Josiah Lamp

Letters of interest from eligible applicants due by January 23DUNKIRK, NY – The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) will once again provide support for qualifying economic development projects through its rebranded Economic Growth Fund (EGF). Municipalities, nonprofits, academic institutions, economic development organizations, and community organizations in Chautauqua County are invited to apply for this leverage funding to be used toward a project that focuses on growing or strengthening the local economy. In addition to a new name for the program, CCPEG is also adjusting the application process. Before interested applicants can apply for funding, they must first send a letter of interest that will be used to determine if their project is eligible. After initial review by CCPEG, any and all qualifying projects would then be invited to fill out an application for funding. “We wanted to rename this grant program to better reflect its connection to CCPEG and our efforts to support economic development projects scattered across the county,” said Josiah Lamp, CCPEG Program Manager. “We also wanted to incorporate a letter of interest into the grant request process in order to better identify eligible projects before applicants spend the time filling out the application.” This is the fifth year that CCPEG has offered the funding program, which focuses on enhancing economic revitalization and long-term strategic investment throughout the County. Funding for the 2026 EGF program comes from a support grant provided by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation – awarded to CCPEG in late 2024. This year, up to $300,000 in grant funding will be made available for eligible projects. Grant awards typically range between $10,000 and $20,000, and requests of up to $50,000 will be considered for high-priority projects. Some projects that have received funding previously include: Westfield Village Green updates Improvements to Hartley Park in Lakewood Developing a Waterfront Activation Plan for Mayville Strategic plan development for the SUNY Fredonia Center for Innovation & Economic Development CHQ Chamber’s ShopLocalCHQ program Dream It Do It Tech Career Initiative Chautauqua County Fair Conceptual Planning and Enhancement project Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy’s Nature for All CHQ project Many more Over the past four years, CCPEG has awarded a total of $1,765,000 to more than 80 qualifying projects. Grant seekers can apply in one of two categories for their projects:  either for Planning and Technical Assistance Funds to plant the seeds for future projects; or for Implementation Funds to execute projects.  Prioritization will be given to projects that need local match funding for state or federal grants, or are otherwise leveraging new resources for the County.  “Since 2022, CCPEG has supported numerous high-priority projects, all of which were intended to spur economic development within Chautauqua County,” said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and CCPEG Advisory Board co-chair. “Thanks to the additional funding we received from the Wilson Foundation in 2024, we’ve been able to continue providing leveraging support for local economic development projects that will build on the momentum we are generating across the County.” Letters of Interest submissions can start on Monday, January 5, with a deadline of January 23. The application period for qualifying projects will run from February 2 through February 27. After a review of all applications, the 2026 Economic Growth Fund awards will be announced in late March of 2026. More information about EGF, including what to include in a letter of interest, is available on the Economic Growth Fund page at CHQPartnership.org. For questions or assistance, please contact Monica Simpson, CCPEG Partner Engagement Coordinator, by calling (716) 363-3770 or emailing SimpsonM@chqgov.com. About CCPEG - The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) serves as the main convener of economic development partners and resources to advance key projects that achieve economic prosperity in Chautauqua County. It also serves as the catalyst and broker of resources for advancing economic prosperity efforts and is the central coordinating entity for improving the quality of life in our communities, thereby attracting people and businesses to Chautauqua County to live, work, recreate, and invest.  It is an initiative of the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC). For more information visit CHQPartnership.org.

Josiah Lamp to Oversee Programs that Support Economic Development in Chautauqua CountyJAMESTOWN, NY -- The Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC), an affiliate agency of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA), is pleased to announce the addition of Josiah Lamp to the newly created position of Program Manager with the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG). CCPEG is an initiative launched in 2019, with a mission of bringing together public and private leaders to focus on countywide and regional economic development. The Partnership serves as the catalyst and broker of resources for advancing economic prosperity efforts and is a central coordinating entity for improving the quality of life in our communities, thereby attracting people and businesses to Chautauqua County. Lamp has 15 years of experience in managing economic development and housing programs, most recently as the Director of Housing and Community Development at Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. (COI), a position he’s held since 2016. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of Housing and Community Development at COI and, prior to that, as Economic Development Consultant for the Community Development Training Institute, based in Worcester, Mass. Throughout his professional career, Lamp has developed strong strategic leadership and program management skills, specifically focused on strategic planning, building public-private partnerships, grant writing, and public relations. Since 2020, he’s also served on the Partnership’s Housing Development Work Group, bringing a level of familiarity and knowledge about CCPEG to his new role. “We’re excited to have Josiah join the CCPEG team and focus on efforts that will help to grow and strengthen our local economy and communities,” said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development, CCIDA CEO, and co-chair of the CCPEG Advisory Board. “He brings a wealth of experience to this newly created position and because of his prior involvement with the Partnership, he’ll be able to hit the ground running!” As CCPEG Program Manager, Lamp will oversee and coordinate CCPEG activities, including the initiation, development, implementation, and monitoring of CCPEG projects and programs that encourage economic development in Chautauqua County. Lamp will also oversee grant development activities to help sustain CCPEG programming and will also coordinate a variety of economic development activities relating to business development, workforce development, placemaking, housing, and infrastructure. Prior to Lamp’s hiring, much of CCPEG’s activities and programming were managed by Nathan Aldrich, Economic Development Coordinator with the Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development. With the initiative taking hold and several millions of dollars of funding obtained to support over a dozen impactful economic and community development projects and initiatives, the need was quickly identified for a full-time dedicated program manager to ensure that projects get responsibly implemented in compliance with funder requirements. “Since CCPEG’s launch, Nate has helped to develop and grow the initiative well beyond any and all expectations,” Geise said. “During the past six years, CCPEG has received regional and statewide recognition and Nate has also been recognized across the state for his role in guiding the Partnership, along with his other duties in County Government and the CCIDA. With Josiah’s arrival, Nate can focus his energy and talents on a variety of related county planning and development efforts, while playing a leading role in various projects with the CCIDA, including site development, business attraction/retention activities, and helping to guide and sustain CCPEG well into the future.” “We had several qualified candidates apply for the Program Manager position, but at the end of the process Josiah stood out as the top choice, due to his skillset, experience, and familiarity with CCPEG,” Aldrich said. “I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to make CCPEG a viable initiative for economic growth in Chautauqua County and having it serve as a model program for other counties in New York State.” Lamp received his M.A. in Community Development & Planning from Clark University in Massachusetts in 2011 and received a B.A. in English from Wheaton College in Illinois in 2005. He currently resides in Dunkirk with his family. “I am looking forward to helping the Partnership continue its efforts of building and strengthening our local economy by creating new and dynamic programming that assists our many unique communities and our many wonderful organizations,” Lamp said. “Chautauqua County is already a great place to live, work, and do business and I’m excited to help make it even better through my work with CCPEG.” The position is funded in part by a multi-year grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. About CCPEG – The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) serves as the main convener of economic development partners and resources to advance key projects that achieve economic prosperity in Chautauqua County. It also serves as the catalyst and broker of resources for advancing economic prosperity efforts and is the central coordinating entity for the formation, retention, development, and attraction of quality jobs and advancements to the quality of life. It is an initiative of the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC). For more information visit CHQPartnership.org.