The Oklahoma Department of Commerce’s business development team, along with other agencies and organizations, provide resources to support business growth and community prosperity.
Weatherization Assistance Program: A free program that improves the energy efficiency of homes. Who is eligible? Low-income households in Oklahoma (who rent or own their homes) and are at or below 200% of the poverty level. Priority is given to people aged 60 and over, people with disabilities, families with children, people with a high energy burden and people who use a lot of energy in homes.
Anyone who receives or has documentation proving his or her eligibility for the following is automatically eligible under Department of Energy guidelines:
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
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Low-income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)
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Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
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Services of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
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HOME Investment Partnership Program(HOME)
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Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes Program (OLHCHH)
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Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program
For general questions about the program, contact Coordinator Brooke Andrews, 405.967.0168 or brooke.andrews@okcommerce.gov.
State programs, including Community Expansion of Nutrition Assistance (CENA) and Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP), which allocates funding to small rural communities with a population of less than 7,000.
Contact Kameelah Alexander at 405-243-2939 or Kameelah.Alexander@OKCommerce.gov.
Other programs through the Department of Commerce include:
Oklahoma Innovation Extension Program: For communities looking to partner with businesses to expand in their area:
Business Expansion Incentive Program: Helps Oklahoma businesses grow and encourages investment in business expansion in the state through cash payments for eligible capital investments.
SIDE Act – The Strategic Industrial Development Enhancement (SIDE) Act: Promotes the competitiveness of rural industrial parks by improving connections between railways and industrial park developments.
USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers several types of programs through the Oklahoma Rural Development State Office. This includes loans and grants for energy efficiency improvements, water and wastewater disposal, community facilities development, and for people in communities declared disaster areas by the President.
There is also a program for socially disadvantaged communities, which provides technical assistance through cooperatives and cooperative development centers.
USDA grant applications may have different deadlines throughout the year.
For more information, call (800) 522-3819 or visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs/ok.
Oklahoma District of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Contacts: Marcus Clayton, Director: claytonmarcus20@gmail.com; James Logan III, Assistant Director: trelogan6@gmail.com; Demauri Myers, Executive Director: Demauri.Myers@gmail.com.
Broadband office
The Oklahoma Broadband Office is responsible for ensuring that communities across the state have reliable, affordable, and high-speed internet.
Contact: MJ Barton, Tribal & Programs Outreach Manager, mj.barton@broadband.ok.gov, 405-517-2393.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: List of Helpful State Resources
