What Develop Fulton does

Develop Fulton, legally the Development Authority of Fulton County (DAFC), is a quasi-governmental economic development authority created in 1973 by Georgia state law and a resolution of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. It operates as a special unit of county government with a five-person professional staff and a nine-member appointed board, headquartered at 141 Pryor Street S.W. in Atlanta. The authority's mandate is to stimulate quality economic development, expand and diversify the county tax base, provide quality jobs, retain existing businesses, and sustain quality of life across Fulton County's municipalities.

DAFC's core service is the facilitation of taxable and tax-exempt bond financing for qualified economic development projects, supplemented by property tax abatement (via leasehold ownership structures), workforce-training access through WorkSource Fulton and Georgia Quick Start, Foreign Trade Zone #26 access, Freeport Exemption support, and connection to State of Georgia incentive programs. For tax incentive projects, the authority holds title to the financed property and leases it back to the client, with leasehold interest initially valued at 50% of assessed fee interest and stepping up 5% annually over 10 years. Projects must clear a 5x hurdle rate (post-construction taxes at least 5x the pre-development baseline).

The authority generates no direct service fees from applicants; revenue is incidental financing fees on bond issuance and leasehold arrangements. Since inception, DAFC has issued more than $25 billion in bonds and assisted over 450 businesses and institutions — spanning Fortune 500 headquarters (Delta, UPS, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, NCR), advanced manufacturing (PAC Worldwide, Miller Zell), logistics and robotics-enabled fulfillment, mixed-income housing, and institutional clients such as Georgia Tech. Its customer base is enterprise-only, its geographic mandate is fixed to Fulton County, and its go-to-market combines direct enterprise outreach, monthly public board approvals, international trade missions, and municipal partnerships (notably with the City of South Fulton and Select Fulton).

Name

Develop Fulton

Legal name

Development Authority of Fulton County

Website

https://developfultoncounty.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Develop Fulton (Development Authority of Fulton County) is a quasi-governmental economic development authority issuing taxable and tax-exempt bonds and tax incentives to attract, retain, and grow businesses across Fulton County, Georgia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Bond Issuance and Financing Facilitation: The DAFC issues taxable and tax-exempt bonds for qualified economic development projects. The authority holds ownership of financed property and leases it to the client. Revenue is generated through financing fees associated with bond issuance and ongoing leasehold arrangements. For tax incentive projects, borrowers may purchase bonds themselves and seek separate equity or debt financing.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Develop Fulton (Development Authority of Fulton County, DAFC) is a quasi-governmental economic development authority that facilitates taxable and tax-exempt bond financing for qualified economic development projects across Fulton County, Georgia. The authority issues bonds to enable businesses to buy land, build, expand, or upgrade facilities and equipment, and it retains ownership of financed property under a leasehold arrangement to deliver property tax abatement over a 10-year period. Services also connect clients to workforce training programs, State of Georgia incentive offerings, Foreign Trade Zone access, and Freeport Exemption benefits.

Product overview

Develop Fulton (Development Authority of Fulton County) is a government economic development authority, not a software product company. It offers a unified set of economic development services centered around taxable and tax-exempt bond financing programs, property tax incentives, workforce training assistance (via WorkSource Fulton), and access to State of Georgia incentive programs. The organization serves as a conduit for bond financing, facilitating economic development projects across Fulton County municipalities. Services also include Foreign Trade Zone access and Freeport Exemption programs. These services work together as an integrated economic development offering to attract and retain businesses in Fulton County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Taxable and Tax-Exempt Bond Financing Conduit bond issuance program that facilitates taxable and tax-exempt financing for qualified economic development projects, enabling companies to buy land, build new facilities, expand existing facilities, upgrade equipment, or make investments that enhance value and create jobs within Fulton County. Available to qualified for-profit and 501(c)(3) clients with projects evaluated by professional staff and approved by the DAFC Board.
• Property Tax Abatement (Leasehold Structure)

Quantifiable outcome

• Projects closed in 2019-2020: $45B+ economic impact, $3.6B+ capital investment, $380M+ new tax dollars, 29,692 permanent jobs, 14,192 construction jobs, 997 affordable housing units
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, strategic and flagship.

• City of South FultoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026The $500 million robotics-enabled first-mile fulfillment project was developed in partnership with the City of South Fulton, Select Fulton, and state partners, positioning the county competitively within Amazon's national site-selection portfolio for logistics network expansion.
• Select FultoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Select Fulton is a partner in the $500 million South Fulton robotics fulfillment project, collaborating with DAFC, City of South Fulton, and state partners to attract major logistics investment to the county.
• State of GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026State partners collaborated on the $500 million South Fulton robotics fulfillment project, part of broader state economic development efforts to attract logistics and supply chain investment to the region.
• Roosevelt COSF Owner LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Owner of the SoFu Commerce Center, a 213,580-square-foot Class A light industrial facility in South Fulton, supported by a $28 million bond inducement resolution from Develop Fulton.
• KMT Partners LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Developer of the SoFu Commerce Center, a 213,580-square-foot Class A light industrial facility in South Fulton, projected to create approximately 300 jobs with $251.8 million economic impact.
• South KoreastrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 November 2025International economic mission to strengthen global economic relationships and attract investment, promote trade, and create high-quality jobs in Fulton County.
• JapanstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 November 2025International economic mission to strengthen global economic relationships and attract Japanese investment, promote trade, and create high-quality jobs in Fulton County.
• Czech RepublicstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 November 2025International economic mission to strengthen global economic relationships and attract investment, promote trade, and create high-quality jobs in Fulton County.
• Woodfield DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2025$77 million mixed-use project '840 Woodrow' in Southwest Atlanta's Oakland City neighborhood, including 326 apartments and townhomes (20% affordable), projected to create over 500 construction jobs and 40 permanent jobs.
• Vida CompaniesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2025Development partner in the $77 million 840 Woodrow mixed-use project, contributing to Southwest Atlanta's ongoing Westside redevelopment near the Beltline.
• WorkSource FultoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA free, federally funded workforce program that helps job seekers find employment or career training. DAFC connects businesses with WorkSource Fulton for employment partnerships to meet workforce needs through screening, assessment, and referral of qualified candidates.
• Georgia Quick StartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe nation's #1 ranked training program, providing customized training programs to new and existing industry in Fulton County at no charge. A three-way partnership among Quick Start, the company, and Georgia's Technical Colleges.
• Atlanta Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of two technical colleges serving Fulton County communities as part of the Georgia Quick Start workforce training partnership, providing customized training in collaboration with Quick Start and companies.
• Gwinnett Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of two technical colleges serving Fulton County communities as part of the Georgia Quick Start workforce training partnership, providing customized training in collaboration with Quick Start and companies.
• Georgia PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized by site selectors as one of the top electric utilities in the country, praised for diverse and reliable supply, infrastructure capabilities, and partnering well with state and local economic development entities.
• Atlanta Gas LightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaintains the area's natural gas infrastructure, with more than a dozen competing natural gas marketers providing affordable service to businesses in Fulton County.
• MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides both heavy rail and bus service within Fulton County and surrounding counties. Serves as a key transit option for commuters and a factor in corporate location decisions, including State Farm (3,000 jobs), Mercedes-Benz (1,000 jobs), and Kaiser Permanente (900 jobs).
• Georgia Film OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that has been engaged in bringing film and television production to Georgia for over 40 years, maintaining a locations database, providing scouting assistance, and certifying projects for state tax incentives.
• Port of SavannahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe largest single container terminal in North America and the second-busiest U.S. container port, located four hours from Fulton County. Provides critical maritime logistics connectivity for businesses in the county.
• CSX / Norfolk SouthernmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor freight railroads with substantial commitments to intermodal capabilities in the region, with multimillion-dollar intermodal rail yards near Atlanta serving Fulton County businesses.
• MicrosoftflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft is building multiple data centers in Fulton County (Palmetto and East Point) forming its 'East US 3' Azure cloud region, with $420 million investment per facility, creating jobs and economic impact.
• Fulton County Board of CommissionerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated in 1973 by Georgia law and a resolution of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners as a special unit of county government. DAFC works in conjunction with the Board of Assessors on project evaluations.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Invest Atlanta: Invest Atlanta is the economic development authority for the City of Atlanta, overlapping significantly with DAFC's territory in bond financing, tax incentives, and business attraction. Both authorities compete for the same pool of developers and corporate relocations within metro Atlanta, with comparable product offerings (taxable/tax-exempt bonds, TEFRA processes).
• Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC): Quasi-governmental municipal authority providing bond financing, tax incentives, and real estate development services similar to DAFC. Operates a comparable product stack (tax-exempt bonds, fee ownership, leaseback structures) and competes for the same type of corporate site selection decisions.
• Douglas County Development Authority: Another named neighboring competitor for industrial development projects along Fulton Industrial Boulevard's broader corridor. Operates the same bond-financing model and competes for the same logistics, manufacturing, and data center capital.
• Cobb County Development Authority: Direct competitor for industrial/logistics and corporate relocation projects within metro Atlanta, explicitly named by DAFC as a competing jurisdiction. Both authorities offer bond financing and tax incentives targeting the same industrial corridor.

Broad incumbents

• NYC Economic Development Corporation: Large municipal economic development authority with a similar bond financing, tax incentive, and real estate development mandate, though at vastly larger scale. Comparable in operational model (quasi-governmental authority facilitating projects on behalf of city government) but serves a much larger and more diverse economy.
• Metro Atlanta Chamber / Greater Atlanta Partnership: The Metro Atlanta Chamber leads regional business recruitment and site selection, often partnering with DAFC on projects. Both target the same Fortune 500 and global corporation pipeline with overlapping prospect engagement, though the chamber focuses on promotion while DAFC structures the financing.
• Greater Houston Partnership: Regional economic development organization that, like DAFC, targets global corporate headquarters, energy/life sciences/tech sectors, and major logistics deals. Comparable scale and target industry mix though structured as a public-private partnership rather than a statutory authority.
• Georgia EMC / Georgia Department of Economic Development: The Georgia state-level economic development agency provides statewide incentive coordination that DAFC channels to its clients. Both operate the bond financing + tax credit stack but at different jurisdictional levels; state partners are referenced repeatedly in DAFC's deals.

Regional players

• San Antonio Economic Development Foundation: Non-profit economic development organization serving a different geography but with a comparable operational model: bond financing support, tax incentive structuring, workforce partnerships, and Fortune 500 corporate recruitment. Similar role within a major Sun Belt metro.
• Jacksonville Office of Economic Development: Municipal economic development arm serving a different Southeast U.S. metro with comparable port-adjacent logistics targeting, bond issuance authority, and Fortune 500 cultivation. Comparable operating geographies and target industries (logistics, fintech, healthcare).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/developfulton

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Develop Fulton