SENATOR HAGAN’S STIMULUS SEMINAR AT NCCU

North Carolina Central University served as host to a seminar organized by U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., informing the community about how minority and women-owned businesses, small businesses and non-profits can access the stimulus money.

The start time was delayed when an unexpectedly large crowd of about 300 had to be accommodated in overflow space. Hagan opened the session by referencing the sobering number seeking work in this state saying, “Inaction is simply not an option when the number of unemployed North Carolinians is nearly 500,000.”

She cited the tax cuts for 95 percent of North Carolina’s workers and their families and the projected 105,000 jobs that the stimulus appropriations should save or create. Then she turned over the podium to a panel of experts for questions and answers. -*

Included in the audience of predominantly small businessmen and women were representatives from minority serving educational institutions. NCCU’s Chancellor Charlie Nelms commented on the $15.64 billion set aside in the stimulus package for Pell Grants, increasing the maximum assistance level to $4,860 for students attending the 2009-2010 academic year.
“This increase in the Pell Grant is crucial to us as 95 percent of our students are on financial assistance,” said Nelms. Nelms also reported that NCCU would be seeking in the neighborhood of $20 million from the stimulus package primarily in research grant funds but also including $2.5 million for the renovation of the historic Hoey Administration Building on campus.

Elaine King from Barber-Scotia College was considering how she might adjust her grant proposal to better dovetail with federal guidelines. Hers is a green industry proposal to train municipal workers to implement an energy-from-waste program.

Most participants received the message loud and clear that they would need to strictly abide by the rules and accommodate the government’s demand for precision, clarity and transparency in their applications. They appreciated the long list of websites provided to assist them in their research.

“There’s money available but we’re going to have to do our homework to access it,” said Vernon H. McRae, Jr., vice president of operations for VHM Construction, Inc.

“There’s a lot of opportunities available but you have to take your time to prepare,” said Dr. Aal-Anubia of Saint Augustine’s College.

“Tax dollars are hard to come by but we’re trying to make it accessible for small business and minorities,” said Hagan.

The panel of experts included: Dempsey Benton, director, N.C. Office of Economic Recovery and Investment; Lee Cornelison, district director, U.S. Small Business Administration; David Heinen, director of public policy for the N.C. Center for Non-Profits; Sadie Abdullah, energy director for Operation Breakthrough, Inc.; Charles Archer, associate director for operations and federal relations for the N.C. League of Municipalities; Scott Daugherty, executive director for the Small Business Technology and Development Center; and Andrea Harris, president of the N.C. Institute of Minority Economic Development. Durham City Councilman Farad Ali served as moderator.

For more information, the first websites on Senator Hagan’s handout were:
www.recovery.gov; http://hagan.senate.gov/files/Hagan; and www.ncrecovery.gov