, or fits well with currently established or niche marketing opportunities in the County. Business Investment Grant (Attachment 2) The attached "Business Investment Grant" document has been amended to reflect comments made by BOCC members during the January 27th work session as follows: • Amends the eligibility requirements for applicants' gross revenues by reducing the maximum revenues to $1 million (originally proposed at $3 million). And adds a provision that businesses with revenues exceeding $1 million will be considered on a case -by -case basis. • Increases the size of the Small Grant to $1,500 (originally proposed at $1,000). • Reduces the length of time for required mentorship for Small Grants to four (4) months (originally proposed for six (6) months). • Adds diversity language to the Compliance section.