The routine functions of the Economic Development Division include, but are not limited to the following:
Implement the Economic Development Action Plan
Market the City as a quality environment for residential office and commercial development
Ensure that existing businesses remain in Alpharetta
Provide Staff support to the Development Authority
Promote downtown Alpharetta development and serve a liaison to the Downtown Alpharetta Business Association’
Engage in small business development activities
Provide information and assistance to individuals and businesses interested in Alpharetta
More than 3,600 businesses currently enjoy the Alpharetta advantage. From the corporate campuses of global leaders to small, family-owned shops, these businesses have enjoyed strong returns on their Alpharetta investments.
Today Alpharetta’s businesses employ in excess of 120,000 people, more than three times The City’s total population. The vast majority of these jobs have been created since the opening of North Point Mall in 1993; in fact, almost 70,000 jobs were created in the past five years alone. That is quite an impressive record for what was, in 1980, just a sleepy little town of 3,000 people.
In recent years Alpharetta has been catapulted into the national spotlight by publications such as USA Today and Yahoo! Internet Life as one of the leading locations for technology-focused businesses. In the heart of the largest fiber-linked network in the United States; just minutes away from one of the world’s busiest airports, Atlanta Hartsfield International; and providing easy access to cutting-edge research universities, Alpharetta is the ideal location for companies on the forefront of the modern economy.
From large to small, from entrepreneur to established global corporation, businesses of every shape and size are discovering the Alpharetta advantage. Our quaint downtown and executive neighborhoods invite, our corporate centers and plush amenities excite, and the Alpharetta Team is ready to help you realize your business potential!
To learn more about the Alpharetta advantage or to request assistance in starting, relocating or expanding your business contact Christopher Jones, Economic Development Coordinator, by calling 678-297-6075 or via e-mail at cjones@alpharetta.ga.us
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Location Services
The City of Alpharetta Economic Development staff is available to assist small to large businesses in the site and facility location process. Such assistance is client specific and begins with our staff discussing your particular location needs with you to ascertain the specific needs of your location search such as the amount of space and/or acreage needed, telecommunications requirements, and other key factors. Based on this information our staff will search our database of commercial properties and develop a “short list” of location options for your consideration.
The City of Alpharetta utilizes a “live” internet-based real estate database to ensure that our information on available properties is as up-to-date as possible. The system allows us to compile a complete comparison of the sites that meet your location criteria so that all the information you need can be found in one easy to read report. Best of all, the City of Alpharetta’s professional staff provides these location services at no cost to you. It is just one more Alpharetta Advantage.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Corporate Location and Expansion Incentives
Corporations meeting certain thresholds for job creation and local investment, either through expansion of their existing presence or location of new operations in Alpharetta, may be eligible for a variety of state and local incentives, including tax credits and training assistance. For information on what incentives may be available for your project, please contact Christopher Jones , Economic Development Coordinator, by calling 678-297-6075 or via e-mail at cjones@alpharetta.ga.us
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Entrepreneurial Assistance
While Alpharetta has a well-earned reputation as a premier location for major corporations, small businesses form the backbone of our economy. In fact, the majority of our businesses employ fewer then 50 people.The City of Alpharetta well understands the challenges facing entrepreneurs, especially those staring their first new business, and our professional economic development staff is ready to assist. Together with our various partners we can be your guides on the road to opportunity, from creating a business plan to financing options and through the regulatory process.
To take your first steps as an entrepreneur, contact Christopher Jones, Economic Development Coordinator, by calling 678-297-6075 or via e-mail at cjones@alpharetta.ga.us or contact one of our partners:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Small Business Development Center
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is a University of Georgia public service unit, which provides business and economic development assistance through a network of 20 offices throughout Georgia. The mission of SBDC is to support entrepreneurship and business expansion through the offering of direct business consulting and educational opportunities that address the human resources, management, technology, capital formation and infrastructure needs of the business community.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* SBDC consultants can assist you with:
|Developing and updating business plans
Identifying sources of capital
Setting-up record-keeping systems and analyzing financial records
Identifying foreign markets for products or services
Conducting specialized research geared to specific needs of the business-owner
Creating marketing strategies and advertising campaigns
Exploring suitable ways to conform to government regulations
Increasing opportunities to sell to federal, state, and local governments
Analyzing statistical and demographic data from reports and maps using geographic information systems
To contact the SBDC office serving the Alpharetta Area, call 770-806-2124 or visit www.sbdc.uga.edu
* First Stop Business Information Center
The First Stop Business Information Center provides the small business owner and the prospective entrepreneur with a central point of information and contacts for state regulatory requirements for operating a small business.The primary objective of the center is to facilitate sustainable small business development in Georgia by offering a central location for determination of what licenses and permits must be obtained and maintained by individuals and businesses conducting their enterprises in our great state.
Visit the center online today at http://www.sos.state.ga.us/firststop/default.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* US Small Business Administration
The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) offers numerous programs for new and operating small business; although, the SBA is most commonly known for its financing programs.
Through its Georgia District Office, the SBA operates the Small Business Resource Center at 270 Peachtree Street in Downtown Atlanta. The center offers the latest computerized and on-site assistance for small business clients. To contact the SBA Small Business Resource Center, call 404-529-9808.
The district also operates a One Stop Capital Shop (OSCS) in the Atlanta City Hall East Complex. During the past fiscal year, the OSCS was responsible for 15 loans totaling over $4 million to small business clients. To contact OSCS, call 404-853-7675.
To learn more about the full selection of US Small Business Administration programs, visit the SBA web site at www.sbaonline.sba.gov
