Jackson County Industrial Development Authority

Jackson County Industrial Development Authority

Jul 29, 2025

The Jackson County Industrial Development Authority (JCIDA) is a constitutional authority that has the responsibility for economic development for all of Jackson County, Georgia. The JCIDA’s primary source of funding is from fees received for issuing bonds.

Although the JCIDA has an active Board that’s made up of five members, the JCIDA does not have staff. Instead, the JCIDA pays membership dues to the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce. The Jackson Chamber then uses the JCIDA’s membership dues (and those of all other Jackson Alliance Members) to fund and staff the Jackson Alliance.

  1. The JCIDA pays membership dues to the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce.
  2. The Jackson Chamber funds and staffs the Jackson Alliance.
  3. The Jackson Alliance manages Economic Development for all of Jackson County, GA.
  4. The Jackson County Industrial Authority provides direction and approval for Economic Development projects.

The Jackson County Industrial Development Authority provides direction for the Economic Development staff at the Jackson Alliance. The Economic Development team reports to the JCIDA Board and makes recommendations in matters relating to Economic Development projects, such as when and how to use incentives to spur capital investment in Jackson County from new business locations and established industry expansions. The JCIDA then provides feedback and direction about how to proceed.

Using and Approving Incentives in Jackson County, GA

The JCIDA is not the only group that provides feedback and/or approval for using incentives: tax abatements in particular. In Jackson County, before a tax abatement is offered, all stakeholders that will be directly impacted are given the chance to review the proposed tax abatement and voice their concern or approval. The decision to provide a tax abatement is made as a group. Final approval for incentives and/or tax abatements is subject to a vote in a public meeting of the appropriate governing bodies

EMPOWER College and Career Center: Coming Soon

EMPOWER College and Career Center: Coming Soon

Jul 29, 2025

The Empower College and Career Center, also known as Empower C3 or even EC3, is a charter high school that will offer several different career pathways. Empower College and Career Center will serve high school students from the Jackson County School System and Commerce City Schools beginning in the 2020 school year. Empower C3 is part of the College and Career Academy initiative in the State of Georgia and is under the Technical College System of Georgia.

Partnership Between Business and Education

The Empower College and Career Center is the result of a six year long collaborative effort among Jackson County, Georgia’s established industries and businesses, educational partners, and community and elected leadership. The participating businesses have a direct input in the curriculum so the skills the students are learning match the skills that are in high demand. Of course, several businesses and industries even provided a financial contribution – which is VERY much appreciated!

Business and community leaders visited Thinc College and Career Academy in late 2018 to learn best practices and get ideas for EC3.

Even though school starts in 2020, there are still plenty of opportunities for everyone to get involved with Empower C3. Students, parents, elected officials, businesses, established industries, etc., can all be part of this partnership and provide meaningful contributions in terms of public support, input on curriculum, time, and financial contributions.

Empower’s Location and Funding

The future home of the Empower College and Career Center is directly in the center of Jackson County. The Jackson County School District is building a new high school which will be built in the western side of Jackson County near Braselton and Hoschton. Once the new high schools is completed, the current high school, Jackson County Comprehensive High School will be converted for use as the Empower College and Career Center.

The Technical College System of Georgia approved $3 million in funding for the Empower College and Career Center on December 10, 2018. This was one of the final pieces required to get Empower C3 funded.

Business and community leaders visited Thinc College and Career Academy in late 2018 to learn best practices and get ideas for EC3.

Georgia Department of Economic Development

Georgia Department of Economic Development

Jul 29, 2025

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) has been one of Jackson County’s top partners in Economic Development. There’s been numerous deals over the years that have been the result of the hard work of the team at the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Number 1 State for Business

Georgia has been consistently ranked as the “Number One State for Business” by Site Selection Magazine – a top publication in the Economic Development Industry. As of 2019, Georgia has been selected for this honor an incredible six times in a row!

Jackson County’s Critical Economic Development Partner

Economic Development in Jackson County, GA has seen quite a bit of activity over the past several years and the Georgia Department of Economic Development has been at the center of the action. Just a few of the Projects GDEcD has helped include Baker & Taylor, Kubota Tractor, GE Appliances, and the “largest foreign direct investment project ever announced in Georgia, State history,” the SK Innovation project.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development has a team of several Project Managers that each focus on specific industry sectors. In some cases, some GDEcD Project Managers also focus on business development from various international markets. GDEcD Project Managers are usually the first to point of contact for new and expanding businesses (aka “Prospect”) that are considering locating in Georgia. Once the Project Managers determine the needs of the Prospect, they select and contact the locations in the State of Georgia that are able to best meet the Prospect’s criteria.

Jackson County, Georgia has two major advantages – the close proximity to the Atlanta Market and the huge amount industrial property that’s available for development and the industrial buildings that have already been developed. The Jackson Alliance works closely with the Georgia Department of Economic Development to make sure everything Jackson County has to offer is easy to find and readily available for when the State’s Project Managers are looking for Georgia’s best sites.

Electric Cities of Georgia’s Office of Economic & Community Development

Electric Cities of Georgia’s Office of Economic & Community Development

Jul 28, 2025

Electric Cities of Georgia’s Office of Economic & Community Development, better known as “ECG,” is one of Jackson County’s utility partners that provides support for Economic Development be helping with new business recruitment and established industry expansions. ECG also provides technical solutions like economic and demographic reports, available industrial property database, GIS mapping services, and customized marketing materials.

Membership Organization
ECG is a membership organization that’s made up of the 52 electric utility communities in the State of Georgia. In Jackson County, ECG services the City of Commerce area. However, the ECG’s Office of Economic & Community Development serves the entire State of Georgia. Their goal is to bring economic growth and development to the entire State which will in turn, benefit the ECG communities. ECG’s member communities also get the added bonus of having access to help with retail recruitment strategy development, customized market research, and marketing materials.

How Electric Cities of Georgia Supports Economic Development
One main way ECG provides support for Economic Development is by acting as a liaison between local communities and prospective businesses that are considering locating in Georgia. Typically, ECG’s Economic Development Team will partner with a Project Manager from the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Once they know what the prospect is looking for and have identified the best possible properties that match the prospect’s needs, they then contact the local economic development representative to request more information. In Jackson County, the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce created a sub-organization titled “The Alliance for Economic Development, Jackson County, Georgia (Jackson Alliance)” to serve as the central economic development organization for all of Jackson County. You’re looking at the Jackson Alliance’s website right now.