Facebook to award $225k to small businesses in metro Atlanta; applications open today

ATLANTA — Facebook announced Monday that applications are now open for small businesses in metro Atlanta to be awarded thousands of dollars in grant money.

Facebook is offering $100 million worldwide to help businesses impacted by coronavirus.

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Overall, Georgians will be awarded more than $225,000 to help more than 56 small businesses affected by COVID-19. The grants will go to businesses in areas where Facebook operates.

In Georgia, $125,000 has been allocated for 31 small businesses in metro Atlanta, and $100,000 will be awarded to 25 small businesses in Newton, Walton, Jasper, and Morgan counties.

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50% of those grants will be given to eligible minority, women and veteran-owned businesses "due to the disproportionate negative impact that COVID-19 will have on these businesses, their employees, and the communities that they serve," according to Facebook's Global Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams.

Businesses that have been running for over a year and have 2 - 50 employees can qualify.

"This is a critical injection to help local small businesses who need it most, so they can keep the lights on and help pay their employees," a spokesperson said.

Learn more about how to apply to a grant HERE.

Business owners eager to get back to work following president?s plan to reopen country Salem Makhlouf, who owns four metro Atlanta restaurants, is feeling optimistic now that the president has laid out a plan to reopen the country.

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