Mississippi

Advancing Equity in Mississippi's Recovery

Jackson, Mississippi is confronting widespread job loss, falling tax revenues, massive state and city government budget cuts, and loss of traditional revenue sources as home sales decline and consumers slash their spending in response to the deepening recession. In many cities and rural areas across the state, the recession has placed a severe burden on many families, as Mississippi’s financial insolvency has stalled major commercial development projects and consigned hospitals, roads, and other public services to a state of disrepair.

PolicyLink is working to develop partnerships and encourage decisions that promote an inclusive and equitable economic recovery for places across the state. The Mississippi National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), PolicyLink, and the Community Innovators Lab (CoLab) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are assisting the cities of Jackson, Hattiesburg, and Moss Point in their bids to secure federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG). These grants will provide much-needed money for infrastructure and workforce development, green jobs, environmental protection, and housing.

PolicyLink recently organized trainings for newly elected mayors on how to locate and leverage recovery resources. This is complimented by the work of the NAACP in organizing mayors to apply for funds which will be used to support the economic justice work of local non-profits. PolicyLink is working closely with the NAACP in exploring opportunities for African-American contractors and strategizing how they can position themselves to participate in stimulus-related projects.