Gateway to Growth | Airport Concessions Business Training

Gateway to Growth Academy: 11-Week Small Business Training Program at ATL

 

The Gateway to Growth Academy is a free 11-week small business education program created by the City of Atlanta’s Department of Aviation. Designed to help small business owners navigate the complexities of airport operations and procurement, the Academy equips participants with essential knowledge to compete in the airport concessions industry at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Structured into two focused education units with eight total modules:

• Unit 1 covers supplier registration and the airport procurement process.
• Unit 2 focuses on business operations within ATL’s airport environment.

Each weekly module blends online learning and in-person engagement, including live panel discussions with airport and business leaders. The small cohort of 25 participants enables personalized guidance and meaningful networking.
Although not required for future concession opportunities, completing Gateway to Growth gives small businesses a competitive edge and a deeper understanding of ATL’s business operations and contracting process.

Gateway to Growth Application

Who qualifies as a small business?

ATL follows Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidance in defining a “small business.” The FAA cites the Small Business Administration (SBA) guidelines:

· A small business is defined as a gender and race-neutral for-profit business for which gross receipts, including gross receipts of all affiliate firms, averaged over the firm’s previous five (5) fiscal years, do not exceed $56.42 million. Owners with a minimum of 51% interest in the small business shall not have a personal net worth exceeding $2.047 million.

· Affiliation is defined by the SBA, Small Business Size Regulation (13 CFR Part 121.103). Concerns and entities are affiliates of each other when one controls or has the power to control the other, or a third party or parties controls or has the power to control both. It does not matter whether control is exercised so long as the power to control exists. Additional information on affiliation can be found here.

Key 2026 Gateway to Growth Dates (Cohort #2)

· Application opens – January 8

· Application due date – January 29 (noon ET)

· Application evaluation and participant selection – February 4-14

· Selected participants notified – February 16

· Deadline for participants to confirm participation – February 19

· Participants announced – February 23

· Kickoff meeting for Cohort #2 – February 26

· Online courses and in-person sessions – March 2 to April 30

· Graduation – During “National Small Business Week,” May 4-8 (in-person)

Application Process

· Step 1: Be sure that the business owner (owns, controls, and manages the business) completes the application.

· Step 2: Click the button below to access the online application.

Gateway to Growth Application

· Step 3: Confirm that you understand that completing the application does not guarantee acceptance into the Gateway to Growth program, and acceptance into the CSPB does not guarantee the awarding of a contract by the City of Atlanta.

· Step 4: Answer all required questions and submit the application.

· Step 5: Applicants will receive confirmation of receipt.