Home News Tennessee Awards More Than $13 Million in Site Development Grants

Tennessee Awards More Than $13 Million in Site Development Grants

State investment supports rural economic development, job-ready sites

June 30, 2026

Funding Supports Infrastructure Upgrades and Shovel-Ready Industrial Sites Across State

(UCBJ) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Deputy Gov. and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter announced the latest recipients of Site Development Grant (SDG) funding, awarding more than $13 million to support industrial site readiness across the state.

The grants are designed to help communities invest in infrastructure and engineering improvements that prepare sites for economic development projects and position them for Select Tennessee site certification.

“Our administration has made significant investments to strengthen the competitiveness of communities across Tennessee, specifically in our rural areas,” said Gov. Lee. “We appreciate the local leaders who are laying the groundwork for future economic development and positioning their communities to attract new investment and job creation.”

The SDG program is part of the Rural Economic Opportunity Act, which supports efforts to improve economic conditions in Tennessee’s rural communities. Since 2016, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) has awarded 220 site development grants totaling nearly $150 million in assistance to local communities, helping generate 8,471 new jobs tied to projects located on improved sites.

“Access to a shovel-ready site can be the deciding factor in whether a company chooses Tennessee or another state,” said Deputy Gov. and Commissioner McWhorter. “I applaud the communities receiving grants today for their commitment to preparing for future economic growth and investment through TNECD’s Site Development Grant program, and I look forward to seeing the impact these investments will have in their regions.”

Grant recipients include:

City of Lewisburg – I-65 Commerce Park, $100,000 (due diligence)
City of Sparta – Sparta/White County Industrial Park Site, $71,280 (due diligence)
Industrial Development Board of McMinnville (Warren County) – Mountain View Industrial Park North Site, $975,000 (sewer infrastructure)
Industrial Development Board of Montgomery County – Clarksville-Montgomery County Corporate Business Park North Tract 7, $100,000 (due diligence)
Industrial Development Board of Roane County – Buttermilk Road Site, $4,049,654 (due diligence and property purchase)
Industrial Development Board of Robertson County – White House Union Springs Business Park, $3,136,979 (access road construction)
Industrial Development Board of Scott County – Airport Industrial Site, $100,000 (engineering and due diligence)
Jackson Energy Authority – Airport Industrial Park Site B, $773,500 (sewer infrastructure)
Morgan County Economic Development Board – Morgan County East Industrial Park, $4,372,209 (property clearing, site improvements, access road construction, and water and sewer infrastructure design)
Nickajack Port Authority – Nickajack Industrial Site, $100,000 (due diligence)

Applications were reviewed by an advisory committee including representatives from TNECD, Austin Consulting, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Each application was supported by local senators and representatives in the Tennessee General Assembly.