The Washington Department of Commerce announced the approval of $2 million worth of Evergreen Manufacturing grants designed to create new manufacturing, research and development jobs statewide, according to a news release.
Among the six businesses and four innovation cluster organizations to receive the grant money this year is Sandstone Distillery in Tenino.
Sandstone Distillery was awarded a $200,000 grant to fund design, site preparation, permitting and pre-construction activities for a new, larger factory. The project has a total capital investment of $1.2 million and is expected to create 10 to 15 new jobs and increase production of locally grown agriculture used by the distillery.
“Washington state continues to invest in exploring and building new foundations for economic growth based on innovation, especially in manufacturing and clean energy,” Chris Green, Commerce’s assistant director for economic development and competitiveness, stated in the release. “These grants will help create opportunities in emerging technologies, build infrastructure, create jobs in new industries and drive economic benefits that strengthen communities for years to come.”
The grants are part of the Building Economic Strength Though Manufacturing (BEST) Act passed by the Washington state Legislature in 2021. The goal of the act is to provide a framework to add 300,000 new manufacturing jobs over the next decade.
Other businesses and groups that received grants for projects across Washington state include Pacific Northwest Renewable Energy, LLC in Grays Harbor County, Beta Hatch in Chelan County, EDGE Cluster in King County, First Mode in King County, Evergreen Bioscience Innovation Cluster in Spokane County, Inland Northwest Aerospace Consortium in Spokane County, Ion Q in Snohomish County, OCOchem in Benton County and Washington VERTical in Benton County.
In total, all 10 projects receiving the grant money are projected to create almost 1,400 new jobs. For more information, go online to www.commerce.wa.gov.
