NATCHEZ — The private sector organization that helps fund local economic development efforts is asking current members to recommit and is looking for new members.

Natchez NOW, which along with the Adams County and the City of Natchez governments helps fund the operations of Natchez Inc., had its quarterly meeting last week at which members were asked to enter into a three-year commitment to the organization.

This will be the third three-year cycle for Natchez NOW.

The legislation that created Natchez Inc. authorizes the city and county to contribute to Natchez Inc., but caps that contribution at $100,000 on the city’s part and a $165,000 on the county’s.

Natchez NOW board chair Jack Stephens said the organization — which is composed of local business leaders — is obligated to $125,000 annually, but also funds special requests from Natchez Inc.

“Government bodies have a problem with increasing their contributions because of budget constraints,” Stephens said.

“That is the beauty of Natchez Now, in that we can go and raise the money and fund more than $125,000, and I think that is kind of the future. I don’t know that we will ever get away from public funding, but we would like to be able to do whatever (Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ) needs to do.”

While the Natchez-Adams County area competes very well with the resources it has available, Stephens said, “We are competing against economic development machines that have six and eight Chandler Russes out in the field that are calling on prospects and putting proposals together, and we feel if we are going to continue to be viable competitors in the economic development area, we are going to have to increase our staff and increase our prospects.”

The Natchez NOW fiscal year starts Oct. 1, so Natchez NOW would like to have its commitments in line by late July or early August, Stephens said, and a multifaceted membership drive to bolster those commitments will likely come soon.

“Our only objective is to have more people in our community making more money, the wheels of the economy spinning faster, more employment for more people and more profit to invest back into the community,” he said.

Those who want to find out more about how to get involved with Natchez NOW should contact the Natchez Inc. office at 601-445-0288.