VIA INVEST ATLANTA
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REMEDIATE AND REBUILD
In June, parts of Atlanta experienced water service disruptions over the course of several days. Mayor Andre Dickens declared a state of emergency and many businesses were forced to temporarily close their doors while crews worked around the clock to repair the infrastructure. To help offset the business interruptions caused by the water disruption, the Atlanta City Council unanimously approved the City of Atlanta Recovery Fund, totaling $7.5 million, which was administered by Invest Atlanta. Eligible small businesses could apply for grants up to $10,000 and request $200 per eligible employee. Priority was given to industries most directly impacted, including restaurants, beauty salons, coffee shops and daycares. SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY ATLANTA WATER DISRUPTION
What do Atlantic Station, the Atlanta Beltline and Pullman Yards all have in common? They were once toxic, contaminated land hindering development efforts. Thanks to a little-known program administered by Invest Atlanta on behalf of the City, these sites, along with dozens of others throughout Atlanta, have been successfully remediated to pave the way for new community assets. A brownfield is a property whose expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. Funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Invest Atlanta Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund helps to identify, assess and remediate these sites for redevelopment. The Brownfield Cleanup Loan Fund has provided seven low-interest loans to small businesses totaling more than $3.8 million and an additional six grants totaling more than $1 million, for a total of more than $4.8 million supporting environmental remediation for the community.
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Invest Atlanta is like a personal mentor and business partner. They guide you through the process of building a business, offering unwavering support every step of the way.
— Sidney Hayes, Esse Event Planning
Snapshot
$4.4M: Total program funding
3,265: E mployees supported with funding
472: Businesses funded
$653K: F unding to employees
42: E mail campaigns,
media interviews and social media bulletins
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