Entrepreneur and Small Business Resource Fair set to help Wilkes become 'entrepreneur friendly'

"We've got to do everything we can to help the small businesses of Wilkes County," Donna Hardy said, "to help start new businesses and to help keep existing businesses alive and thriving. That's why this upcoming small business resource fair is so important."

An Entrepreneur and Small Business Resource Fair, which Hardy is planning for June 28, will bring together many of the contacts and information that a small business, a new business, or someone with an idea for a business, might need to get started or make the business a success.

"We'll have experts from One- Georgia Authority, from the Department of Community Affairs, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, from Georgia Tech's Small Business Center, CSRA Business Lending at the resource fair," said Hardy, executive director of the Washington- Wilkes Chamber of Commerce. "You'll be able to get information on all the programs, different kinds of assistance, and loans that are available, and you'll be able to apply for loans right there. We'll have information on employees, taxes, licensing, and zoning, too."

The resource fair is a part of Wilkes County's application to be designated state Entrepreneur- Friendly Community. To help get the word out, Hardy and Regional Project Manager Adella Kelley will be speaking to civic groups in the area, and reaching out to the public with information on the program.

The community-based program is designed by Georgia Department of Economic Development's (GDEcD) Small Business & Innovation Division to help create an entrepreneur environment, and to build entrepreneur and small business strategy into the community's overall economic development strategies.

Working the assigned regional project managers, Hardy said the program will take a community through proven methods designed to establish an entrepreneur support program, help them better understand their existing entrepreneur environment, and develop sustainable, effective local strategies.

McDuffie, Newton, Baldwin, Brooks, Walton, Habersham, Spalding, Athens-Clarke, Jasper, Berrien, Paulding, Carroll, Jenkins and Worth counties were recognized as the most recent communities to earn the Entrepreneurial Friendly designation.

To date, 47 communities have earned this designation and more, including Washington-Wilkes, are working toward this important certification.Once a community has earned the Entrepreneur Friendly designation, they have the oppor- to apply for entrepreneur and small business implementation grants of up to $25,000.

Earlier this month, grants from the Entrepreneur Friendly Implementation Fund (EFIF) were awarded to Camden County, $14,874 and Dougherty County, $19,050. The grant program is funded by the OneGeorgia Authority and is only available to communities who have successfully earned the designation "Entrepreneur Friendly."

"This program is really going to help us as a community put the resources in place to help entrepreneurs and small-business people," Hardy said. "We're going to assess what assets we have, what we need, and how we can help businesses survive and thrive in Wilkes County."

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