Vermilion Economic Development, Police Jury partner to leverage $2.1 million in grant funds

The Vermilion Economic Development Alliance and the Vermilion Parish Police Jury are currently partnering on three projects that would bring $2.1 million dollars of federal money back to the parish.
As part of the Hometown Revitalization Program, grant dollars will be used on economic revitalization in three designated Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) areas that were either impacted by Hurricanes Laura, Delta, and Ida or the severe weather events in 2021.
Vermilion Economic Development was asked by the Police Jury to identify projects that were aligned with the Community Development Block Grant and brought more than 20 ideas to the table.
After a discussion about the various proposals, three projects were submitted as part of the grant application.
“We handpicked projects within the grant’s limits that not only create economic opportunities but also correlates with the unique charm of the three communities,” said Strategic Planning Committee Chair Nikki Vidos. “Each project was chosen with care, aiming for sustainable growth while honoring the community’s essence.”
In Kaplan, the project will focus on supporting the development of a destination and recreation facility.
The opportunity to revitalize the rodeo arena and adjacent building would better equip the community in attracting events and bringing visitors to the area while featuring the parish’s agricultural roots.
The project in Erath would create a cold storage facility adjacent to the Acadiana Regional Seafood Hub, as an extension of a previous grant-funded initiative.
The hub project has been a multi-year effort to increase access to food processing in a certified commercial kitchen allowing products to be sold into larger markets. The addition of a cold storage area offers product storage, allowing producers to capitalize on sales during non-producing months in a disaster-resistant, generator-supported facility.
The third and final project in Abbeville would create a business incubator. Incubators support business start-ups and entrepreneurs by providing access to low-cost rental space and shared resources like meeting rooms and technology.
The parish has hired Sellers and Associates as the administrator of the grant, and all three projects are currently being evaluated for final approval.
According to Keith Roy, Parish Administrator for the police jury, “This was a great opportunity to leverage our economic development organization to support the Police Jury’s application for federal funds.”
The successful implementation of this project will contribute to ongoing efforts to create a strong economy in Vermilion Parish.
This initiative will contribute to the long-term health and growth of the local community, serving as a catalyst for innovation, job creation, and improved quality of life for low to moderate income households affected by recent storms in Vermilion Parish.