Pickett Applying For ThreeStar Grant Monies

Pickett County once again applying for the state’s ThreeStar Grant program to help increase economic and community development opportunities.

Chamber of Commerce Director Billy Robbins said every two years applicants can earn up to $50,000 in grant monies. He said a portion of the money is to be used for specifically for educational programming, with the rest allowed to be spent on community development projects throughout the county, such as park improvements.

“And that’s been pretty important to us the last several years,” Robbins said. “And over the series of that program since they started doing grant sides of it, the county has had an impact over $4 million more than you would have if you weren’t in the ThreeStar program. So that’s a pretty big impact.”

Robbins said in addition to the grant funding itself, the ThreeStar program has another significant effect. He said when you are an established ThreeStar community, it gives you positive feedback for any CDBG, ARC, and other grants that come out at the federal and state levels. Robbins said it can also give a certain discount on matching grant funds when you are a ThreeStar community.

Robbins said they are still planning what exactly to use this year’s potential funding on. He said they will have a review session with the state in the coming weeks to decide what components are feasible and what the next step forward will be.

“We will be looking at what comes next,” Robbins said. “But we’re excited for those next steps and how to best look what comes next.”