Invest Atlanta’s board of directors has approved $400,000 in Tax Allocation District funding to support local small businesses through the economic development agency’s Small Business Improvement Grant (SBIG) program.
The grant initiative provides monetary support to eligible businesses, allowing them to make improvements to their storefronts and interiors, with funding priority given to locally owned businesses that support job creation, neighborhood revitalization and equitable economic development, according to Invest Atlanta.
Recipients of the latest grants come from a wide range of sectors, including food service, retail, creative enterprises and professional services.
Among the businesses approved for the grants (valued up to $50,000 each) are Champ’s Seafood & Grill, The Commissary Club, Port City Kitchen, Ms. Ethel’s Kitchen, Duke Dental Management, Miss Conduck, Brewhouse Café and Delilah’s Everyday Soul, which is opening its first standalone brick-and-mortar restaurant in South Downtown Atlanta.
“When I found out we were approved for Invest Atlanta’s Small Business Improvement Grant, I was extremely thankful,” said Delana Reeves, owner of Delilah’s Everyday Soul. “Building out a commercial space, especially your very first brick-and-mortar, is incredibly expensive, and so much of that cost often falls personally on the business owner. This funding is not just helpful; it is essential. It allows us to complete a project that we truly could not finish without this level of support.”
The latest approvals are part of a broader investment in Atlanta’s small-business community.
Throughout the course of this year, Invest Atlanta has approved more than $1 million in SBIG funding for 21 businesses throughout the city.
“Behind every business is a unique story shaped by people’s passion, challenges and purpose,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and chief executive officer of Invest Atlanta. “These grants help entrepreneurs invest in their spaces, strengthen their operations and create more vibrant communities.”