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Georgia College & State University Looks to E-Commerce for Expanding Rural Georgia Business Market Share

Name
Deborah Callahan
City
MILLEDGEVILLE
Release Date

U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a $63,000 grant award to Georgia College and State University (GCSU) that will help rural middle Georgia businesses capitalize on e-commerce potential. Funding comes from the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program which is designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas.

   “The e-commerce technical assistance offered by GCSU will help rural businesses implement effective e-commerce strategies and expand their market opportunities” said USDA Rural Development State Director Quinton Robinson.

   Georgia College’s Center of Design and E-Commerce will use the $63,000 RBDG to produce a video tutorial program to train businesses in its fourteen-county region (Baldwin, Burke, Emanuel, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Laurens, Putnam, Twiggs, Warren, Washington, Wilkinson) to implement effective e-commerce techniques such as developing e-commerce websites, creating and using social media and improving web search engine optimization. “These three tools can bring a small business to the next level,” said Robinson.

   Through this project, the Center of Design and E-Commerce hopes to create or save at least 25 jobs.  The tutorials are slated to be unveiled by September 2016. RBDG funding is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the grant agreement.

   The Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) is a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenues. A list of Georgia FY2015 RBDG awardees is posted online at http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/ga_fy15RBDGlist.pdf . For program information, contact Business and Cooperatives Programs Specialist Toni Grimes at (706) 552-2561.

   President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities.