Georgia International Trade Office Launches New Export Assistance Grant The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced it was awarded a grant of more than $162,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration under the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) to bolster export assistance to small businesses. These funds will officially launch the International Trade division’s “Go Global Georgia” initiative to help small business exporters in the state stretch their international marketing budgets and develop global markets. Eligibility and application guidelines can be found here.
Introducing MARTAConnect, a Partnership With Uber MARTA is partnering with Uber for a one-year pilot program to provide customers greater flexibility and more options for their transportation needs when normal MARTA service is disrupted. The program will offer on-demand, app-based rides for customers during specific planned and unplanned rail service disruptions that require supplemental bus transportation.
Sandy Springs Alerts The City wants you to be alerted in case of emergency. Our Sandy Springs Alerts app will send those emergency alerts to you via email or text. You can also opt-in for Smart911, which provides first responders with valuable information they need about you and your family at a time when every second matters.
Annual Business License Renewal If you are an active business and have not yet completed the required annual renewal of your business license for the 2020 year you can do so here. Revenue and Permitting offices are open by appointment only. Appointments can be scheduled by visiting spr.gs/chq or by downloading the QLess app on your phone.
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Public Meeting on Final Draft Concepts for North End Shopping Centers
The City of Sandy Springs will hold a virtual public input meeting on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020 at 6:00PM to display the final draft of mixed-use conceptual plans for four shopping centers in the North End of Sandy Springs:
The meeting will consist of a short presentation overviewing how community input has been incorporated into the presented designs. Information will also be shared to ensure that future development plans can be financially feasible for the private development community to implement.
For meeting information, please visit spr.gs/northern. The presentation and concepts will be posted on the City’s website after the meeting, and community members can provide public comment until Monday, November 16, 2020.
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Global Entrepreneurship Week: Local Events
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November 16-22, 2020 is Global Entrepreneurship Week! Georgia and the metro region are home to several virtual events celebrating and expanding entrepreneurship in our region. Learn more about the metro region's reputation as a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, and see below for a list of events to get involved:
Techstars Startup Week Atlanta
Techstars Startup Week Atlanta is a celebration of the region's innovation and startup ecosystem, with five days of free events. Get to know the community, and learn from and connect with entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, investors, and other innovation leaders.
Converge 2020: Inclusion Driving Innovation
Nov. 9-10 - Multi-Day Event - $50 TAG Member / $75 Non-Member - Register Here
Converge is a summit for dialogue and education that convenes influencers in the emerging tech workforce culture. The event will highlight trailblazers who are creating a powerful ethos across the technology community to keep companies globally competitive and to foster the next generation that will drive innovation and Georgia’s economy.
The 2020 Siggie Awards
The "Siggie" Awards recognize some of the unsung heroes in the Atlanta startup community: early-stage investors.
5th Annual Women's Entrepreneurship Day
This annual event showcases, celebrates and educates women entrepreneurs & leaders.
Startup Runway 10th Showcase
The Startup Runway Foundation introduces top underrepresented founders to their first investors. Hundreds of startups compete to be selected as one of 10 finalists.
Georgia SBDC Regions Bank Entrepreneurship Academy
This program will instruct on how to grow your business and incorporate new processes to improve efficiency. You can attend any or all of the webinars. Business owners who attend all four of the online programs will be eligible to receive a certificate of completion.
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Last year, the City of Sandy Springs began a partnership with the North Metro Atlanta Chapter of SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). SCORE is a resource partner with the Small Business Administration (SBA) providing free mentoring and training to entrepreneurs in areas of preparing business plans, setting up their organization/licensing properly, and building solid financial projections. For existing businesses, SCORE is a great resource providing workshops and personal mentoring to help expand existing business as they review goals and (currently) how to shift business during the pandemic. We're proud to have several mentors based right here in Sandy Springs! We asked Andrea Settles, who just celebrated her one-year mentor-aversary with SCORE, why she gives her time to the program:
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"When Bruce Alterman asked me to join him as a SCORE mentor for the Sandy Springs community, I was thrilled. And it made sense, to continue the work I do now, assisting small businesses getting off the ground. As SCORE mentors, our role is to be a sounding board, to listen to their ideas and dreams that drive their own future. The City of Sandy Springs encourages small businesses, and I am happy to let these entrepreneurs know that. Additionally, bringing the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber into the fold to help network with these small businesses made sense to do as well. While our mentoring sessions are virtual now, I am hopeful we will get back to meeting mentees in person soon. It is invigorating to listen to so many individuals wanting to start their own business, provide needed services in our community and take advantage of their skills to work for themselves and in many cases provide jobs for others."
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Business & Networking Events
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19th Georgia Bio Innovation Summit
Discount Code: Summit20Partner
$150 Member / $250 Non-Member
This three-day event will feature more than 110 expert speakers and six keynote addresses from industry, academia and government as they discuss major trends and issues in medical technology and devices; the changing landscape of the pharmaceutical industry; therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines; global health; and new and exciting science at Georgia’s universities.
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SSPC Networking Power Hour
Thursday, Nov. 5 - 8:00 AM-9:30 AM
$10 Member / $20 Non-Member
This morning mixer is the boost you need to get hit the ground running with fresh leads with friends, both new and old. The atmosphere is casual, fun and full of networking. Enjoy coffee, light bites and meet potential clients/partners all before your workday begins. Attendees use their one-minute "elevator pitch" to describe their businesses to others. Afterwards, everyone’s contact information is shared for network strengthening.
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GNFCC Women INfluencing Business Virtual Networking Event
Friday, Nov. 6 - 10:00AM-11:00AM
Free for Members / $25 Non-Members
This event features Lisa Woodruff, Founder & CEO of Organize 365. Attendees will break out into small groups for organized networking and focused discussions on relevant topics.
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Atlanta Metro State College (AMSC) Virtual Career Fair
Tuesday, Nov. 10 - 10:00AM-1:00PM
AMSC would like to invite employers to the fall 2020 Virtual Career Fair. The event will connect students with various employment opportunities. Students will bring their electronic copies of resumes and portfolios. Employers will be given a 10-15 minute time slot on Microsoft Teams with a designated PowerPoint slide to discuss their workplace and what it has to offer.
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Georgia Association of Colleges & Employers Virtual Career Fair
Tuesday, Nov. 10 - 10:00 AM-4:00PM
• Interact with students and alumni from a variety of degree programs
• Connect with Career Services professionals from 40+ schools
• Identify full-time, intern & co-op talent for your hiring pipeline
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Build: Sandy Springs Seminar
Wednesday, Dec. 2 - 9:00AM-10:30AM
From the Community Development team, the next Build Seminar will discuss how to properly submit, review and resubmit construction documents using the new online Customer Self Service (CSS) portal. They will discuss in greater detail the document submittal process by following a typical project from plan submittal and review to issuing a permit. They will also cover the policies and procedures for proper submittals and explain the City's new color-coded review comments.
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Ongoing Free Training Opportunities
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SBDC Online Education Training Free Through End of 2020
To help small businesses recover from the effects of COVID-19, the UGA Small Business Development Centers network is offering all continuing education programming free of charge through 2020 thanks to special funding from the CARES Act.
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Career Reboot Fulton Digital Literacy Program
Fulton County, in partnership with Select Fulton, Goodwill of North Georgia, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber are offering a FREE digital literacy and computer skills training program for all Fulton County residents impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19.
Career ReBoot Fulton provides training and certifications from basic computer skills to Microsoft Office training and Google G-suite training. It also offers career services such as resume writing and review, career counseling, and employment connections.
To enroll in Career ReBoot Fulton, go to careerconnector.org; email [email protected]; call 844.344.WORK (9675); or visit one of Goodwill of North Georgia’s Career Centers. Career ReBoot Fulton will run through the end of 2020.
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Executive Orders Extended
Public Health Officials are asking communities to follow four steps to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19:
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NEW Location for FREE Covid-19 Mobile Testing
The CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) has moved its free pop-up mobile testing site to 620 Morgan Falls Road. In partnership with Fulton County and Fulton County Board of Health, CORE's mobile testing site will open M/W/F from 10AM-4PM. Appointments can be scheduled the evening before, or the day of, by texting 'COVID' to 678-802-9624.
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Sandy Springs Mask Ordinance
The Ordinance, which requires individuals to wear a mask or face covering when in public spaces and not able to maintain a six-foot distance. In keeping with the Governor’s Order, private businesses can choose to require or not; however, the City’s ordinance requires that businesses that opt-out must post a notice to that effect at its entranceways.
For Businesses which choose to require masks, we have created a poster and handbill in English & Spanish that promote mask wear. For Businesses which choose to opt out of the mask requirement, we’ve provided a sign that can be downloaded and placed at the business entranceways. The language matches the requirements in the ordinance.
Enforcement: It is up to the individual business to enforce mask wear within the business.
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Sandy Springs Education Force 7th Annual Footprints for the Future
SSEF invites you, your family and friends to participate in the 7th Annual Footprints for the Future Virtual Race. Proceeds will help fund SSEF's targeted work supporting the academic success of Sandy Springs public school students, who face an educational gap due to missing so much in-person instruction during the pandemic.
Runners and walkers are encouraged to create or join teams. Awards will be given to the largest Sandy Springs public school team and the biggest corporate or community team. Registrants are also encouraged to create individual fundraisers to support SSEF.
For details and to register, create or join a team, and/or create a fundraiser, visit runsignup.com/ssef. For more information about sponsorship, SWAG donations and more ways you can help, email [email protected].
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City of Sandy Springs Virtual Veterans Day Celebration
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
The City of Sandy Springs will pay tribute to its Veterans with a specially created video presentation on Nov. 11, 2020. The video will be available beginning at 11AM on Veterans Day at spr.gs/veteransday. The digital tribute will remain available for viewing throughout the year.
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Sparkle Village & Sparkle Sandy Springs Drive-Thru Parade
The City will continue its annual tradition of the holiday Sparkle Village on the City Green at City Springs, and has reimagined the 2020 Sparkle Parade as a drive-thru experience. The interactive Sparkle Village, including the Christmas tree and Menorah, will be on display beginning Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 2020.
The Sparkle Drive-Thru Parade will be on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 6:00PM-8:00PM. For more information, visit spr.gs/sparkle
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Has lunch become an endless stream of reheated leftovers, PB&J, and canned soup? Your office may be your living room, but you can still add a little excitement to your midday meal and support your local restaurants in the process. Whether you're ordering delivery for a virtual lunch meeting, or picking up something for a picnic at the park, we’ve made it a little easier to decide by compiling this list of restaurants who are currently open for lunch in Sandy Springs. So, give your fridge a break, and #Let’sDoLunch!
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Your Business, Moving Forward
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Your Economic Development Team
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Our team is here and ready to assist you however we can. We know each business has its own unique circumstances and challenges during this time, and we stand ready to do all we can to help you navigate this uncertain time. Please let us know how we can help!
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Economic Development Director
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Economic Development Specialist
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This newsletter is prepared by the City of Sandy Springs. You can learn more about the City on our website at sandyspringsga.gov. You can also telephone our Call Center 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 770-730-5600.
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