Gov. Tina Kotek made $1 million in grants available to small and midsized Oregon businesses hoping for a share of $52 billion in federal CHIPS Act funding.
The grant money comes from a reserve fund held by Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency. Kotek directed the agency to distribute the money to privately held semiconductor businesses to assist them in preparing applications.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Commerce Department plans to lay out its criteria for distributing the federal aid. Congress approved the money last summer, hoping to shore up the nation’s semiconductor industry and make it less dependent on China.
Most of the federal money will go to big chipmakers like Intel, to subsidize new U.S. factories. But Kotek said smaller businesses could benefit, too.
“Oregon is going to make the most of this historic opportunity – and that includes supporting the innovators who deserve access to the CHIPS Act funds and need support to navigate all of the federal requirements,” Kotek said. Her office said Business Oregon will develop rules for allocating the state funding.
Oregon lawmakers are considering a much larger, $210 package of incentives to bring more semiconductor business – and a share of the CHIPS Act funding – to Oregon. They’re wrestling with questions over what kinds of inducements to offer and how to weigh local land-use protections against the chip industry’s pursuit of large industrial sites.
— Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | 503-294-7699
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