A Basic Foundation for Community Development

Community development is a partnership between small businesses and local governments.

Small businesses are the foundation of the American economy, accounting for 65 percent of net new jobs and 44 percent of U.S. private payroll between 1993 and 2009. The responsibility of local governments includes providing public services, infrastructure, public education, and promoting a business environment that fosters job creation and the delivery of retail goods and services to its citizens. Small businesses provide goods and services to consumers and create jobs in the process. Local governments and small businesses must both expend their available revenue and resources as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. Government entities are responsible for prudent management of public assets, while businesses seek to make a reasonable profit to continue their operations. Effective local government and profitable small businesses working together are essential components of society. Both need informed, progressive individuals with the knowledge, vision, and determination to compete successfully in a fast-paced and constantly changing economic environment.

 The MSU-ES Center for Government and Community Development works through local Extension Service offices to provide assistance to Mississippi’s counties and municipalities to identify and improve the assets in their community that are essential for industrial and retail business recruitment, retention, and expansion. The GCD also provides counseling, training, and assistance to start-up and existing small businesses and works with regional planning and development district offices (PDDs), the Mississippi Development Authority, the MSU Department of Agricultural Economics, and other MSU departments to identify and promote potential areas for growth and opportunity in local communities. The goal of the center is to provide knowledge based resources to local governments and businesses that will enable them to build a prosperous and sustainable economy.

The MSU Extension Service, through its training and outreach, is committed to fulfilling the university’s mission as a land-grant institution to provide learning, research, and service to the State of Mississippi and to the advancement of initiatives that serve the public interest and improve the quality of life for its citizens.

Available Workshops and Presentations

1. "The Basics" Small Business Workshop
   (Introductory Information for Start-up and Existing Small Businesses)
2. Principal Sources of Revenue for Local Governments in Mississippi
   (A Comparison with Neighboring States)
3. Access to Capital - Funding and Financing for Local Foods 
   A workshop outlining the many options for gaining access to funding and financing for small farm based business, value added agricultural operation, and local foods initiatives such as farmers markets or special events.  Potential topics include grant writing, funding opportunities, financing, budgeting, agricultural policy, crowdsourcing, and many more.

For more information or to schedule a program, contact:

Hamp Beatty
(662) 325-3141
h.beatty@msstate.edu