Bishop announces rural business grant for Baker County

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Sanford Bishop Jr., D-Ga., announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a $144,900 grant for facility improvements at the East Baker Commercial Kitchen in Baker County. This facility will make available industrial kitchen appliances for local and minority-operated food and farm enterprises and serve as a center for business training and development.

"The East Baker Commercial Kitchen provides opportunities for individuals to build businesses or explore careers in the culinary arts when they otherwise would not have the access to a commercial kitchen," Bishop said. "I am glad to see federal funds will help aspiring entrepreneurs in Baker County and its surrounding communities."

"The effects of the pandemic devastated the economy and severely affected small, black-led organizations and businesses," East Baker Commercial Kitchen President Davie Cowart said in a news release. "The East Baker Commercial Kitchen was no exception. The repairs being made will allow us the opportunity to revamp the program and offer workshops and other services to entrepreneurs. This much-needed financial support will be used to ensure maximum utilization of the commercial kitchen, a great community resource."

Grant funds will be devoted to roof repairs and ADA-compliant restrooms at the commercial kitchen. Long-term, officials at the facility plan to fully re-open the kitchen and its programs to the community.

The USDA Rural Business Development Grants program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses that have fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue. Rural public entities such as towns, communities, state agencies, authorities, rural cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and federally recognized tribes may apply to this program.

Applications for the program are accepted year-'round and the next deadline by which applications must be received is Feb. at 4:30 p.m. For more information about the program, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/rural-business-development-grants.