The Waldport Chamber of Commerce has won a $15,000 grant from Lincoln County to be used to enhance its programs and economic development in the community.
It was part of $130,000 in yearly economic development grants approved Monday by county commissioners.
The Waldport application by chamber director Laura Furgurson was the highest rated among all the applications. Seven other organizations ranging from the Depoe Bay chamber, where Furgurson is also a part-time director, to Oregon Coast Community College to the Seal Rock Water District also received grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000.
Furgurson said there is a long list of economic development ideas that the Waldport chamber board needs to sort through and decide which to do first. Those include helping Waldport businesses with marketing, renting a commercial kitchen for businesses to use, working with the Waldport High School entrepreneurship program, to establishing a shared office space next to the new chamber office at the corner of U.S. Highway 101 and Highway 34.
“We have a long list …” Furgurson said.
Furgurson said the chamber board has decided to start a “Welcome to Waldport” program to provide new residents information about the community and businesses.