Summits focus on accessing recovery funds

The state???s Competitive Grant Advisory Team will hold two day-long stimulus summits in Albuquerque and Las Cruces.

The Albuquerque summit takes place Wednesday, May 20 at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The Las Cruces summit takes place May 21 at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum. Both meetings start at 8 a.m.

The meetings will consist of three one-hour plenary sessions, spread throughout the day, covering the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA.

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One will be an overview of ARRA in New Mexico focusing on where the funds have gone so far, where they are headed and how to prepare for the federal reallocations when the state is likely to received a second round of stimulus money.

A second session will focus on how local governments and nonprofits can participate in statewide grant proposals in three areas: Building a renewable energy infrastructure (a green grid); health information technology; wiring underserved communities for high-speed Internet access.

A third session will cover specific grants, financing packages and tax breaks. It will cover eligibility, deadlines and contact information for grants in various areas such as work force training, housing, small business, energy and community development.

Breakout sessions will take place during the summits, with time to ask detailed questions. These will be led by officials from federal and state agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration, the New Mexico Finance Authority, the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority and the New Mexico Energy, Mineral and Natural Resources Department.

A grant-writing seminar also will be offered, to help nonprofits and agencies seek federal funds.

The summits are free. More information is available at the New Mexico Office of Recovery and Reinvestment Web site, www.recovery.state.nm.us, or by calling (800) 432-2036.