Area Groups Get Development Grants

The Mississippi Development Authority recently awarded nine Site Development Grants to economic development entities throughout the state. The matching grant program is designed to assist nonprofit economic development organizations or local governments in preparing available greenfield sites for industrial development.

The program is open to all economic development organizations and units of local government. Grant recipients are selected after MDA’s Grants Review Committee thoroughly reviews each application’s proposed site development and its potential for improving industrial recruitment efforts.

Applicants can only apply for one project and must match state grant dollars 1:1. Individual county projects are eligible for a maximum of $25,000 in matching funds from MDA, and multi-county proposals are eligible for up to $35,000 in matching funds.

Recipients of Site Development Grant Program funds for 2013 are:

— Panola Partnership

— Washington County

— Booneville-Prentiss County

— Madison County Economic Development Authority

— Winston County Economic Development Partnership

— Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber and Industrial Development Foundation

— Economic Development Authority of Jones County

— Area Development Partnership

— Hancock County Port and Harbor

“MDA’s Site Development Grant Program is a great resource for economic development organizations to access in order to increase their competitiveness when it comes to attracting new industry to their regions,” said MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen. “Companies often seek locations that are shovel-ready so they can begin construction immediately, and this grant program assists in creating more shovel-ready sites throughout the state. We congratulate our partners at these nine organizations for being selected for these matching grants, and we appreciate their proactive approach to economic development and job creation.”