he Haines Economic Development Corporation secured a $260,000 federal grant to enhance digital marketing for local businesses and promote Haines as a place for location neutral workers.
Former HEDC director Margaret Friedenauer applied for the federal Economic Development Administration grant before she left last year.
Interim director Sally Andersen said the money will be used to hire a marketing company that will work with 10 to 20 local businesses to help “to move their operations online, find new customers, fine tune their digital skill sets and increase their markets beyond Haines.”
“I think it’ll bring some new jobs to Haines and hopefully, by elevating some local businesses to reach new markets, we’ll be able to strengthen the jobs we already have and add to those numbers,” Andersen said.
HEDC will soon develop a proposal to hire a marketing firm. Andersen said HEDC will likely put out a call for interested businesses and if there’s more interest than the grant can accommodate, the board might consider a lottery system.
The second aspect of the grant will be to create a website promoting Haines as a great place to live for location neutral workers such as miners, fishermen and tech workers. She said they hope to take advantage of a recent trend of workers moving to rural areas since the pandemic closed offices across the country.
“It can enhance the local economy just by increasing the number of people,” Andersen said. “If we can bring people who already have jobs, they’re going to come and buy a home, buy groceries, shop at local businesses and hopefully bring kids that increase enrollment at the school.”