The cash comes from the National Institute of Standards and Technology - and goes to regional support agencies MAGNET, and NorTech.
Magnet's Greg Krizman says the $285 thousand dollars will assist in connecting old style manufacturers, with new opportunities in emerging industries like biomass conversion and electric car production.
KRIZMAN:
"Companies that perhaps have some excess capacity now, because they don't have as much work as they used to in the regular auto industry, they're looking for things to do - this might be something that would be very attractive to those companies."
Magnet will use the grant to coach and train a group of manufacturing companies yet to be chosen, and is accepting applications.
A successful first year would lead to a re-assessment and possible renewal of the grant for the following year. Nationwide, the Department of Commerce issued grants totaling $9.1 million, for 22 projects.
