City approves funding to boost Atlanta small businesses ahead of FIFA World Cup

Invest Atlanta s Board of Directors have approved in Tax Allocation District TAD funding to endorsement local small businesses the City of Atlanta stated The funding is part of the city s ongoing efforts to invest in Atlanta s small business group to ensure that they can fully capitalize on major events coming to Atlanta including the FIFA World Cup commented a press release Included in the funding is in Small Business Improvement Grants which provides companies with up to for various interior and exterior improvements such as signage lighting storefront upgrades and code compliance repairs to name a limited Recipients of the grants include Bottle Rocket Fine Food Beverage Big Daddy s Kitchen Crates record shop Strikeout Wingz and Subs Salads Junction Small businesses are the backbone of Atlanta s market system and these grants are one way we can help them grow and remain sustainable announced Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens who also serves as the board chair of Invest Atlanta Another will go into the Small Business World Cup Opportunity Fund an initiative that will distribute microgrants to assist in the accelerated activation of vacant or underutilized small commercial spaces in downtown Atlanta as well as create opportunities for small businesses in advance to the FIFA World Cup In charge of administering the microgrants is Invest Atlanta s downtown region expansion partner Central Atlanta Progress a nonprofit whose goal is to bolster the economic vitality of downtown Atlanta according to its website Atlanta s small businesses are the heartbeat of our city commented A J Robinson president of Central Atlanta Progress By investing in them we are investing in the character of our neighborhood something that will be on full display during major events like the World Cup In the spirit of the upcoming FIFA tournament the remaining funds will be used to construct a StationSoccer facility at the HE Holmes MARTA subway station Once built the advance will offer free soccer programs and is slated to serve players between the ages of - noted a release The post City approves funding to boost Atlanta small businesses ahead of FIFA World Cup appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta