Clarksdale, Miss. – The Delta Regional Authority (DRA), in collaboration with the state of Tennessee, recently invested more than $6.3 million toward nine projects in Western Tennessee through its States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) — one of DRA’s main investment tools.
A coordinated effort among DRA, its Board of Governors and Local Development Districts, SEDAP aims to improve basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, business development and job training in communities across DRA’s eight-state service region. This year in Tennessee, nine projects were selected for SEDAP funding at an investment upwards of $6.3 million.
“The States’ Economic Development Assistance Program is one of DRA’s most diverse tools that allow us to expand and invest in the resiliency of the region’s public infrastructure and workforce,” said Dr. Corey Wiggins, DRA Federal Co-Chairman. “As a result of this investment, more than 1,500 jobs will be created or retained and 1,00 people trained, improving residents’ quality of life and increasing economic prosperity across nine communities.”
For these projects, DRA coordinated directly with the Office of the Governor for the State of Tennessee and the state’s Local Development Districts for program funding implementation.
SEDAP award recipients in the state of Tennessee include:
City of Lexington was awarded more than $1.5 million to support a climate control project that will improve an existing manufacturing facility’s need for climate control measures that will help create an environment conducive for retaining employees, ensuring the manufacturing company can attract and retain its much-needed workforce that is critical to the economic vitality of the city and of Henderson County.
Savannah Industrial Development Corporation was awarded approximately $1 million to aid in the acquisition of a vacant facility to help support the expansion needs of two locally owned manufacturing companies in Hardin County to ensure to ongoing operations of the companies within the area, which is critical to the community’s economic well-being.
Jackson Regional Airport Authority was awarded more than $1.1 million to demolish an outdated, underutilized aircraft hangar to allow for the construction of a new passenger terminal to enhance regional transportation infrastructure, support economic growth and improve access to essential services.
McNairy County was awarded approximately $635,000 to purchase radiography and imaging equipment and software for a free-standing emergency care facility being established within the county to ensure the health care provider can deliver comprehensive, high-quality care to local and area residents in the absence of a full hospital.
Floor Covering Education Foundation was awarded $350,000 to develop a modernized workforce development program that will transform traditional flooring installation training into an innovative hybrid delivery, expediting workforce entry to address the critical shortage of skilled flooring installers in the Memphis region.
Boilermakers and Welding Institute was awarded $375,000 for a workforce development project that will train youth and unemployed/underemployed adults for high-demand roles in manufacturing, logistics and automation, addressing urgent labor market gaps in the Greater Memphis region.
CodeCrew was awarded nearly $349,000 to create a community-based workforce lab that will expand access to Code School, a nine-month AI software engineering program that provides hands-on training, soft skills support and direct employer connect, to strengthen both workforce training and local entrepreneurship, resulting in an increase in employment, wages and long-term economic mobility for individuals throughout Memphis and the Mid-South.
LaunchYourCity was awarded $465,000 for an accelerator program that will focus on accessing the needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs in Downtown Memphis, ensuring they grow and thrive within the Central Business District.
Industrial Development Board of the Town of Covington was awarded $509,000 to complete critical soil stabilization for a multimillion-dollar manufacturing expansion project that will strengthen local infrastructure, advance regional goals of job creation, workforce competitiveness and community resilience in Tipton County.
For more information about SEDAP, visit www.dra.gov.
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