Vicksburg-Warren County Partnership wins $10,000 Entergy Excellerator grant

In a post-COVID-19 world, it will take more than business as usual to get noticed by companies looking to move or expand facilities.

For the Vicksburg-Warren County Partnership, that means building an access road leading into a 174-acre site in the Ceres Industrial Park. The organization plans to use a $10,000 Excellerator Grant from Entergy Mississippi toward construction of the road.

This is the third year that the Vicksburg-Warren County Partnership has won Excellerator grants.

Ceres Industrial Park, which is 10 miles east of Vicksburg on Interstate 20, has 1,000 available acres in the park, including three parcels totaling 266 acres that have been qualified through Entergy’s Economic Development Qualified Site Program.

Entergy has awarded the organization and other economic development groups in the communities it serves more than $100,000 in matching grants through the company’s Excellerator Competitive Communities program. In its fourth year, the program recognizes excellence in marketing, site readiness and organizational excellence.

“These grants are more important than ever as we work to help Mississippi recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19,” said Ed Gardner, Entergy Mississippi director of business and economic development, in a statement. “The world of economic development is highly competitive, and Entergy works hard to help our communities be as prepared as possible so they can increase their chances of success.”

This year marketing grant applications topped the list. This shows that economic development organizations are enhancing the ways they promote their communities to site selectors.

Marketing grant winners:

• Greater Jackson Alliance
• Greater Grenada Partnership
• Southwest Mississippi Partnership
• Washington County Economic Alliance

Entergy’s interest in helping communities develop and maintain quality industrial sites continues to be paramount. The company continues to invest in site readiness activities that support industrial growth and sustainability.

Site readiness grant recipients:

• Claiborne County Economic Development District
• Hinds County Economic Development Authority
• Pike County Economic Development District
• Warren County Partnership

The success of a community is dependent on the health and structure of its economic development organization. Entergy supports nurturing successful economic development groups.

Organizational Excellence winners:

• Washington County Economic Alliance
• Cleveland – Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce

Along with assessments and grants, the Excellerator program offers training and workshops to all counties in Entergy’s service area. Entergy’s economic development team works with communities year-round to help prepare them for growth.

“We invest in our communities so customers can have opportunities without having to leave the state,” Gardner said. “This program helps people stay and thrive right here in Mississippi.”