Grant Simonton

RARE Member Grant SimontonEmail: Gsimonton@co.marion.or.us
Title: Economic Development Technician
Organization: Marion County Economic Development
Community: Salem – Marion County
Population: 346,703
County Served: Marion County

Meet Grant Simonton:

Grant was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, where he graduated from the University of Oregon in 2012, earning a B.A. in History and a minor in Political Science. He spent the ensuing years working in various industries including financial services, mortgages, health insurance, and e-commerce. Grant is passionate about community placemaking, human connection, and highlighting how individuals’ unique perspectives and identities strengthen communities and organizations. He loves hiking/backpacking in nature, meeting new people, cooking, spending time with his partner, and supporting the greatest soccer team in North London: Arsenal.

Community and Organization:

Grant is part of the Marion County Economic Development team which promotes business, workforce, and infrastructure development. His office is in downtown Salem, but his work supports the entire county, ranging from the mid-Willamette Valley to the North Santiam Canyon. Marion County has a population of 346,703 and is host to the state’s capital, Salem, as well as one of the oldest universities on the West Coast, Willamette University.

Projects:

During his service year Grant will focus on broadband infrastructure expansion and funding sources. He acts as a liaison between Internet Service Providers, community anchor institutions, stakeholders, and federal and state funding sources to ensure ISPs/applicable parties are positioned to submit strong grant applications to build out broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved areas of Marion County. Grant will also review and help redevelop the next 5-year plan for the Community Prosperity Initiative program, which annually distributes lottery funds to each of the 20 incorporated cities in Marion County. The programmatic goal is offering equitable access to funds for community identified projects that deliver community driven impacts and help foster a great place to live.