What’s Growing On

September 17, 2026

Welcome to the very first issue of what will now be a monthly fixture in your inbox. Once a month, we'll gather what’s growing across Grant County, the wins worth celebrating, the projects reshaping our towns, the events worth clearing your calendar for, and the resources built to help your business grow, and hand it all to you in one tidy read. Think of it as the county's economic pulse, taken monthly and served without the jargon. And do read all the way to the bottom: a wise little Ted-Bit from our executive director, Ted Ward, is waiting there to send you on your way.

Latest Blog Posts

Durable Growth and Ethics: Equality of Opportunity, Transparency, and Community Benefits

Growth that lasts isn't the growth that lands the biggest headline. It's the growth a community can still stand behind ten years later. In this entry of our Growing Grant County series, we lay out the ethical framework behind how we pursue investment: the professional standards we hold ourselves to, why durable outcomes beat quick wins, and how transparency keeps development accountable to the people who live here. 

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Your Entrepreneurial Support Organization (ESO)

Behind the acronym sits a simple promise: whatever stage your business is at, an idea scribbled on a napkin, a launch in the making, or an established shop hunting for its next gear, the Growth Council's Entrepreneurial Support Organization (ESO) exists to point you toward the right next step. Your journey. Your choice. Our support. Made possible in partnership with the Community Foundation of Grant County, the ESO bundles coaching, mentoring, workshops, capital connections, and a countywide network of founders into one front door.

The most visible piece is the Competency Sessions, a monthly series for entrepreneurs and small-business owners. Each tackles a single skill worth having.

“Grit gets you through the front door of small business ownership, but competency and community keep the lights on,” shared Ted Ward, executive director of the Grant County Economic Growth Council.

Three events on the calendar already:

September 29, 4 PM - 5:30 PM, Ivy Tech Marion

"Stop Networking, Start Connecting" with Brittany Scott, founder of GROW WiWo and owner of Mom Gets Moxie. An interactive hour on building genuine relationships, earning trust before the ask, and asking clearly when the moment comes. Register at
start-connecting.eventbrite.com.

October 28, 11:30 AM - 1 PM, Gas City Public Library

A customer-experience session with Greg Zirkle, a certified CX consultant, on turning satisfied customers into loyal ones. Greg has authored several articles on various marketing subjects and presented workshops on customer experience, professional selling, marketing, digital channels, and strategy execution.

November 17, 10 AM - 12 PM

"Create and Innovate" with Jon Colby, a keynote speaker who has spent more than two decades using improv to sharpen how people communicate, lead, and generate ideas. (Date and venue still being finalized—watch this space.)

Around the County

Grant County Weighs the Jail Tax

The county's 2027 budgets are nearing the finish line, and with them comes a small act of housekeeping: officials are moving to scrap the 0.2 jail tax. Councilman Aaron Caudell extends a standing invitation to residents to attend council meetings and make their case. Democracy, as ever, rewards those who show up.

Jonesboro Buys Low, Builds Up

Mayor Goins reports a busy season in Jonesboro: eight parcels acquired, an annexation in progress, and in talks with a new retail store. The city is also working with Area Planning to clear several derelict buildings.

Upland Quiet Building Boom

Upland has rather a lot going on. A newly renovated public library cuts its ribbon this week on Friday, September 19th; site work begins on a hotel development; and next week the town seeks approval for its next Main Street connection. On the commercial front, The Bridge coffee shop is reopening its doors as the Barista and Baker, and a new Pilates studio, Renew, unfolds its mats on October 3rd. For a small town, the pace is anything but.

Mark Your Calendar

Upland Public Library Ribbon Cutting

Friday, September 18, 3:30 PM. Main Street entrance, 87 N. Main Street. Come celebrate the library's new space, and sign up for the newsletter to claim a free Ivanhoe's shake while you're there.

Hands of Hope Pumpkin Decorating

Monday, October 5, 5:00–7:00 PM, Jonesboro Gazebo. A community event marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month. (Rain date: Wednesday, October 14, 5–7 PM.)

Carey Services Discovery Tours

Tuesday, October 20th, 12:00-1:00PM, Carey Services, one of Marion's steadier engines of investment, invites the community inside. Its monthly Discover Tours offer an hour on the main campus, a walk-through of the organization's work led by one of its executives, and a complimentary lunch courtesy of The Kitchen coMPany, its own vocational-training kitchen. The tours are open to anyone curious about volunteering, donating, seeking services for themselves or a loved one, or simply learning what resources sit on their doorstep.

One scheduling note: The next two tours run Tuesday, October 20th and Tuesday, November 17th, both from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. RSVP via Caiah Smith at caiah.smith@careyservices.com or 765-618-5780.

Let’s Grow Together.