Cooperative Energy Awards More Than $277,000 in Grants to Support Economic Development in Mississippi
Jan 16, 2025 - Hattiesburg, MS
Sara Peterson, Director Corporate Communications
Cooperative Energy
601-705-6614 – Office
601-297-3419 - Cell
speterson@cooperativeenergy.com
Cooperative Energy, together with the 11 Member electric distribution cooperatives it serves, invested $277,500 in strategic economic development efforts across the state in 2024.
The grant funds were awarded as part of the Cooperative Competes program which provides funding for proactive site and community development to attract new capital investment and job creation to the region.
“Continued funding of the Cooperative Competes program reflects the unwavering commitment of our Members to advancing economic opportunities in Mississippi,” said Jeff C. Bowman, Cooperative Energy president and CEO. “Through this grant fund, even our most rural communities are empowered to maximize local, state, and federal resources, enhancing their readiness to attract investments and create jobs that transform their economies.”
In 2024, the following grants were awarded for community and economic development efforts:
Greene County - $15,000. Funds were awarded to complete an ALTA (American Land Title Association) Survey of the Greene County Rail Site, served by Singing River Electric.
Leflore/Carroll County – The Greenwood Leflore Carroll Economic Development Foundation received a $10,000 grant to offset the costs of marketing strategy, rebranding, and website design and to support future marketing efforts. The Leflore/Carroll County region is served by Delta Electric.
Marion County – $12,500. Funds assisted with a workforce analysis of the region to support industrial recruitment in Marion County, served by Pearl River Valley Electric.
Pearl River County – $25,000 was awarded to support site work and to construct an entrance road to the 30-acre Pearl River County Technology Park located north of NASA’s Stennis Space Center and served by Coast Electric. The grant will assist Pearl River County with a portion of the local match for the Mississippi Development Authority’s Site Development Program through which they received an additional $50,000 for the project. An additional $5,000 grant was awarded to assist in completing a comprehensive strategic incentives plan for economic development efforts in the County.
Pike County - $31,000 in funds were awarded to complete environmental due diligence studies of the Gateway Industrial Park, including an ALTA Survey and an updated Wetlands Delineation and Threatened and Endangered Species report. Gateway Industrial Park is served by Magnolia Electric Power.
Scott County – A $50,000 grant supports completing environmental due diligence of the Lake MS I-20 Site, served by Southern Pine Electric. The grant will assist Scott County with a portion of the local match for the Mississippi Development Authority’s Site Development Program through which the project received an additional $250,000 grant.
Wayne County – Dixie Electric awarded $25,000 to Sipcam Agro USA to support required building improvements and rehabilitation of the Waynesboro facility after the company acquired Odom Industries. The acquisition project resulted in the retention of 88 full-time jobs, the creation of 26 new jobs, and a $3,600,000 capital investment by Sipcam Agro USA.
In addition to the Cooperative Competes grants awarded for community and economic development efforts, funds were also used to support Cooperative Energy’s SiteInvest program. Cooperative Energy awarded $104,000 to complete industrial park master plans for six industrial properties identified as SiteInvest “Premier Properties.” This recognition comes after a thorough review process, including rigorous evaluation by third-party engineering experts, Burns & McDonnell, as part of Cooperative Energy's strategic initiative to enhance industrial property readiness. Sites that received Cooperative Competes funds for master planning include:
Eagle One Mega Site – Forrest/Lamar Counties
Greene County Rail Site – Greene County
Helena Industrial Complex – Jackson County
I-59 South Industrial Site – Jones County
I-59 Supply Chain Park – Hattiesburg/Jones County
Jackson County Aviation and Technology Park – Jackson County
The Cooperative Competes initiative, aimed at increasing product and community competitiveness, was unveiled in early 2019. A component of the initiative allows economic development organizations to apply for grant funds to offset industrial property development costs or invest in other community and economic development efforts. These funds are provided jointly by Cooperative Energy’s 11-Member electric distribution cooperatives.
Since the program’s inception, 74 Cooperative Competes grants totaling over $2.5 million have been awarded across 28 counties in the state.
For more information about Cooperative Competes or the economic development efforts of Cooperative Energy, visit www.cooperativeenergy.com/economic-development
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About Cooperative Energy
Cooperative Energy serves as the generation and transmission partner for 11 Member-owned electric cooperatives. Known as the Power of 12, Cooperative Energy and its Members work together to provide reliable, affordable, and responsible power from the Mississippi Delta to the Coast. Together, the electric cooperatives power the lives of more than 1 million Mississippians throughout 55 counties.