Invest Atlanta BizLabs Program (supported by Wells Fargo)

Invest Atlanta BizLabs Program (supported by Wells Fargo) is sponsored by Invest Atlanta, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation. Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation provide philanthropic grants to support small business growth and housing stability across metro Atlanta.

ATLANTA – May 4, 2026 – Invest Atlanta and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta today announced new philanthropic grants from Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation to support small business growth and housing stability across metro Atlanta. The funding includes $550,000 to support Invest Atlanta’s BizLabs program, which helps independent small businesses find affordable commercial space. A second grant provides $2.

25 million to the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to advance housing stability and neighborhood investment across the region. As housing costs rise and small businesses face increasing pressure, these investments aim to strengthen stability and expand opportunity across metro Atlanta. Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation have now surpassed more than $40 million in philanthropic support in metro Atlanta since 2021.

“Wells Fargo’s substantial and consistent investment in Atlanta reflects a meaningful commitment to our city and our people,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “By supporting the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative through strengthening housing stability and uplifting small businesses, this funding helps to build more resilient neighborhoods and ensure Atlanta’s economy benefits all residents.

We look forward to the continued impact this partnership will make in the years ahead. ” “Wells Fargo’s continued long-term commitment in Atlanta reflects our investment in the community," said Jason Rosenberg, Wells Fargo’s head of Public Affairs. “These philanthropic investments will support small businesses, strengthen neighborhoods and help advance growth for our customers, employees and communities throughout the city.

” **Supporting Small Business Growth in Atlanta** The announcement was made at a ribbon-cutting for local business, Kindred Paper, at its new downtown Pop-Up location, presented by Invest Atlanta and Atlanta Downtown.

Invest Atlanta’s BizLabs Program addresses a key barrier facing small businesses—the lack of accessible, high-quality, and affordable storefront and commercial real estate—especially for neighborhood- serving and historically undercapitalized entrepreneurs.

It also helps to activate storefronts like Kindred Paper’s pop-up location, helping businesses benefit from increased visibility and economic activity expected in Atlanta this summer with FIFA World Cup 2026™.. This most recent funding follows a $20 million Open for Business Fund grant that Wells Fargo announced in 2022 to support a United Way of Greater Atlanta and Invest Atlanta collaboration to help Atlanta small businesses grow.

“We truly appreciate how Wells Fargo shares our vision of strengthening Atlanta’s small business community and the neighborhoods they call home,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta. “This continued partnership helps create real opportunities for local entrepreneurs—people with ideas, passion, and deep roots in our city.

Through BizLabs, initiatives like bringing pop-up shops to downtown storefronts give business owners a chance to be seen, test their vision, and build something lasting that strengthens our local economy. ” **Advancing Housing Stability Across Metro Atlanta** A $2.

25 million grant to the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta will support efforts to stabilize housing and expand access to opportunity for residents across metro Atlanta. In a region where housing costs continue to outpace wages, this funding will address some of the most persistent barriers to long-term stability.

The Community Foundation has helped mobilize more than $220 million in investment and support the creation or preservation of over 6,000 homes across the region—working with partners to address housing challenges at scale.

This investment from Wells Fargo will build on that work by helping resolve tangled title issues, unlocking capital for critical home repairs, supporting emerging developers, and strengthening strategies to preserve affordable housing.

“Across metro Atlanta, too many families are at risk of losing the homes they’ve worked hard to build—not because they lack commitment, but because of legal, financial, and systemic barriers,” said Frank Fernandez, President & CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. “This investment helps remove those barriers—so people can stay in their homes, make needed repairs, and pass on what they’ve built.

As the region’s philanthropic center of gravity, we’re working alongside partners to turn housing stability into something families can count on—and a foundation for stronger, more equitable communities. ” Invest Atlanta is the official economic development authority for the City of Atlanta.

Its mission is to shape the city’s future by growing jobs and driving neighborhood investment, elevating the city’s global competitiveness, and advancing development and innovation, that uplifts all residents and businesses.

_About Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta_ The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta is the region’s philanthropic center of gravity, inspiring and leading Atlanta toward equity and shared prosperity for all. Neighbor to neighbor and heart to heart, we’re building a better ATL through partnership with local non-profits, civic leaders, financial advisors, and generous donors throughout the community.

A fixture since 1951, CFGA shepherds more than $1. 8 billion in assets and deployed over $250 million in grants and impact investments in 2025 to thousands of non-profit partners working to realize Atlanta’s full potential. Katrina Highsmith-Johnson, Invest Atlanta khighsmith@investatlanta.

com Jennifer Tyner, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Jennifer. tyner@cfgreateratlanta. org 229.

351. 6143