Since 1994, the department has administered over $1,500,000.00 in providing for community development improvements in the County. Projects have included the following: sidewalks, parking facilities, sewage, building improvements, handicapped accessibility, water supply line improvements, housing rehabilitation, recreation facility improvements, improvements to and expansion of VFD facilities, dry hydrants, “jaws of life” emergency extraction tool, and an assortment of planning and study activities such as the Forest County Comprehensive Plan and the Prison Study. The Department also secured the competitive grant enabling the County to acquire from the Forest County IDC the property on which the prison is to be built.

The IDC has partnered with the County on a variety of projects:
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- - - - - - - - - - -	At the request of the County, the Forest County IDC acquired the former Evenflo/Crator facility and administered over one half million dollars worth of improvements to the facility preparing it for use by multiple tenants. While the road to attracting industry is not an easy one and the obstacles posed by lack of infrastructure are substantial, the facility is at approximately 50% occupancy and a home to businesses employing from 20-25 people. In addition, the facility has been used as a resource for the community to host meetings; provide short-term and long-term office space; and to house an assortment of programs initiated by the IDC and the IDA. Equally as important, the Forest County IDC, as the owners of the facility, has continued to pay over $15,000.00/year in local taxes, never once missing their obligation.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	The Forest County IDC was a critical partner to the County in securing the new prison. As a 501 © 3, the IDC is able to acquire real property much more efficiently than government. While working with the former warden of FCI McKean on a project to develop a “boot camp” for juveniles, one of the many trips to Harrisburg resulted in meeting with the then new Commissioner of Corrections, Marty Horne. While not particularly interested in the proposed boot camp for juveniles, Commissioner Horne expressed a future need for a new medium security prison. The Forest County IDC along with the Commissioners immediately began the long, arduous process of negotiating and acquiring the property on which the prison is to be built. President J. Jack Sherman personally negotiated the deal for the property, and an application for grant funds was secured. The grant funds enabled the County to purchase the property from the IDC to hold pending transfer of the property to the State. The Forest County IDC became involved with the project in 1995 and finally transferred the property to the County in 1999. Also during this time the Forest County IDC engaged the consulting firm of Graney, Grossman, and Ray to conduct a study to assess the impact of the prison on our community. The study was engaged with specific instruction to include a detailed economic development section to enable the community to best benefit from the injection of over $100,000,000.00 capital project.

- - -	The Initiative Project, providing training to our youth in the design and administration of web pages. The efforts resulted in the publication of forestcounty.com as our County home page; administered and supported by, and registered to, the Forest County IDC.
- - - - - - - - -	The Forest County IDC then took a lead role in participating with our youth in a Kellogg Foundation project called Managing Information with Rural America (MIRA). This involvement led to the formation of the Ecotour Team that continues to meet and work on digital movies for showing at various functions. Through the receipt of a $15,000.00 grant from the Kellogg Foundation, the “team” has acquired the production hardware and software necessary to produce movies out of still photos, complete with narration and music. These movies can be about virtually any subject and are “burned” onto a CD for use on a computer. One movie produced for the Conservation Leadership School at Penn State has resulted in scholarships to their summer program valued at approximately $1,200.00.
- - - -	More recently, also through the involvement with the Kellogg Foundation and its grant of $32,000.00, the Forest County IDC has provided the funds necessary to install high speed Internet services at the three schools and at the Forest County Industrial Complex. These services will enable the facilities to more effectively participate in teleconferences, conduct research, and download information.
- -	The Forest County IDC has also implemented a unique mentoring program coupling high school students with elementary students, using computers, to give the younger students a head start in utilizing the technology.
- - -	Finally, as a result of the Kellogg Foundation grant, the Forest County IDC was able to secure a matching grant of $30,000.00 and plans to “network” the Courthouse and to develop a “collaborative” e-commerce site, hosted by the IDC and providing e-commerce marketing to area retailers.

The Forest County IDA is the County entity primarily responsible for processing low-interest loans on behalf of area businesses, and providing for “soft” services to area businesses in the way of preparation of business plans, technology access and support, market analysis, export services, and other forms of technical support. These services are provided both directly and by referral to a range of organizations including the N/W Regional Planning and Development Commission, the Ben Franklin Program, the PennTap Program, and the Clarion University Small Business Development Center. Even though the bulk of services available from the State are directed to manufacturing and consequently has limited applicability to the economy of our area, the Forest County IDA has successfully processed low-interest loans to some of our area manufacturers. Equally important, the Forest County IDA has aggressively advocated for a change in the current programs permitting retail and commercial businesses to also have access to State resources. As a result, the State and Federal agencies have initiated new programs such as the Entrepreneurial Assistance Program and the Micro-loan Program. While we argue that more needs to be done to provide our economies with assistance similar to more industrialized areas, at least these two programs are a beginning.