ATLANTA -- The Judicial Council of Georgia Domestic Violence Committee awarded a grant on Friday that will go towards the work of nine nonprofit organizations in and near Atlanta. 

The grant of almost $1.6 million will help bring legal services to around 4,500 people with low income around Georgia who have suffered from domestic violence and are working to bounce back. A spokeswoman for the Judicial Council reported that the funds are given each year to develop domestic violence training and legal services for victims.

According to the spokeswoman, not included are divorces, deportations and other matters which are not related with the victim's safety, along with economic security. 

Metro Atlanta-based MOSAIC Group [Architects and Remodelers] has been awarded a 2013 Guildmaster Award for exceptional customer service. The company is owned by William Fadul and Rick Goldstein. GuildQuality, an independent customer satisfaction surveying company, has powered the Guildmaster Award since 2005 to celebrate service excellence in the building, remodeling, contracting, and home services professions.

Over the past few months, GuildQuality reviewed numerous survey responses submitted by clients of Guildmaster candidates. In granting awards, GuildQuality considers two primary metrics for each candidate: the percentage of customers who would recommend and the percentage of customers who responded. MOSAIC Group achieved a recommendation rate of greater than 90 percent from their customers, who were surveyed through GuildQuality.

(ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE) -- Metro Atlanta leaders will seek to grow the region's global business opportunities through a new initiative kicked off Wednesday by JP Morgan Chase and the Brookings Institution.

The Global Cities Initiative, which is part of a five-year, $10 million multi-city effort ultimately will forge new city-to-city partnerships to create trade and economic relationships to prosper from the growing urbanization of the world's population. 

Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed said the initiative takes advantage of growing businesses through exporting and by recognizing that the "Made in USA" brand is becoming increasingly valuable in the world. 

The two-day conference, held at the Academy of Medicine on the Georgia Tech Campus, will lead to a new Metropolitan Export Plan for Atlanta.