Moore County is continuing its evolution from a retiree hub to a major player in the North Carolina economy.
Last month, the county earned the designation of a Certified Entrepreneurial Community. The CEC program is an economic development strategy used to help communities foster entrepreneurs and their businesses. Only 12 other communities in North Carolina have earned the distinction since the program's inception in 2007.
The idea to earn the designation came from a feasibility study commissioned by Moore County Partners in Progress, the county's economic development arm, to see if an entrepreneurial hub would work in the county. The study found that a number of small businesses exist in Moore County with more being formed.
"We've seen a healthy rate of new business creation in Moore County with over 2,500 new business corporation and LLC filings with the N.C. Secretary of State's Office since January 2020," said Natalie Hawkins, executive director of Moore County Partners in Progress. "We want these businesses to be successful and this CEC designation signifies we have the resources to support them."
The CEC designation includes an ecosystem assessment, action plan, coaching and certification. An action plan is developed for an entrepreneurship project aimed to advance the community's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Certification is awarded after a local task force completes its initial project.
For Moore County, that was the publication of a digital resource guide on the Partners in Progress website for small-business owners. The county is looking at other projects down the line, too, like the entrepreneurial hub.
"We definitely have not abandoned the idea of a future hub," said Hawkins. "The feasibility study revealed that a hub would be viable in Moore County, and our goal is to revisit and potentially pursue the opportunity within the next few years."
The Sandhills region has historically been known as a bastion of retirees thanks to a flourishing health care industry and world-class golf courses.
But Moore County's demographics are changing rapidly, thanks in part to its proximity to Fort Bragg. Military families are flocking to the region drawn by a slower pace of life than what big cities like Fayetteville or Raleigh have to offer.
Moore County recently crossed the 100,000-resident mark, according to U.S. Census estimates, after it added about 3,000 residents in just a year, for a growth rate of 3 percent between 2020 and 2021.
Evan Hoopfer covers real estate and economic development in the Greater Triangle, focusing on the counties outside Wake and Durham. Have a tip? Reach him at ehoopfer@bizjournals.com or (919) 327-1012.
