Business Assistance

AIDT (Workforce Recruitment and Training)

AIDT is among the top workforce training programs in the US and provides state of the art training and support services for new an­d expanding businesses. AIDT is ISO 9001:2008 certified and provides training staff, mobile training units, in-house design and production facilities, recruitment assistance, customized pre-employment training, and production of training materials and videos for employee development at no cost to business and industry.

Alabama Technology Network (ATN)

Regional centers provide a range of services customized to the needs of local small manufacturers helping them be more globally competitive.

Alabama Career Centers

Assistance is available to support employers with employee recruitment and prescreening.
Hayneville Career Center
Phone: 334-548-6307
Location: Family Guidance Center
Address: 22 Washington Street N
Hayneville, AL 36040
Days Open: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays

Fort Deposit Career Center
Phone: 334-404-4400
Location: Public Library
Address: 24 South Pollard Street
Fort Deposit, AL 36032
Days Open: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays

Central AlabamaWorks

Central AlabamaWorks! is a non-profit organization established to work throughout Region 5, a thirteen-county workforce region in Central Alabama including the following counties: Autauga, Bullock, Chambers, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery, Perry, Russell, and Tallapoosa. To learn more, see Central AlabamaWork's website.

Lowndes County has three separate areas designated as Enterprise Zones eligible for additional tax and local tax incentives for businesses that locate or expand within these zones. Some benefits include:

Enterprise zone tax incentives:

• Credit based on income tax liability from Enterprise Zone Project Operations
• Credit for new capital investment
• Company may claim a credit of up to $1,000 per new permanent employee for training new permanent employees in new skill areas

Enterprise zone tax exemptions:

• Sales and use tax on purchases of construction-related materials, machinery and equipment used in the zone
• Income tax for five years
• Business privilege for five years

Accelerate Alabama Fund

Provides loans to fund site preparation in counties with populations less than 25,000 in an amount up to $2 million per project is at least 25 jobs are created, or up to $1 million if less than 25 jobs would be created. Two sites per year located outside of these counties can receive this funding at the Governor's discretion.

AlabamaSAVES (Sustainable and Verifiable Energy Savings) Loan Program

Provides 10 year, 2% interest rate loans of $250,000 - $4,000,000, covering up to 90% of total project costs to help existing industries finance energy-savings improvements to their facilities.

Industrial Development Grant Program

Grants awarded to counties, municipalities, development boards or authorities, port authorities, or public corporations for site preparation or reasonable rehabilitation of an existing building or structure necessary to attract a qualifying project. Size of grant is dependent on amount of capital investment.

Industrial Access Road and Bridge Program

Covers cost of construction, construction engineering, and inspection costs for providing public access to new or expanding distribution, manufacturing, or industrial firms.

Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs)

May be used as long term financing of up to 100% of a project including

• Acquisition of land, buildings, site preparation, and improvements
• Construction of buildings
• Acquisition and installation of furnishings, fixtures, and equipment
• Capitalizable soft costs (e.g., architectural and engineering, interest incurred during construction, cost associated with bond issuance, etc.

Regional Revolving Loan Funds for Economic Development

Fixed rate financing, at below market rates, for business startup or expansions and economic or community development projects is directly available through South Central Alabama Development Commission

Alabama Innovation Fund

This state level fund provides grant funding to public universities within Alabama to leverage research and development expenditures that support economic development initiatives within the state.

USDA Rural Development

The USDA provides a variety of loan, grant, and loan guarantee programs, plus technical assistance for companies looking to develop in rural areas. More information about these programs, including grant and loan information, can be found on the USDA Rural Development – Alabama website.

One-Stop Environmental Permitting

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is the state's one-stop shop for environmental permitting with the authority to issue the permits required by all the major federal environmental laws.