The Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) program is one of the US Department of Commerce’s main initiatives to support job creation and accelerate manufacturing growth to make communities more globally competitive by transforming their industrial ecosystems into globally-competitive manufacturing hubs. IMCP does this through the support of long-term community-based economic development strategies designed to attract and expand private investment in manufacturing and promote international trade and exports. The Northwest Georgia region was selected for one of 26 first-round Commerce awards made across the country in 2013. The award enabled the development of an Advanced Manufacturing Strategy initially focused on the region’s established Floor Covering industry. In May 2014, the US Department of Commerce further designated the Northwest Georgia region as one of 12 Manufacturing Communities through the IMCP program. This two-year designation gives organizations that support the industry via the Northwest Georgia’s Advanced Manufacturing Strategy elevated status for certain federally-aligned grant programs.

IMCP is helping the Northwest Georgia region cultivate the environment for highly skilled, well-paying advanced manufacturing jobs in the region's solid manufacturing base by transforming the region's industrial ecosystem. The region's floor covering cluster is largely rural and reaches across a large 15-county region.