UGA SBDC in Albany Expands Programming with Georgia AIM Grant and the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission

The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC) will utilize $100,000 in grant funding to offer training to rural Georgia businesses over the next three years. 

The Albany office of the UGA SBDC, which covers 28 counties in rural southwest Georgia, will administer classes in the areas of marketing, digital marketing, managing cash flow and business finances, and starting a business. 

The classes were made possible through grant funds received by the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission as a project member of the Georgia AIM grant, with the regional commission selecting the UGA SBDC to be a subrecipient of the grant. 

The classes will target business owners in the regional commission’s territory, which includes Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas and Worth counties.

“We’re excited to offer additional programs to rural communities in Southwest Georgia, with important topics business owners need to grow and succeed,” said Nema Etheridge, area director for the UGA SBDC in Albany. “With the support from this grant we’re able to provide additional opportunities for entrepreneurs to start, market and grow their small businesses.”

With the awarded grant funds, the UGA SBDC has developed five business training programs for 2024 with more to come in 2025 and 2026. The first course, AI for Marketing: A Small Business Superpower, was held in Leesburg on June 27, and had 33 registrants. It provided attendees with insight into using AI as an impactful tool for marketing.

More programs are being offered in October including:

• Starting a Food Business hosted in Dawson
• AI for Marketing: A Small Business Superpower hosted in Sylvester
• Starting a Business hosted in Cairo

Registration and additional course information can be found on the UGA SBDC in Albany website: www.georgiasbdc.org/albany

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The UGA SBDC, one of the eight units of UGA Public Service and Outreach, provides tools, training and resources to help small businesses grow and succeed. The UGA SBDC offers low-cost training and no-cost business consulting for small business owners through 18 office locations across the state.