Features
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Feds Providing More Funding for Passenger Rail in Georgia
December 11, 2023
The Biden administration is stepping up federal funding of three planned intercity passenger rail projects in Georgia. The Federal Rail Administration has awarded $1.5 million in grants to explore linking Atlanta with Savannah; Charlotte, N.C.; and Chattanooga, Tenn.
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Blue Bird Donates Electric School Bus to Peach County Schools
December 08, 2023
Blue Bird Corporation, the leader in electric and low-emission school buses, has donated an advanced Blue Bird Vision electric school bus to Peach County Schools. Peach County is home to Blue Bird’s Fort Valley, manufacturing facility since the company’s founding nearly a century ago.
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goBeyondProfit CEO Interviews: Heath Fountain, CEO of Colony Bank
December 08, 2023
Colony Bank and its CEO Heath Fountain were recently awarded the goBeyondProfit Champion Award for their commitment to a larger purpose beyond the bottom line. In our latest CEO interview with Colony Bank CEO, Heath Fountain, he clearly articulates not only the role that community banks play in improving lives but also offers practical ways to tie daily tasks and customer interactions back to the company purpose.
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As Responsibilities Increase, US Corporate Boards are Taking a Fresh Look at Their Committees
December 08, 2023
Science and technology. Health and safety. ESG and sustainability. A few years ago, board committees on such topics were nearly non-existent. But as boards expand their role to address a broadening array of topics, they are not only assigning responsibilities to existing committees but also starting to form new types of committees.
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SBA Delivers Over $1.4B in Funding to Georgia Small Businesses
December 06, 2023
The U.S. Small Business Administration recently announced that the SBA delivered $50 billion in capital, disaster relief, and bonding to small businesses and disaster-impacted communities across America in Fiscal Year 2023.
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Colony Bank Honored with the goBeyondProfit 2023 Champion Award
December 05, 2023
goBeyondProfit, a first-of-its-kind business leader initiative that inspires business generosity, today announced it has honored Fitzgerald-based Colony Bank and its CEO, Heath Fountain, with the goBeyondProfit Champion Award.
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Retail Recruitment Expert & Macon-Bibb County Join Forces to Forge New Pathways for Economic Success
December 05, 2023
The Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority has announced a joint partnership between MBCIA, The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, NewTown Macon, Visit Macon, and the Urban Development Authority with the engagement of Retail Strategies, a unique retail recruitment consultant possessing a high degree of professional skill and experience in the area of urban development.
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Governor Kemp Wants to Accelerate State Income Tax Cuts
December 05, 2023
Gov. Brian Kemp said Monday he will ask Georgia lawmakers to provide additional tax relief during the upcoming legislative session by accelerating a state income tax cut lawmakers adopted last year.
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Study: 33.3% of Georgia Taxpayers Report Charitable Contributions, Above U.S. Average
December 04, 2023
Giving Season—which kicks off with Giving Tuesday and runs through December 31st—is when 30% of all annual nonprofit giving takes place. In Georgia, 33.3% of taxpayers report charitable contributions, compared to 32.9% of taxpayers nationally.
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All Berths Open for Business at Port of Savannah
December 04, 2023
The Port of Savannah’s Garden City Terminal handled 129 container ship calls last month, an increase of 26 percent compared to October 2022.
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Greater Macon Chamber Hosts Annual Awards Recognizing Local Businesses and Community Leaders
December 01, 2023
The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce announces the 2023 awards recipients that recognize local businesses and leaders for their outstanding engagement with the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and their extraordinary contributions to the Macon-Bibb business community.
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Drawdown Georgia Announces $1.2 Million in New Climate Solutions & Equity Grants
December 01, 2023
Six Georgia-based family foundations today announce the awarding of the 2024-2025 Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions & Equity Grants in support of efforts that advance climate solutions and prioritize equity in Georgia.
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UGA SBDC to Bolster Georgia Business Community Thanks to a $6.2 Million Federal Grant
December 01, 2023
The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center has been named a sub-recipient in the State Small Business Credit Initiative Grant. A $6.2 million grant funded by the U.S. Department of Treasury and administered through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
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goBeyondProfit - The Business Case for a Generosity Reboot
December 01, 2023
If you pay close attention, you will hear a growing disagreement between companies, employees, and the communities they serve. While they are bound together by a mutual interest in meaningful engagement, employees and community-serving nonprofits are begging for a relationship reboot.
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Atrium Health Navicent Packs Time Capsule to be Opened in 2073
November 30, 2023
Months after opening time capsules dating to 1916 and 1973, Atrium Health Navicent packed a container Thursday to be safely stored away for 50 years to offer a glimpse of life in 2023 for future generations.
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Georgia Ranks Second as the Most Entrepreneurial State in America
November 30, 2023
Research by project management experts at The Digital Project Manager analyzed eight indicators for how entrepreneurial a state is; these included the percentage of the population that started a new business, the percentage of start-ups still active after one year, number of small businesses per 100,000 of the population, growth rate of business applications as well as others.
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World’s Largest Indoor Pickleball Facility Located in Macon is Now Rhythm and Rally Sports and Events
November 29, 2023
Macon-Bibb County, the Urban Development Authority, and Visit Macon are proud to announce the name of the world's largest indoor pickleball facility: Rhythm and Rally Sports and Events.
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Senator Warnock Tours Proposed National Park Site at Ocmulgee Mounds
November 28, 2023
Legislation will be introduced soon in Congress to create Georgia’s first national park, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock said this past week after touring the Ocmulgee Mounds in Macon, a prehistoric Native American site.
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Georgia Chamber Foundation Releases War for Talent Economic Report
November 28, 2023
Today, the Georgia Chamber Foundation, the state’s leading economic research organization, announced the release of its Fourth Quarter Economic Report highlighting the strength of Georgia’s position in the global War for Talent.
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Georgia Chamber CEO Chris Clark: More Rail Access Necessary for Economic Health of Hancock County and Middle Georgia
November 27, 2023
Twenty-five years ago I worked my first economic development project while running the chamber of commerce in Hawkinsville. I’ll never forget it. The decision maker flew in on a helicopter and stepped off in a fancy suit. We spent the next couple of hours driving him and the state team around our small town.
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GEDA Hosts Annual Awards to Recognize Exceptional Individual Achievements & the Top Deals of the Year
November 27, 2023
At its Annual Awards luncheon, the Georgia Economic Developers Association recognized top deals of the year and excellence by individuals. Awards included the Deals of the Year, Committee Chair and Member of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Rip Wiley Award for Professional Excellence.
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Governor Kemp Issues Executive Orders for Rosalynn Carter Funeral Ceremonies
November 27, 2023
Gov. Brian Kemp is assigning Georgia National Guard troops and other state resources to help with the “logistical challenges” associated with ceremonies and services to honor the late former First Lady Rosalynn Carter.
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Shopping Small Helps Customers Save Big in Downtown Macon
November 17, 2023
NewTown Macon has partnered with 45 of downtown Macon’s locally owned and operated businesses to host Shopping Power Hours during Small Business Saturday. From 8 am to 6 pm on Saturday, November 25, participating downtown businesses will be featured in hourly blocks, offering exclusive discounts and promotions during their designated "Shopping Power Hour."
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Georgia’s Unemployment Remains Unchanged as Labor Force Reaches Record Highs
November 17, 2023
Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson announced that Georgia's October unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, unchanged from a revised 3.4 percent in September. The unemployment rate was five-tenths lower than the national unemployment rate.
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Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Announces Its 2024 List of State's 10 Places in Peril
November 16, 2023
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation released its 2024 list of 10 Places in Peril in the state.