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Birmingham awards $850K for economic development

The city awarded the funds to several local organizations to boost economic development.

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More than $850,000 in funds aimed at economically improving the city of Birmingham were awarded to local organizations by city officials, according to a statement from the Birmingham Mayor’s Office.

The funds, moved through the Building Opportunities for Lasting Development project, or BOLD Program, will be specifically allocated for six categories of economic revitalization, including for small businesses, Minority, women, and disadvantaged business enterprises, and for Workforce development, among other areas.

“I am thrilled to continue to support our local organizations and small businesses who work diligently to support our residents with innovative programming and resources,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin in a statement on Tuesday. “An investment in these outstanding groups is an investment in the future of Birmingham.”

The six originations selected by the Birmingham City Council to receive funds for a year to complete their respective economic plans include Birmingham Business Alliance; Birthwell Partners; Diane’s Heart; East Lake Initiative; Is-Able Ministries; Rebirth Community Corporation; Tech Alabama, doing business as Education Farm; and The Surge Project.

The largest slice of the funds, at $148,500, goes to the Rebirth Community Corporation, who in turn will supper small businesses through “business development, mental health support, and direct services through the provision of wellness assessments and emotional and economic action plans, group mental health sessions, group business development workshops,” according to the city.

The Birmingham Business Alliance received $110,000 for the creation of a “digital network of resource partners and dedicated professional” in support of the city’s Legacy Business Program.

Birthwell Partners receives $121,806 to employ and train doulas to provide birth doulas services to low-resource families in Birmingham, and Education Farm receives $135,200 to provide workforce training in IT to underemployed adults and youth.

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“We are incredibly proud to partner with this year’s BOLD recipients,” said Coreata Houser, deputy director of the Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity, in a statement on Tuesday. “Each of these organizations is doing incredible work for Birmingham, and we are excited about the ways that BOLD partnerships can elevate and extend services to our residents to improve quality of life and place, which is the groundwork for advancing economic opportunity in Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods.”

John is a reporter at the Alabama Political Reporter. You can contact him at jglenn@alreporter.com or via Twitter.

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