MCEDP

[Pinehurst, NC]  Moore County Economic Development Partnership (MCEDP) recently released their Quarterly Progress Report highlighting their activities and initiatives for the quarter ended September 30, 2025.

“In the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2026, much of MCEDP’s focus was on supporting existing businesses in Moore County as we assisted ten (10) local businesses with various needs including expansion plans, incentives, and workforce development,” said Natalie Hawkins, MCEDP President.

Highlighted activities and successes this first quarter of the MCEDP fiscal year included:

• MCEDP received 31 business leads this quarter, which is a slight decrease from the 39 received in first quarter FY 2025. Of the 31 leads received this quarter, MCEDP submitted a property for 5 projects.  MCEDP is currently managing 20 active projects that represent more than 665 new jobs and more than $62.5 million in investment across multiple industry sectors.
• MCEDP conducted ten (10) industry visits this quarter to local companies, three (3) of which are considering sizeable expansions. To support these expansions, MCEDP identified potential buildings and sites and provided information on local incentive policies. We also provided information on local suppliers to support B2B among Moore County businesses and connected employers to workforce development resources at Sandhills Community College.
• MCEDP explored alternative options for rerouting the access road to the Iron Horse Industrial Park in Aberdeen to reduce the overall cost to construct the road. MCEDP also secured a $100,000 EPA grant from the Central Pines Council of Governments to fund a Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment for the Park.
• MCEDP helped the Town of Robbins access $40,000 of the same EPA grant from the Central Pines Council of Governments to conduct additional environmental assessments on the old Milliken site owned by the town.
• MCEDP continued to support efforts to restore commercial air service to Moore County Airport through a regional carrier that would provide daily service to Washington Dulles Airport. MCEDP continues to meet with local business leaders to update them on the initiative as we assist in fundraising efforts for the $3 million Minimum Revenue Guarantee (MRG) required by the carrier for a two-year service contract.
• More than 40 Moore 100 members and their guests attended the Moore 100 Meetup hosted by MCEDP at CORK in Southern Pines on September 2^nd. The new membership year for Moore 100 begins in January 2026, which is a great time to join Moore 100 and gain exclusive access to three (3) informative Members Meetings each year, a quarterly insider e-newsletter, and three (3) Member Meetup events. For more information or to join, email info@moorecountyedp.org.
• This quarter, MCEDP also worked on planning and organizing two (2) major events in October and November: the annual Manufacturers Day Breakfast on October 2^nd and our substantially-expanded 2025 Sandhills Entrepreneur Summit held on November 13^th with a full-day program that included a keynote speaker, interactive workshops, and networking at The Fair Barn. MCEDP was awarded a $5,000 ENGAGE grant from NC IDEA to support this year’s Summit.

The full Quarterly Progress Report for the quarter ended September 30, 2025 can be viewed on the MCEDP website at www.moorecountyedp.org.

Moore County Economic Development Partnership (MCEDP) is a 501c(3) not-for-profit economic development organization and public-private partnership serving all of Moore County, NC. MCEDP’s mission is to “increase economic prosperity and improve the quality of life for Moore County’s citizens through the creation of quality jobs and capital investment in our communities.”

For more information about MCEDP, please visit www.moorecountyedp.org.

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