The Business Assistance Program ended December 31, 2022.

In June 2019, NODC was one of 48 organizations across the US to receive a technical assistance award from the USDA Rural Economic Development Innovation (REDI) initiative. USDA is funding Rural Development Initiatives (RDI), based in Eugene, Oregon, to assist NODC in using the WealthWorks model to develop strategies for increasing community benefit from our region’s working forest lands. Strategies might include: Value-adding of under-utilized species like native hardwoods. Expanding production from non-industrial private landowners. Developing community forests. Thermal modification of wood products. Support for entrepreneurship in the wood value-adding sector. As part of the planning process, NODC has convened a series of small meetings with stakeholders. With the help of analysis from RDI, NODC will hold additional meetings with partners and stakeholders to narrow the focus of the work and develop a plan for next steps in support of selected strategies.