Four municipalities receive state site development grants

Four municipalities are among the six new recipients of state Site Development grants totaling more than $6 million.  

The grants are designed to help communities invest in infrastructure and engineering improvements to land economic development projects and achieve Select Tennessee site certification. 

Bartlett received a $100,000 grant for due diligence at the Bartlett Innovation Park. Livingston received $1 million for property grading at the Livingston industrial site. Milan received $241,769 for master planning and sewer infrastructure design as the Milan Arsenal Property. Winfield also received $100,000 for due diligence at the Winfield Industrial Park. 

Additional grants were awarded to the Knox County Industrial Development Board and Morgan County Economic Development Board.  

“What happens in rural Tennessee matters to all of Tennessee, and today’s grant announcement marks another step forward in creating greater economic opportunity across our state,” said Gov. Lee. “I thank our local leaders for their partnership to drive growth in their communities that will in turn attract future investment and job creation.” 

The Site Development Grant program is part of the Rural Economic Opportunity Act, which provides funding to improve the economies of Tennessee’s rural communities. Since 2016, TNECD has awarded 197 Site Development Grants across the state, totaling over $120 million in assistance to local communities and generating 7,459 new jobs for Tennesseans. 

“TNECD’s Site Development program is vital to attracting economic development opportunities in our local communities,” said Commissioner McWhorter. “Just last month, we announced a major project on one of our state’s certified sites – proof that having shovel-ready industrial sites gives Tennessee a competitive edge – and we’re excited that seven more communities are now moving closer to earning this valuable certification.”  

Applications were reviewed by an advisory committee made up of TNECD, Austin Consulting, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Department of Transportation. 

Each application was supported by the community’s senator and representatives in the Tennessee General Assembly.