What Grants Mean to Small Communities

WALTHALL, Miss. (WCBI) – The new Webster County courthouse may be under construction, but an empty lot has been left in the middle of Walthall.

However, thanks to a grant from the state government, it won’t be empty for long.

This isn’t just free money.

It takes a team effort from both the town and the county.

“We’ve been very fortunate to receive several grants here over the years,” said Walthall Mayor, Belinda Stewart.

Small towns like Walthall are rolling in big bucks to complete projects that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

A grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation will turn the old Webster County Courthouse site into the county’s newest public park.

“It really has saved us because we ended up with a demolition site in the very heart of our community,” said Stewart. “With that grant, we are able to keep pieces and parts of the original courthouse.”

Walthall’s Volunteer Fire Department has also seen some of this income

In November, a large grant from FEMA gave the department a wardrobe change.

“The grant was $111,000, which is a substantial amount for our department,” said Fire Chief, Casey Henderson. “The money went to supplying all of our firemen with brand new gear, head to toe.”

This came at the perfect time to help Walthall fight a Webster County house fire on Monday, and their old equipment was outdated by 5 years.

Without grants, paying for something like new equipment and building projects would take decades.

“For a small fire department like us and our tax base, we just don’t have the funds to be able to go out and make a single purchase like this,” said Henderson.

“Our budget is small, and it gives us this asset where we are taking lemons and making wonderful lemonade out of it.” said Stewart.

Communities like Walthall understand how competitive the selection process can be, but they say there’s no point in not trying.

“You’re not ever going to get anything unless you apply for it,” said Henderson.

Walthall FD just re-applied for the same grant, in hopes of buying a super tanker, and the town of is about to get a Dollar General.