BUSINESS PLUS
Creating and supporting job growth in Southern Idaho is serious business. With $1.42 million in hand thanks to the support of over 70 private investors, new and expanding businesses who add base-industry jobs may tap into these available Business Plus funds. (http://www.business-plus.org/) Business Plus is unique in Idaho largely because of it's 100 percent support by private investment and because grants monies go directly to businesses for job creation.
Business Plus enables the community to provide financial support to both existing and new business and industries for plant and equipment investment based on additions to the local workforce. Business Plus is for existing business retention and expansion, new business attraction and recruitment, and workforce preparedness.
In September 2002, Business Plus began as a seamless fundraising extension effort of Business Plus , a similar five-year operation that raised $1.6 million and created more than 900 jobs in the area. Like its predecessor, Business Plus will primarily focus on job development, business retention, expansion, attraction and recruitment. This campaign will be led and managed by board members representing all six Magic Valley counties - Twin Falls, Jerome, Buhl, Gooding, Minidoka and Cassia. This will be a collaborative effort all six Chamber of Commerce's, the Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization (SIEDO), county economic development organizations, the College of Southern Idaho as well as private sectors throughout the Magic Valley.
- For existing business, an incentive plan is in place to encourage existing businesses and industries to expand their operations locally and add additional employees. Business Plus funds are also available to new local start-up operations.
- Business Plus also has a focused plan to provide incentives to select businesses and industries to relocate their operation to the Twin Falls area
- The available workforce in the Magic Valley over the past dozen years has encouraged new diversity in the mix of business and industry and associated new job skills. The College of Southern Idaho and ARTEC (see Training section) provide courses and training that will provide a smooth transition into this new technology. And graduates are encouraged to remain in the Magic Valley and make up the labor pool for local business and for industries relocating to the area. Business Plus enhances the CSI and Public Schools alliance through it's own workforce development plan.
Contact: Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce 208-733-3874
http://www.twinfallschamber.com/
The College of Southern Idaho (CSI) has created the Work Force Development Center, an integrated workforce development program that coordinates three specific programs for assuring the local workforce is qualified to meet the challenges brought on my rapid technological changes and the growing economy.