Mississippi Development Authority

Supports Mississippi growth through business incentives, infrastructure upgrades, and local workforce and community development resources.

Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is Mississippi's state economic development agency, responsible for job creation and new investment through business incentives, workforce programs, infrastructure grants, and federal pass-through capital. It also administers community development routes for local governments and public entities, while business-facing support runs through tax credits, grants, loans, and equity-linked SSBCI channels.

The better-known business routes include MFLEX, which requires at least $2.5 million of investment and 10 new jobs, the Site Development Grant Program with awards up to $250,000, the state's minority and small business loan programs, and InvestMS Direct Investment, which can reach $3 million. MDA's $86 million SSBCI allocation also flows in part through Innovate Mississippi, and the department's wider program set includes Mississippi Skills Training / R&D Tax Credit and Mississippi Works.

Its delivery model is broad and pragmatic: MDA uses separate tracks for CDBG public-facilities grants, rail/port/airport revolving loans, and the Development Infrastructure Grant, all limited to local governments and public entities. For founders and operators, MDA fits projects that can pair capital spending with job creation, while the community routes stay outside private business use.