ATLANTA – Georgia’s Republican U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler announced $12 million in federal funding for small businesses impacted by the coronavirus in seven cities across Georgia.
Through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Stability (CARES) Act, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is awarding Recovery Assistance grants to capitalize and administer Revolving Loan Funds that will provide critical gap financing to small businesses and entrepreneurs in Georgia that have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The administration has taken unprecedented action to protect the American people in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis,” Perdue said. “We shut the economy down – something we’ve never done before – to keep people healthy, and now we’re working to safely re-open. These CARES Act funds will help small businesses continue to weather this crisis and support their communities.”
“Small businesses employ half of all Americans and have been among the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic,” Loeffler added. “These grants, provided by the CARES Act, will help small businesses across Georgia keep employees on payroll and not only survive these difficult times, but emerge stronger than before.”
The EDA investments announced today are:
— CSRA Resource Development Agency Inc. in Augusta will receive a $3.7 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to capitalize and administer a RLF that will provide relief loans to businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic by helping them retain employees, sustain operations, and support their communities. CSRA’s service area includes: Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington and Wilkes counties.
— Middle Georgia Regional Commission in Macon will receive a $3.3 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to capitalize and administer a RLF to help impacted businesses in Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties with their capital needs as they respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
— Georgia Mountains Regional Development Commission in Gainesville will receive a $2.1 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to boost the region’s economy by capitalizing and administering a RLF to service businesses impacted by coronavirus in Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White counties.
— River Valley Regional Development Center in Columbus will receive a $1 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to increase their capacity to assess the regional economic impact of the pandemic, strengthen the region’s economic resiliency, and accelerate recovery efforts by capitalizing and administering a RLF to service businesses impacted by coronavirus in Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor and Webster counties.
— Southern Georgia Regional Commission in Valdosta will receive a $825,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to encourage business development and job creation in the region by capitalizing and administering a RLF to service businesses in Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner and Ware counties.
— Northwest Georgia Regional Commission in Rome will receive a $550,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to capitalizing and administering a RLF that will assist coronavirus impacted businesses in Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker and Whitfield counties in meeting their capital needs.
— Southwest Georgia Regional Commission in Camilla will receive a $550,000 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to assist small manufacturing companies, manufacturing related services, tech-based businesses, and other businesses impacted by coronavirus by capitalizing and administering a RLF. The Commission’s service area includes: Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas and Worth counties.
