The Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce (GABCC) is getting some federal help to launch its new entrepreneurial training program, according to a press release the organization released Friday.
The GABCC announced that Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock have secured “new resources” to “boost entrepreneurship across the CSRA,” in the form of $250,000 in government funding.
“I am excited for all the opportunities this program will create for prospective and current business owners in Augusta-Richmond County,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson, noting himself as a small business owner and applauding the senators and the GABCC for helping “increase entrepreneurship opportunities in our community.”
The release underscores cross-party contribution to the funding, with Ossoff stating he and Warnock “brought Republicans and Democrats together to expand access to entrepreneurship and opportunities for business owners in Augusta and across the region;” and Warnock calling it a “bipartisan investment.”
The monies are drawn from last year’s bipartisan government spending package, states the release. The omnibus spending bill did pass with an overwhelming bipartisan majority, last year.
Signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 29, 2022, the $1.7 trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, includes some $320 million budgeted for Entrepreneurial Development Programs.
The chamber’s new initiative, called the Step Up Program, is a 12-month series of in-person and virtual courses for business owners, including sessions on finance, planning and business automation and other topics.
“Thanks to Sens. Ossoff and Warnock, we are able to continue our growing efforts in supporting business owners in the CSRA with the expansion of our technical assistance and programming innovative initiatives,” said GABCC President Ronic West.
The Step Up program will start its classes on Aug. 31, and the GABCC will host a kick-off breakfast event on Aug. 24. For more information, visit https://mygabcstepupprogram.org/.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
