
SBA Paycheck Protection Program will help small business keep paying workers
Small businesses across Alabama can benefit from a U.S. Small Business Administration program that is designed to help these enterprises keep their workers on the payroll during the coronavirus crisis. The Paycheck Protection Program provides a direct incentive for small businesses to maintain their workforces by getting cash into their hands quickly in the form of…

UAB teams with biotech firm Altimmune to test potential COVID-19 vaccine
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The University of Alabama at Birmingham announced today that it is launching a collaboration with biopharmaceutical company Altimmune for preclinical testing of a potential vaccine to prevent COVID-19 disease. The testing at UAB will investigate immune responses to the vaccine in mice — a key step before Altimmune can launch a Phase 1 human…

Alabama small businesses can seek SBA COVID-19 disaster loans
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Governor Kay Ivey announced today that small businesses across Alabama negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic are eligible for assistance under the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The SBA program will help qualified businesses and non-profit organizations recover from economic losses tied to the abrupt downturn triggered…

Alabama earns Top 10 rankings in ‘Site Selection’ 2019 Governor’s Cups
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Alabama’s economic development successes in 2019 earned the state a pair of Top 10 rankings in “Site Selection” magazine’s annual Governor’s Cups analysis. Alabama ranked No. 6 among the states in projects per capita, a measurement that places smaller states on a more level playing field in the “Site Selection” analysis. The…

Alabama film industry set for blockbuster year after record 2019
The cameras are rolling on a golden period for film activity in Alabama, which is generating a record level of production expenditures while creating jobs and elevating the state’s profile in the industry. The Alabama Film Office reported the 20 approved film and TV productions that qualified for state incentives in 2019 spent nearly $72…

Exports of Alabama-made autos, aerospace parts rise in tough trade year
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Despite ongoing disruptions in global trade relationships, Alabama’s exports of goods and services totaled $20.7 billion in 2019 as overseas shipments of motor vehicles, auto parts and aerospace products continued to show strength. The value of Alabama exports last year declined 3 percent from 2018’s total and fell just 4.6 percent shy…

Growing Alabama Credit fuels improvements at Etowah County mega-site
GADSDEN, Alabama – Plans are under way for a $2.7-million site-improvement project for the Little Canoe Creek Mega-Site funded through the state’s Growing Alabama Credit program. The Etowah County Commission’s application was approved by the Renewal of Alabama Commission in December, and funding has been secured through a Norfolk Southern Corp. donation. The project will…

Sec. Canfield to attend signing of historic trade deal with China
Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield will attend the ceremonial signing of the Phase 1 trade deal between the United States and China at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. President Donald Trump will sign an 86-page agreement with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He that includes a commitment by China that it will make…

6 trends fueling Alabama’s economic growth in 2020 and beyond
Alabama’s economy is humming on all cylinders as a new decade begins, with job rolls swelling to record numbers and an ultra-low unemployment rate as major industries expand their operations in the state. While the foundations are firmly in place for more growth, there are some trends unfolding across Alabama that are poised to add…

Mazda Toyota Manufacturing set to launch hiring of production team
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA (MTMUS) is set to begin the hiring process for the production team at its $1.6 billion auto assembly plant in Huntsville on Monday, Jan. 13. MTMUS is getting an assist from AIDT, Alabama’s primary workforce development agency, in what will surely become one of the largest ongoing hiring…


