USEDA awards Marianas $1.44M grant to revive tourism industry

The U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded the CNMI Wednesday $1.44 million in State Tourism Grant to revive its tourism economy, according to Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP).

Sablan said in his e-kilili newsletter over the weekend the $1,440,640 grant comes from the American Rescue Plan Act that the U.S. Congress passed last March.

He said EDA divvied up the funding among the U.S. territories based on population. The CNMI can use the federal money for marketing and to develop the infrastructure and workforce to enhance safe leisure and business travel.

Sablan said this week’s State Tourism Grant is non-competitive, but EDA is also now accepting applications for competitive tourism grants on a rolling basis from local governments, non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities.

He said application can be filed no later than Jan. 31, 2022.