Jasper County Economic Development Corporation is getting another $25,000 from the County to continue the Small Grant Program into fiscal year 2025. On Tuesday morning, the County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Jasper County Economic Development Director Jeff Davidson’s request to continue the program. Davidson started it several years ago, to financially assist economic development in the county’s eight towns outside of Newton. 

“We were encouraging the towns to come up with the ideas of something they can’t quite pull off, but does promote economic development.”

Davidson said this year, the small grant program provided $3,750 to The Gathering Place in Monroe. The funding went towards the hiring of a part-time staff member to organize the community center facility and oversee volunteers. The Station Street Bicycle Shop in Mingo received a $9,310 grant to provide convenience and grocery items in their store for both area residents and bicycle trail visitors. The City of Sully received this year’s final grant. It was $10,000 for the development of a Comprehensive Plan to create a vision for the community over the next 20 years.