Board holds public hearing on $600,000 CDBG microenterprise grant to fund $25,000 small-business awards

The Columbia County Board of Supervisors opened a public hearing on May 13 to take comments on a proposed 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application requesting up to $600,000 to fund the Columbia County Forward Microenterprise Development Program.

The county clerk read the notice that the grant would support technical assistance and training for microenterprises with five or fewer employees and would make awards of up to $25,000 to businesses that complete a four‑week training program. A presenter describing the program told the board: "It allows us to provide up to $25,000 grant, not a loan, a grant to, small businesses." The presenter said the county had run the microenterprise program twice over the last two years and planned to apply to scale from a prior $300,000 round to a $600,000 request this cycle.

Supporters said the program complements the county loan program and local workforce development. One supervisor thanked CEDC staff and urged approval, saying the program "has really supported and helped many small businesses" in recent years. The presenter also said the county’s SBA technical‑assistance administrative grant funding rose from $291,000 last year to $448,000 for 2026–27, which staff presented as a sign of program success.

Board members asked whether new businesses are eligible; the presenter confirmed the grant is available to new businesses that meet the five‑employee limit and training requirement. The chair closed the hearing after public comments and noted the formal resolution on the application will be taken up separately; a clerk clarified the resolution had not already been passed.

The next step is for county staff to finalize and submit the CDBG application and for supervisors to consider a related resolution when it is brought forward.