Empire State Development’s North Country Office to Host Virtual “Lunch & Learn” on POWER UP and FAST NY Grant Programs

March 16, 2026

Empire State Development (ESD) today announced the second installment of its North Country “Lunch & Learn” virtual series, scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, at 1 p.m. The upcoming session will provide an in-depth look at two state initiatives: the POWER UP and FAST NY Shovel-Ready grant programs. These programs are designed to eliminate the infrastructure barriers that often delay major industrial and commercial projects. Following the presentation, ESD officials will host a live Q&A session to answer specific questions from regional stakeholders.

The session will highlight two primary funding vehicles:

FAST NY Shovel-Ready Grant Program ($400M): Grants to prepare and develop sites statewide to jumpstart New York’s shovel-readiness and increase its attractiveness to large employers, including high-tech manufacturing, particularly semiconductor manufacturing, interstate distribution and logistics businesses. The program will help diversify New York State’s economy while propelling new investments for businesses, communities and job creation.
POWER UP Grant Program ($300M, allocated over three years): Grants to develop the electric infrastructure of sites statewide to create a network of power-ready sites with upgraded electrical capacity to significantly shorten the time between business site selection and operational launch. By modernizing and expanding electric infrastructure, POWER UP enhances New York’s competitiveness in attracting high-quality jobs, particularly in advanced manufacturing.

RSVP for the March 24 event on the North Country Regional Economic Development Council website here. A Zoom link will be provided ahead of the meeting.

The Lunch & Learn series is designed to educate and connect North Country stakeholders with vital state resources. This virtual initiative provides a streamlined platform for businesses, nonprofits, labor groups, and academic leaders across the seven-county region to explore funding and growth opportunities. The first event in the series focused on the North Country’s Next Move NY program.

Going forward, the 2026 series will include:

April 22 – New Market Tax Credits
May 19 – Global NY
June 23 – County Infrastructure Grant Program
August 25 – Lending and Financial Resources
October 27 – Workforce Development

The North Country region is composed of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

About Empire State Development
ESD is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state's world class tourism destinations through ILOVENY. For more information, please visit ESD’s website here, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.

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