The Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC) has partnered with the Georgia Power Foundation on a landmark business development program that targets local businesses in traditionally underserved communities. The Community Business Development Program (CBDP) is a small business development initiative that was launched in 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The GMSDC, Georgia’s oldest and most influential supplier diversity and minority business development organization, facilitates supply chain partnerships between certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) firms and the corporations and government entities in Georgia who need their goods and services. The CBDP is designed to support emerging businesses with scaling their businesses and moving them toward long-term sustainability.

The CBDP provides training and business acumen to local businesses that may be too small to participate as significant suppliers to global supply chains. From a ‘mom and pop’ local service provider or a neighborhood store to a small startup beginning to grow, the CBDP is a viable way to acquire the necessary skills, resources, and acumen for long-term success. Candidate companies must be local and meet a set of eligibility criteria to be considered. Companies who are selected will participate in a targeted 90-day curriculum and will have access to coaching and mentoring resources afterwards.

Rita Breen, the Executive Director of the Georgia Power Foundation, sees the CBDP as a much-needed lifeline for community businesses. “The Georgia Power Foundation is highly invested in the success and viability of the communities we serve, and this program aligns with our goals in this area,” says Breen. “Local businesses are the economic engines of their neighborhoods, as they hire local people, make investments in the community, stimulate other development, and help to build generational wealth. Successful local businesses are fundamental to healthy and thriving communities.”