NewTown Macon receives $3 million to help small businesses

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – NewTown Macon received $3 million to help jump-start new businesses in Downtown Macon.

The John S. James L. Knight Foundation and Griffith Family Foundation each donated $1 million to the Godsey Initiatives Fund. Under NewTown Macon, the Initiatives Fund offers loans, lines of credit, joint ventures, and other investments to expand downtown business.

Dr. R. Kirby godsey matched the donation with another million dollars.

Reboot Retrocade and Bar opened about a year and a half ago because of NewTown’s help.

“Really we only had a little bit of start up capital and an idea so it’s mostly just about the pitch. Traditional funding for us would have been impossible really. We tried,” said Reboot owner, Jeremy Smith. “So NewTown lent an open ear. They supplied kind of all kind of data and information we needed to get open and most importantly financing.”

Godsey’s goal is to raise $10 million for the initiatives fund by 2022. He says for every donation, he will match that dollar amount.

If you would like to learn more about NewTown’s loan options, click here.