Business Resources

The leading corporate site selection and facility planning resource, Area Development, ranks Tennessee: #3 in nation for Doing Business, #1 Energy Availability and Costs, #1 in Site Readiness Programs, #2 in Cooperative and Responsive State Government

TESTIMONIAL: Tennessee Central Economic Authority (TCEA) was a big reason our French company landed in Macon County. They connected with our CEO to help find the facility, facilitated tours, hosted meetings, and brought in government stakeholders to help make a deal. After acquiring the building, we continue to work with them. They helped us understand where to live, where to acquire workforce, where to get training resources, as well as determine wage and benefits. I consider them supportive friends. - Gilles BIDON | Project Director | BABY NOV

Contact recruitment specialist,  Charly Lyons or Dan Tidcomb; 615-374-4607

Site Selection (up to 211,000 square feet): Shovel-ready PowerCom "Hulk"

Cost of living calculator

TCEA assists companies in our region acquire the capital, workforce, and additional pertinent resources needed to help their company grow efficiently. Companies expanding in our region adding as few as 5 employees over 5 years can qualify for incentive grants!

TESTIMONIAL: "TCEA has been a consistent engaging resource to help Weldon grow. They connected us to workforce resources such as a $30k grant, upskilling and leadership training programs, and regional wages and benefits; all of which resulted in our ability to add another shift" - Peter Chia | Plant Manager | Weldon/Christy's - Hartsville

Companies looking to expand can contact TCEA's Retention and Expansion specialist: Dan Tidcomb, 615-374-4607, to be connected to incentive programs and program resources.

TCEA helps manufacturing start-ups get off the ground by finding space, incentives, capital resources, and workforce training opportunities. If you are a start-up, connect with the resouces below and reach out to Dan Tidcomb for further information. 

TESTIMONIAL: “From day one, TCEA has far exceeded any expectations I had of leasing a commercial building. TCEA has always provided a clean, secure and well maintained industrial park which allows me to proudly and confidently give my customers a tour of our growing facility. TCEA have guided us to resources that provide everything from training incentives to state and federal grant programs to help with both employee recruitment and retainage. TCEA takes the worry away from the property management side of owning my business, which allows me more time to focus on what it takes to be successful in today’s economy.” – Matt Dockery | President | Tri-Metal, LLC

MIDDLE TENNESSEE RESOURCES

Launch TN - resource for start-ups in Tennessee

SCORE - free advise and mentorship from business experts

Nashville Entrepreneur Center - co-working space and resource center for entrepreneurs

Small Business Development Center - free service that aim to help businesses grow and succeed

Pathway Lending - a national leader in economic development lending, Pathway Lending is a Community Development Financial Institution that increases access to capital for underserved businesses in Tennessee

UPPER CUMBERLAND RESOURCES

Biz Foundry - co-working space and resource center for entrepreneurs

Small Business Development Center - free service that aim to help businesses grow and succeed

Upper Cumberland Development District - assists businesses wanting to grow through revolving loan funds

FEDERAL LEVEL LOAN OPTIONS

Small Business Administration

USDA

Power:

TVA providing a powerful partnership for industry.

There’s never been a better time to reap the benefits of low-cost electricity from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the nation’s largest public power provider. For over 80 years, TVA has pioneered innovative delivery methods for affordable electricity while developing enhanced management of natural resources, and the results simply keep improving.

Today, TVA rates are some of the most cost-competitive in the U.S., thanks in part to diversified generation that includes nuclear, hydroelectric and fossil fuel. And now even as Unit 2 of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant prepares to go online, augmenting TVA’s power supplies, the corporation continues its strategic implementation of internal cost controls and expansion of energy-efficiency programs. It’s also nice to know that TVA is taking a leadership role in environmental stewardship, not only through greater energy efficiency but also through improved air quality.

Throughout its history, TVA has taken an integrated approach to problem-solving for workable “big picture” solutions—and now more than ever, the needs of industry remain paramount to that picture. With TVA electricity available through a variety of cost-effective local delivery systems, including municipal and cooperative distributors, industry can rely on a powerful, reliable partner in building profitability and long-term success.

Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation

TCEMC serves approximately 50,500 members in a 15 county area that spans from Kentucky to Tennessee.  Tri-County’s wholesale power is supplied by TVA who they proudly partner with in economic development incentive programs.  

When qualifying businesses invest in energy savings, they may receive an incentive payment to help offset some of their costs through the Energy Right Solutions for Business Program. 

The Small Manufacturer Credit is available to companies with a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code between 20 – 39 and a demand falling between 1000 – 5000 kW.  The credit pays on both demand and energy.

The Valley Investment Initiative (VII) offers financial incentives to qualifying power customers who contribute to the economic development of the Valley and compliment TVA’s power system resources.  Awards are paid as monthly power bill credits over a five year period and a based on the five year projections and actual performance in the following categories:  capital investment, jobs added or retained, average wages paid, energy efficiency, load factor & coincident load factor.

Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation

UCEMC, supplied by TVA, serves the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee.  Bustling residential, commercial, and industrial communities flourish in the Upper Cumberland Region of Tennessee due in large part to abundant and economical electric power distributed by UCEMC.

Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation

MTEMC is the State’s largest electric cooperative and is supplied by TVA.  MTEMC distributes electricity to over 200,000 residential and business members in their four-county region.  MTEMC proudly partners with TVA in the Valley Investment Initiative, which offers incentives for members’  continued capital investment, job retention and growth, higher-than-average wages, energy efficiency, and power usage characteristics that complement the TVA power system.

Water:

Growing with the flow of the Cumberland.

At a time when want of water is a serious problem around the world, in large parts of the western U.S. and even some eastern metro areas, our region is blessed with a powerfully abundant asset in the Cumberland River. Rolling through our region spreading thousands of miles of watershed, this mighty body of water, along with local lakes and streams, provides a clean, reliable resource that translates into a superior quality of life for residents, and higher capacity for industry.

And while our water source is superb, expert staffs working in collaboration with engineers and contractors ensure local utility districts and infrastructure maintain the highest quality of water supply and wastewater treatment.

Natural Gas:

“Cleaning up” with affordable natural gas.

Across the nation, natural gas is fueling a renaissance in manufacturing, and here in our region multiple suppliers and distribution systems make this clean resource a strategic go-to option for industry.

Telecommunications:

Acceleration in communication, performance at the speed of business.

​Thanks to an extensive network of fiber optic cable and a diverse roster of high-performance telecommunications providers such as North Central Telephone Cooperative, DTC Communications, and Tri-County Electric, our region’s data and communication options offer utmost responsiveness to industry’s need for speed and quality.