Port Authority seeks federal grant for next phase of Trades District

EAST WENATCHEE — The next phase of the Trades District could move a step closer to reality after the Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority approved an application for federal funding to help expand the growing business campus.

Commissioners on June 24 authorized staff to seek a $500,000 grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Development Grant program for Trades District Phase II, a shift in strategy that came after weeks of conversations with USDA staff about what kinds of projects are most competitive.

The federal program supports rural economic development projects, particularly those expected to create jobs and encourage business growth.

Rather than beginning with a preferred project, port staff first worked to understand what federal reviewers were looking to fund.

Economic Development Director Brooke Lammert spent several weeks working directly with USDA program managers, discussing successful applications and seeking feedback on potential projects. Those conversations helped shape the port's approach before the application was ever written.

Port officials had initially considered seeking funding to extend sewer service to the Port-owned Mansfield Airport, a project intended to support future development there. But after discussing the program with USDA staff, they concluded the Trades District offered a stronger fit because it could demonstrate immediate business activity and job creation.

"We're full. We have a waiting list for buildings," CEO Jim Kuntz told commissioners.

Lammert said the application will include letters of support from existing Trades District tenants describing how the development has benefited their businesses, providing evidence of the project's economic impact and demand for additional space.

Kuntz said USDA staff encouraged the port to submit the application directly after those discussions, allowing staff to continue refining the proposal before the June 30 deadline.

The shift in focus did not end work on the Mansfield Airport project. Kuntz said Mansfield officials understood the reasoning behind pursuing the Trades District grant instead and encouraged them to continue developing the airport proposal so it can compete for future funding opportunities.

Commissioners unanimously approved the grant application and the required local match.

The discussion highlighted how the Trades District has evolved since its launch. Rather than seeking federal dollars for a speculative business park, the port is now making its case with a development that has already filled its first phase, attracted a waiting list of prospective tenants and can demonstrate measurable economic activity.

If awarded, the grant would help fund the next phase of one of the port's signature economic development projects while illustrating another lesson commissioners said is increasingly important: successful grant applications begin long before the paperwork, with relationships, research and a clear understanding of what funding agencies are trying to accomplish.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media