Georgia Power South Region Vice President, Terri Lupo and External Affairs Manager, Kevin McCraney presented a $10,000 grant to Sue Cox, Vice Chair of the Chamber’s Business Expansion Division at the Chamber Board of Directors meeting Tuesday. The grant, given by the Georgia Power Foundation, will be used for a feasibility analysis for the Chamber’s Business Incubator Project.

“We think this project has potential, and we are excited to be a part of it,” said Lupo.

The incubator project is part of the Chamber’s charge to grow jobs for college and university graduates to increase the average weekly wages in Valdosta-Lowndes County.

The Business Incubator would provide intense services to start-up companies with high-growth potential and would be an extension of the Chamber’s SEEDS Business Resource Center. Incubator clients would pay a reasonable fee to receive business services such as counseling in accounting, marketing, and legal along with office space and facilities for client meetings and workshops. Incubator clients would be chosen on a selective basis and would “graduate” from the Incubator once they reach set profit levels and would be required to move into other real estate in the community.

“The incubator project is still in the planning stage,” said Chamber Incubator Task Force Chairman Tim Jones (Citizens Community Bank). “We look forward to the outcome of the feasibility analysis. “ Completing a feasibility analysis for a business incubator is a goal of the Chamber’s IMPACT 2012 initiative.

For more information visit www.OpportunityCentral.net.