Plans for a regional small business incubator based in Natchez could hinge on whether Congress allocates more money this year to the U.S. Economic Development Authority.

Without that appropriation, the project would be on hold indefinitely, said Winnie Kaiser, community development coordinator for the Natchez-Adams County Economic and Community Development Authority.

Kaiser told new and old members of the EDA board about the project at an EDA meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Alcorn State University is paying a consulting group from Mobile, Ala., to help develop plans for the incubator. Adams County is one of five originally contacted to take part, although Kaiser said not all of the counties may participate.

Adams County would be the hub for the incubator, which would house upstart businesses that could share overhead expenses.

&uot;It’s like incubating chickens,&uot; Kaiser said in describing the small business center. &uot;You help them get on their feet and get started.&uot;

But in addition to helping new businesses, the center would help train workers, something Kaiser said Adams County needs.

The actual incubator would be located in Adams County, while the training would be done in Port Gibson, she said.

In addition to funding through the federal EDA, the consultants will be asking Adams County for $45,000 for the project.

New EDA board member Jack Dallas questioned that sum, but Kaiser said the money – or equivalent in-kind contributions – is likely needed for land and a building as well as start-up equipment for the center.

&uot;If the opportunity presents itself, it would be a great thing,&uot; new EDA board member James West said.

West used the businesses housed at the old Margaret Martin School – which was never designated an incubator but operated in a similar fashion – as an example of how well the program could work.

&uot;The more small businesses you can grow out of a community, the better off you are,&uot; he said.

In addition to discussing the incubator, the board reviewed the EDA’s financial report for the past month and discussed an industrial prospect members could not name because of a confidentiality agreement.