MO HB1506

Establishes rural regional development grants administered by the Department of Economic Development with an annual appropriation not to exceed $5 million.

Grants are available to qualified rural regional development groups that track job creation and investment, maintain certified development sites, measure workforce skills, and demonstrate private business and local government involvement.

Single grants capped at $150,000 with a maximum of two grants per state region annually; groups must have an operating budget not exceeding $250,000 and cannot include counties outside Missouri.

Grant matching requirements: 3-to-1 state-to-local match for groups operating 2+ years, and 1-to-1 match for groups operating less than 2 years.

Eligible uses include workforce development, entrepreneurship training, regional marketing, international trade training, market research, and demographic analysis to support economic development strategies.