Golden Isles Development Authority receives $107,500 grant
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By Pamela Permar-Shierling
The Golden Isles Development Authority (GIDA) has been awarded a $107,500 grant from the OneGeorgia Authority to complete the surveys and research needed to prepare Mallard Industrial Park for GRAD Certification — a key designation that makes a site more competitive and attractive to companies looking to build or expand. The total project cost is $119,500.
Mallard Industrial Park is a
newly acquired 250+ acre industrial property strategically located on Highway 82, just off I-95 Exit 29 in Glynn County.
The site is ideally positioned to accommodate light to mid-sized industrial users seeking smaller footprints or flexible configurations without the infrastructure requirements of rail or airport adjacency.
Engineering and site preparation are currently underway, with shovel-ready status anticipated within 10–12 months.
The property offers convenient access to Interstate 95, the Port of Brunswick, and U.S. Highway 17, providing excellent connectivity to regional and national markets.
Existing water and wastewater infrastructure is located nearby and can be extended efficiently to serve the park. Electric power is provided by OREMC, with 25 kV service readily available and the potential for transmission-level service depending on final connected load.
Georgia recently awarded $7.8 million in new Rural Site Development Initiative (RSDI) grants through the OneGeorgia Authority to help rural communities prepare land for future employers. These funds support essential work like roads, water, sewer, grading, and the studies needed to make industrial sites fully “shovel‑ready.”
This brings Georgia’s total RSDI investment to $28 million since FY 2025, part of a statewide effort to strengthen rural job growth and economic competitiveness.
GIDA is moving Mallard Industrial Park toward GRAD Certification to better attract employers.
GRAD‑ready sites have helped bring an estimated 10,000 jobs statewide.
RSDI funding supports Southeast Georgia as the forestry industry shifts.
With 64% of new jobs landing in rural areas, RSDI is key to Georgia’s growth.
RSDI grants are awarded for either site improvement or to assist with the costs of seeking Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) certification on approved projects critical to economic development in that area of the state. Communities match state funding at various levels, based on the program’s criteria