37 organizations
How small-business help works in Atlanta
Free, serious help for starting or growing a business is one of Atlanta's quiet strengths. SCORE Atlanta pairs you with a volunteer mentor (often a retired executive) for free, indefinitely. The UGA Small Business Development Center runs low-cost training and free consulting. The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs focuses on Black entrepreneurs with programming, space, and community. Your library card unlocks market-research databases that businesses pay thousands for.
For money: community lenders (CDFIs) like Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs make loans banks won't, sized for real small businesses; SBA microloans run up to $50,000. The honest note: grant programs exist (Invest Atlanta and others, periodically) but are competitive and slow — build the plan around revenue and fair credit, treat grants as a bonus.
What to expect: mentors will ask for your numbers, even rough ones. Bring what you have; turning a shoebox of receipts into a plan is exactly what they're for.
Welcoming Atlanta is the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of International and Immigrant Affairs. It helps immigrant and international communities connect with city services, language help, community resources, cultural events, youth programs, and business opportunities.
16 services
The First Stop Business Information Center is part of the Georgia Secretary of State's Corporations Division. It helps small business owners and people starting a business find state, city, county, and sometimes federal license and permit information.
2 services
Operation HOPE, Inc. is a national nonprofit based in Atlanta that helps people build financial stability. It offers free financial coaching, credit and money management help, homebuyer coaching, small business support, youth money education, and disaster financial recovery help.
9 services
Georgia Micro Enterprise Network, or GMEN, helps people start and grow small businesses in Georgia and the Southeast. They offer business training, coaching, financial literacy help, technical assistance, and connections to capital and business resources.
Castleberry Hill9 services
Accion Opportunity Fund is a nonprofit small business lender. It helps small business owners with loans, free business advising, online learning, grants, and webinars, including some programs available to Georgia businesses.
10 services
Metro Atlanta Chamber is a business group for the Atlanta region. It helps companies move to or grow in metro Atlanta, supports entrepreneurs, works on public policy, and brings business and community leaders together.
Downtown9 services
JUST Community is a Texas nonprofit community lender for Black and Brown women entrepreneurs. It helps women grow businesses through microloans, peer support groups, coaching, savings work, and business events. I found its official office and service focus in Texas, not Atlanta.
5 services
Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta is the local Girl Scout council for girls in the Atlanta region. They help girls build confidence and leadership through troops, badges, STEM, outdoor activities, summer camp, community service, cookie sales, and special events.
11 services
Girls For A Change is a Richmond-area nonprofit that prepares Black girls for leadership, school, work, and community change. It runs after-school teams, summer leadership camp, workforce and technology programs, mentoring, family events, and showcases where girls present their work.
7 services
Lendistry is a small business lender and grant administrator that works with undercapitalized entrepreneurs. It offers online business loans, SBA loans, and special lending programs for eligible small businesses, including some Atlanta-area outreach through its Atlanta Dream partnership.
8 services
Latino Community Fund Georgia is a bilingual nonprofit that supports Latino families, students, workers, entrepreneurs, and Latino-led organizations across Georgia. It provides free health screenings and public health education, civic education and voter protection, scholarships and small grants, advocacy, referrals, and Spanish-language rights and resource information.
11 services
SERCAP helps low-income people and rural communities with safe water, septic systems, housing, small business support, and community development. In Georgia, it works through GA RCAP to provide training, technical help, and financing help for rural water and wastewater systems and related projects.
13 services
Ascendus is a nonprofit lender that helps small business owners get loans and coaching. It works with entrepreneurs who may have trouble getting bank loans, including many women, immigrants, and people of color.
6 services
Apprisen is a nonprofit financial counseling agency. It helps people make a budget, review debt, improve credit, plan for housing costs, and understand bankruptcy options. Help is available online, by phone, virtually, and at some offices outside Georgia.
11 services
The Georgia Department of Revenue is the state agency that handles Georgia taxes, tax refunds, tax credits, unclaimed property, alcohol and tobacco rules, and motor vehicle tags and titles. Most help is online or by phone, and some in-person tax and motor vehicle services are available by appointment.
6 services
Mission Asset Fund is a nonprofit based in San Francisco that helps low-income and immigrant families build credit, get financial education, and use safe financial tools. It offers online apps, zero-interest loan programs, and emergency support programs, but its USCIS immigration fee loans are listed as available in California only.
7 services
The Farm Service Agency is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It helps farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners with farm loans, disaster recovery, conservation, safety net, price support, and other farm programs through local USDA Service Centers and online tools.
10 services
American Corporate Partners is a national nonprofit that helps post-9/11 veterans, transitioning service members, and eligible military spouses build careers. They match people with volunteer business mentors for free, one-on-one career help with resumes, interviews, networking, job searches, career growth, and small business goals.
7 services
Operation HOPE is a nonprofit based in Atlanta that helps people build financial stability. It offers free coaching, classes, and workshops on credit, money management, home buying, small business, youth financial skills, and disaster financial recovery.
Downtown12 services
The Urban League of Greater Atlanta is a civil rights and economic opportunity nonprofit. It helps people with jobs, training, housing counseling, homeownership, financial coaching, youth programs, reentry support, small business help, and civic engagement.
Downtown16 services
