Top Financial Tools
DCA Downtown Development Revolving Loan (DDRLF)
The purpose of the Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund (DD RLF) is to assist cities, counties and development authorities in their efforts to revitalize and enhance downtown areas by providing below-market rate financing to fund capital projects in core historic downtown areas and adjacent historic neighborhoods where DD RLF will spur commercial redevelopment.
GA Cities Foundation Revolving Loan Fund (GCFRLF)
Applications are evaluated based on leadership, accountability, long-term sustainability, and potential for private investment. Projects should encourage spin-off development, add jobs, promote downtown housing, or add to the cultural enrichment of the community. Each application must also undergo credit underwriting. Eligible Projects include real estate acquisition, building rehabilitation, new construction, green space and parks. Ineligible uses of funds are operating expenses and administration, local revolving loan funds, public infrastructure projects, streetscapes, and facade projects.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
The U.S. Small Business Administration is a small, independent federal agency created by Congress in 1953 to assist, counsel and champion the millions of American small businesses. The mission of SBA is to help people get into business and stay in business. To do this, SBA acts as an advocate for small business. At the direction of Congress, the Agency promotes the cause of small business, explains small businesses role and contributions to our society and economy and advocates policies that help small business. The agency also provides new and established small business owners with financial assistance, management counseling and training. SBA helps small firms get a fair share of government contracts and assists in the bonding process.
Enterprise Zones
The State Enterprise Zone program intends to improve geographic areas within cities and counties that are suffering from disinvestment, underdevelopment, and economic decline, encouraging private businesses to reinvest and rehabilitate such areas. The Enterprise Zone area must meet at least three of five criteria: 1) Pervasive poverty established using the most current United States decennial census prepared by the U. S. Bureau of Census; 2) Unemployment Rate (average for preceding yr.) at least 10% higher than State or significant job dislocation; 3) Underdevelopment evidenced by lack of building permits, licenses, land disturbance permits, etc. lower than development activity within local body's jurisdiction; 4) General distress and adverse conditions (population decline, health and safety issues etc.); and 5) General Blight evidenced by the inclusion of any portion of the nominated area in an urban redevelopment area.
Tax Allocation Districts (TADs)
Tax Allocation Districts or TADs, often called Tax Increment Financing (TIF) in other states, are a popular mechanism for revitalizing blighted or underutilized areas such as brownfields, declining commercial corridors and industrial sites. The process involves designating a Tax Allocation District, establishing its current tax base floor and then dedicating future taxes over and above that floor for a given period of time to pay the costs (often but not always through issuing bonds) of the infrastructure, buildings or other improvements needed to spur new, higher density development. TAD funds may be used for a wide range of development activities. Cities, counties and school systems may all decide independently whether to participate in a TAD. City or County participation in a TAD requires a jurisdiction-wide referendum. TADs may be administered by local governments, DDAs, Housing Authorities or Redevelopment Agencies.