Apr 15, 2026 - SBA
Governor Tate Reeves Announces Expansion of HUBZone Opportunities for Mississippi Small Businesses
Jackson, Miss. — Governor Tate Reeves today announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved Mississippi’s 2025 petition to expand access to the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program, opening new opportunities for small businesses across the state to compete in the federal marketplace.
In a letter to the Governor, the SBA recognized Mississippi’s efforts to broaden access to the HUBZone Program, which connects small businesses with federal contracting opportunities. As the largest buyer of goods and services in the world, the federal government provides significant growth potential for qualified HUBZone firms.
As part of the 2025 designation, the SBA has approved 26 new Governor-Designated Covered Areas across Mississippi. These include the following counties and census tracts:
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Clarke County
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Copiah County
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Yalobusha County
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Census Tract 9503; Covington County
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Census Tract 31.04; Harrison County
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Census Tract 201.01; Lamar County
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Census Tract 11.01; Lauderdale County
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Census Tract 106.02; Lauderdale County
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Census Tract 9503.02; Lee County
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Census Tract 9504.04; Lee County
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Census Tract 9508; Lee County
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Census Tract 9510.01; Lee County
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Census Tract 1.02; Lowndes County
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Census Tract 310; Madison County
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Census Tract 9501.01; Marshall County
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Census Tract 9501.02; Marshall County
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Census Tract 9502.02; Monroe County
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Census Tract 9504.03; Pearl River County
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Census Tract 9504.06; Pearl River County
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Census Tract 9505.04; Pearl River County
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Census Tract 9507.01; Pearl River County
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Census Tract 9502; Perry County
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Census Tract 9501.01; Simpson County
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Census Tract 9502; Simpson County
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Census Tract 9503.01; Simpson County
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Census Tract 9502.02; Tippah County
“These designations will help drive economic growth in communities across Mississippi by giving more small businesses access to federal contracting opportunities,” said Governor Reeves. “We are committed to ensuring that businesses in every corner of our state have the tools and support they need to succeed.”
The newly designated areas will be added to the HUBZone map as Governor-Designated Covered Areas effective immediately and will remain in place through at least June 30, 2028. Prior to that date, the SBA will reevaluate eligibility based on updated data from the American Community Survey.
Under federal guidelines, Mississippi may continue to submit annual petitions to designate additional areas, provided the total number does not exceed ten percent of the state’s covered areas.
Small businesses located in these newly designated areas are encouraged to explore HUBZone certification and eligibility by visiting sba.gov/hubzone.
“This expansion reflects strong collaboration between the State of Mississippi and the SBA,” Reeves added. “We look forward to seeing more Mississippi businesses compete and thrive in the federal marketplace.”
