{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-ezell-introduce-bill-support-small-and-local-businesses", "Congressman Carter, Ezell Introduce Bill to Support Small and Local Businesses", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Congressman Mike Ezell (R-MS) introduced their bipartisan legislation, the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program Act. This legislation will authorize a new competitive grant program through the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for business district organizations, such as Main Street programs and local economic development entities, that provide tailored, on-the-ground assistance to small businesses in both urban and rural communities.\n\nThese grants will be used for community-based initiatives that help small businesses identify resources and create jobs. National nonprofits that apply for grants through the program must work with business district organizations, locally based nonprofit or public community, and economic development partners. Local subrecipients will receive a combination of resources and technical assistance, such as strategic planning, market analysis, grant writing, and business development services, to enhance their work.\n\n\u201cSmall businesses are the heartbeat of our economy, and this bill is an innovative way to grow capacity in our business districts and create more equitable economic opportunities and outcomes in Louisiana and nationwide,\u201d said Rep. Carter. \u201cThis bill would increase needed resources for many organizations in my district that conduct critical, on-the-ground work to uplift small, local businesses.\u201d\n\nSmall businesses are the backbone of our nation\u2019s economy. A robust economic development framework requires investing in the success of entrepreneurs and the local business districts in which they operate.\n\n\"The Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program will invest in the operational and technical capacity of business district organizations, strengthening these support systems to promote job growth, build local wealth, and improve the quality of life for underserved communities and entrepreneurs in South Mississippi,\" said Rep. Ezell.\"By providing critical technical assistance and helping these organizations access and utilize the U.S. Economic Development Administration\u2019s RNTA grant program, we are ensuring that small communities have the resources they need to create stronger, more competitive business districts and drive long-term economic success.\"\n\n\"Broad Community Connections is committed to creating a flourishing community, connected by its people, its businesses and its culture. To reach this vision, capacity building resources and technical assistance are vital. We applaud the introduction of the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program and are grateful for Rep. Carter's co-sponsorship of this important legislation,\u201d said Dasjon S. Jordan, Executive Director, Broad Community Connections (New Orleans)\n\n\u201cPicayune Main Street\u2019s mission is to preserve the historic character and integrity of our community\u2019s downtown commercial and residential district, as well as to enhance the culture and quality of life through active community involvement. While we have seen successes, the additional support enabled through the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program would equip our organization to take this mission to new heights, facilitating small business growth, job creation, and enhanced quality of place for our community,\u201d said Reba Beebe, Director, Picayune Main Street, Inc.\n\n\"Sankofa Community Development Corporation is excited about the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program to offer opportunities to strengthen economic development initiatives. We initiated the Lower Ninth Ward Main Street project in alliance with a network of organizations, community stakeholders, and local businesses. We look forward to seeing its positive impact on the growth of small businesses and revitalization of our historic commercial corridor,\u201d said Rashida Ferdinand, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sankofa Community Development Corporation\n\n\"By strengthening existing place-making efforts and serving as a catalyst for economic growth and development by creating a sense of place and pride for the community, the Downtown Hattiesburg Association is improving the quality of life in Hattiesburg. Added resources for capacity and technical assistance to expand our work will increase our impact. We are grateful for Rep. Ezell's support to make that vision a reality,\u201d said Marlo Dorsey, Board Member, Mississippi Main Street Association and Hattiesburg Downtown Association\n\n\"The Mississippi Main Street Association is thankful for Representative Ezell's leadership of this legislation. As Mississippi\u2019s leading organization for preservation-based community and economic development, we are excited about the potential of this funding to strengthen our network of organizations committed to supporting our downtowns and small businesses,\u201d said Jim Miller, Executive Director, Mississippi Main Street Association\n\n\"We applaud Representatives Ezell and Carter for introducing the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program. This program will provide critical resources to locally based, non-profit organizations that support small business ownership and economic revitalization in urban neighborhoods and rural communities across the country,\u201d said Matt Josephs, Senior Vice President for Policy, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)\n\n\"Main Street America is pleased to support the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program. We thank Representatives Ezell and Carter for recognizing the critical role that business district organizations, such as Main Street programs, play in creating thriving local economies,\u201d said Erin Barnes, President and CEO, Main Street America\n\n\"Small businesses are vital contributors to the health, vitality, and identity of neighborhoods. But they are also highly vulnerable to closure and displacement, particularly in underserved neighborhoods. This bill will help to provide businesses across the country with the assistance that they need to thrive. It will help disadvantaged business owners build greater wealth and long-term stability, and ensure that the communities they serve get the goods and services they need and deserve,\u201d said Willow Lung-Amam, Ph.D., Director, Small Business Anti-Displacement Network\n\nBackground\n\nCurrently, grants under EDA are not used for capacity-building assistance and pass-through funds to local entities. The Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program Act offers an opportunity to expand inclusive access to EDA resources by leveraging the expertise of national nonprofit partners with deep connections to small businesses to provide on-the-ground economic assistance to our nation\u2019s downtowns. This will benefit small businesses and underserved communities by providing them with the expertise necessary to apply for federal grants. These grants will enable communities to fund projects that boost local economies, foster innovation, and strengthen their overall business infrastructure.\n\nSmall businesses are often found clustered in our business districts: neighborhood commercial corridors, Main Streets, downtowns, and other dense concentrations of small business development. Small businesses located in business districts are typically those under 20 employees, that are owned locally and hire locally, creating opportunities to build local wealth and sustain a community from the ground up. Research from the Association for Enterprise Opportunity indicates that unemployment would be eliminated if one-third of \u201cmicrobusinesses\u201d hired just one additional employee. Expanding resources for business district organizations can stimulate increased economic growth for these small businesses and for the community.\n\nOrganizational support for this bill includes: the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Main Street America, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations, National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders, Small Business Majority, Small Business Anti-Displacement Network, Center on Rural Innovation, and Small Business Roundtable.\n\nRead the full bill here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-ezell-introduce-bill-support-small-and-local-businesses"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9622012041509151, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}