North Louisiana Economic Partnership

A professional economic development organization serving 14 parishes of North Louisiana

North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP), an Accredited Economic Development Organization, provides professional economic development ser-vices to a 14-parish (county) region of North Louisiana, including lead generation and prospect management.

Situated in the south-central region of the United States, North Louisiana is connected nationally and globally by a multimodal system of Class 1 rail, inter-states, federal highways, two regional airports, and four ports. Businesses in the region can directly ac-cess more than 79 million consumers in some of America's largest markets. Metropolitan statistical areas such as New Orleans, LA, Little Rock, AR, Memphis, TN, Oklahoma City, OK, Austin, TX, Dallas, TX, and Houston, TX are all within a day's travel time.

North Louisiana has two metropolitan areas, three micropolitan areas, six certified ACT Work Ready Communities, and 12 colleges and universities. North Louisiana’s post-secondary institutions offer numer-ous education and training programs, ranging from short-term to PhD level, that directly respond to the needs of employers. NLEP and the State of Louisiana also provide companies located here with tools to assist with recruitment efforts and ensure they can access the candidates with the best set of skills needed for the job. North Louisiana institutions of higher learning are recognized nationally and globally for their programs and research. They work readily with employers to customize curricula to address workforce needs and create a pipeline to fill in-demand occupations.

North Louisiana's business climate continues to im-prove as the state reforms regulations, tax structure, and ethics codes to make it easier for companies to operate in our state. Businesses in Louisiana have access to a competitive and comprehensive portfolio of incentives that can profoundly impact a company's bottom line. Incentives are available to help compa-nies compete and succeed, such as Enterprise Zone, Quality Jobs, Research & Development Tax Credit, Industrial Tax Exemption, and Louisiana FastStart™, ranked the nation’s #1 workforce training program for over a decade.

The NLEP represents the interests of North Louisiana with a unified voice and as a single point of contact, acting as a catalyst, a convener, and a connector in the region to ensure that North Louisiana's economic development potential is displayed. NLEP's vision is for North Louisiana to be a thriving region - a destina-tion for high-quality talent, innovative companies, and global investment. Visit nlep.org for more information.