ATLANTA – Four Georgia communities will receive $7.5 million in grants through a state program designed to foster economic development in rural counties.
The OneGeorgia Authority’s Rural Site Development Initiative helps communities identify, assess, and develop new ready-for-development industrial sites. Eligible activities include site studies, land grading, and other infrastructure projects that support site development.
“Georgia offers the workforce, connectivity, and business-friendly environment for companies to be successful in every corner of the state,” Gov. Brian Kemp said late Wednesday. “The Rural Site Development Initiative helps us maintain that competitive edge over other states by empowering communities to build on that success and turn fields of dreams into sources of good-paying jobs for rural Georgians.”
Grants of $2 million each will go to the Development Authority of Milledgeville and Baldwin County, the Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority, and the Worth County Economic Development Authority.
The Baldwin County project will include construction of an entry road and other improvements at a 1,500-acre site called Sibley Place.
The Dublin-Laurens County grant will help finance sewage and drainage improvements at a 250-acre site along Georgia 257.
Worth County’s economic development agency will use its $2 million for water, drainage, road, and other infrastructure improvements at the 196-acres Worth County Industrial Complex.
The fourth grant – worth about $1.5 million – will go the Development Authority of Bulloch County for site grading and sewer improvements at the 69-acre Cannady Site.
In each case, the local development agency contributed a share of the financing toward each project.
“The Rural Site Development Initiative empowers communities to proactively shape economic growth that aligns with their long-term goals,” said Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “As we build on years of economic success, investing in new site development ensures we sustain and accelerate that momentum.”
This was the second round of funding under the state program. A first round of $9.3 million in grants to six local development authorities was announced last December.