The Shoals EDA’s Employment Growth Program is officially renewed! This program, designed to promote the increase of quality employment opportunities within The Shoals community, has been a great success and asset to our community. Through the EGP, we hope to encourage full-time employment growth through a streamlined process and incentive that provides assistance to eligible applicants offering new employment opportunities for Shoals citizens.
From June 2022- June 2023, 11 companies participated in the EGP. These companies created a total of 51 new jobs with an average entry-level wage of $18/hr. This means over $1.9 million in new annual payroll has been created as a result of this program.
It is exciting to witness the positive impact that this program continues to have on the Shoals community and its existing industries! To learn more and/or request an application, contact Rob Jones at (256)349-5632 or rjones@shoalseda.com.
Below is a breakdown of the program’s details and processes:
The EGP provides reimbursement to eligible for-profit companies for hiring between one and ten full-time employees (FTE) per year. The reimbursement amount for each qualified FTE is based on the entry-level wage for the position. Eligible applicants for the EGP must operate under one of the business activities described in the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) shown below.
- 115111 (cotton ginning);
- 22111 (electric power generation);
- 221330 (steam and air-conditioning supply);
- 31 through 33 (manufacturing (except 311811 retail bakeries));
- 423 and 424 (merchant wholesalers, durable goods, and merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods);
- 428 (rail transportation);
- 4862 (pipeline transportation of natural gas);
- 48691 (pipeline transportation of refined petroleum products);
- 48699 (all other pipeline transportation);
- 488190 (only aircraft maintenance and repair services);
- 488210 (only locomotive and railcar repair);
- 4883 (support activities for water transportation, except 48833 navigational services to shipping)
- 493 (only warehousing activity projects that provide logistics services related to the distribution of goods);
- 5111 (newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers);
- 5121 (motion picture and video industries);
- 412210 (record production);
- 517 (telecommunications);
- 5182 (data processing, hosting, and related services);
- 519130 (internet publishing and broadcasting and Web search portals);
- 522320 (financial transactions processing, reserve, and clearinghouse activities);
- 541330 (engineering services primarily engaged in the design, development, and utilization of machines, materials,
- instruments, structures, processes, and systems);
- 541340 (drafting services);
- 541380 (testing laboratories);
- 5415 (computer systems design and related services);
- 541614 (process, physical distribution, and logistics consulting services);
- 5417 (scientific research and development services);
- 551114 (corporate, subsidiary, and regional managing offices);
- 561422 (only inbound call centers);
- 562213 (solid waste combustors and incinerators);
- 56291 (remediation services);
- 56292 (materials recovery facilities);
- 611512 (flight training);
- 811310 (industrial machinery and equipment repair);
- 927 (space research and technology); and,
- 92811 (national security).
For each FTE employed, up to a maximum of ten (10) FTEs per 12-month period, the company will be reimbursed based on the following criteria:
The EGP is an application process with initial requirements:
- Eligible positions must have a starting wage of $12.00/hr.
- An eligible company may include qualified FTEs employed within 30 days prior to the date The Shoals EDA provides the company with an EGP application.
- Applicant cannot have had a reduction in FTEs in the 3 months immediately preceding submission of an EGP application.
- Applicant must be properly licensed to conduct business in Lauderdale County and/or Colbert County.
- New FTEs cannot have previously been employed by the applicant.
- Applicant agrees to forego a request for tax abatements in association with the EGP guidelines.
- Applicant is responsible for submitting proper documentation ensuring that the employment guidelines have been fully achieved.
- Payment of funds can be requested after a new FTE has been employed for 6 consecutive months.
Further and complete details can be found on the local incentive tab of our website. To learn more and/or request an application, contact Rob Jones at (256)349-5632 or rjones@shoalseda.com