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Board backs pilot ‘Farm Up Grama’ retail revitalization grant for Madras area
Summary
County staff presented a draft retail revitalization grant combining county and municipal funds to support retail and job creation across the county. Commissioners approved moving forward with the RFP concept and launch timeline, with $75,000 county match previously allocated and additional funds under consideration.
Jefferson County staff presented a draft retail revitalization program, informally called "Farm Up Grama," to give development teams access to capital for downtown and urban‑renewal projects.
Brenna said the program would make up to $500,000 available for projects inside Madras' urban renewal district (URD) with additional funding streams for other participating URDs. Culver indicated a willingness to contribute $100,000 for projects inside its URD, and the county has previously approved a $75,000 match spread over three years. The RFP draft sets differing minimum square‑foot thresholds for URD versus non‑URD areas to reflect match and project scale.
Commissioners discussed timing, budget impacts and the RFP release schedule; staff said attorneys would do a final review and the goal was to publish the RFP on Aug. 8. The board voted to approve the concept and directed staff to finalize documents for release.
