SOUTH PARIS – A $150,000 grant for the Growth Council of Oxford Hills will be used to expand networking opportunities for area business owners, entrepreneurs and those in the building industry.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will distribute the money to the council over two years through its Rural Housing and Economic Development Program. On Thursday, council President Brett Doney said his organization will use the money to promote business and housing development opportunities by helping people work together through new and existing networking programs.

The council already has a business development network, and that’s one of the area services that will be expanded, Doney said. In addition, the organization would like to start up a network for entrepreneurs.

“It’s really to connect entrepreneurs so that they share information, and that tends to lead to sharing other types of things,” Doney said. While people introduced through such a network may begin by trading ideas and advice, he said, in the end they could potentially buy supplies together.

But networks for business owners and entrepreneurs is just the beginning for the growth council. Next on the list is a network for housing developers and providers. By bringing these groups together, Doney said, area communities will be better able to meet their needs in terms of affordable housing, first-time homes, upscale rentals, assisted-living facilities and homes for empty-nesters. These are all housing types that are needed in the region, Doney said.

Tackling one last area, Doney said the growth council also hopes to start a network for small businesses in the tourism industry. Creating better coordination and communication between tourism-related businesses will strengthen the industry and help it grow, he said.