Outreach to Businesses in underserved communities
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that the nation’s small businesses receive the support they need, to access federal relief programs that can help them weather the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This technical assistance is critical, as small businesses have been hit hard over the course of the last year, impacting at least 400,000 businesses. Previous rounds of economic relief last year helped millions of small businesses stay afloat and keep employees on the payroll, yet too many minority-owned businesses and mom and pop shops found themselves at the end of the line, while larger, well-connected businesses accessed programs right away. To better reach these small businesses, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is launching the Community Navigator Pilot Program that will strengthen outreach to underserved businesses by partnering with organizations with deep roots in their communities.
What are Community Navigators?
The Community Navigator Pilot Program is an American Rescue Plan initiative, designed to reduce barriers that underrepresented and underserved entrepreneurs often face in accessing the programs they need to recover, grow, or start their businesses. The program will provide a total of $100 million in funding to 51 organizations that will work with hundreds of local community groups to improve access to the SBA and government resources for America’s entrepreneurs.
The program offers funding to nonprofits, state and local governments, universities, and tribal entities to partner with the SBA at the center of a hub and spoke network. These hubs then support spoke organizations -- trusted, culturally knowledgeable local groups and individuals -- who will connect to specific sectors of the entrepreneurial community to provide assistance during economic recovery.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is proud to announce that it has received a 5 million dollar award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Community Navigator Pilot Program. Part of a $100 million federal American Rescue Plan initiative to support small business economic recovery, this effort will help small business owners build back resilient, thriving companies.
In the two-year Community Navigator Pilot Program initiative, the IRC will work with over 21 community-based partners across Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, and Utah to support up to 3,000 diverse small business owners. With a specific focus on refugee and immigrant business owners, the IRC will help these businesses recover from the impacts of COVID-19 by providing counseling, technical assistance, and support, accessing up to $30 million in small business relief.
Erica Bouris, the Director of Economic Empowerment at the IRC, said:
“America’s small business owners – especially those owned by immigrants, refugees, and other diverse populations – have long been critical to the economic health of communities and the United States. We welcome the opportunity that this grant provides to expand the services we can offer them during this time of crucial recovery and ensure that they can continue to drive economic growth and opportunity in communities across America in the years ahead.
“We are proud that through this project, we will be able to work with the community and economic development partners to ensure that all small business owners have the opportunity to receive the locally-based support, culturally and linguistically accessible support they need to survive, recover and thrive.”
“IRC is excited to serve as a national top tier partner in the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program and looks forward to ensuring that through this effort, these small business owners can continue to drive economic growth and opportunity in communities across the U.S. in the years ahead.”
IRC’s continuum of economic empowerment programs includes but is not limited to workforce development, financial capability and inclusion, and small business development support programs that reach more than 15,000 diverse Americans each year. With these programmatic interventions, the IRC helps people and communities on a path towards economic opportunity, supporting financial resilience and intergenerational wealth building for the decades to come.
GK Folks Foundation is proud to partner with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as the ‘boots on the ground’ that will connect small businesses to critical resources and support, including but not limited to:
We realize that many small businesses were unable to gain access to funding and support during the darkest times of the pandemic and that is why we are launching the GK Folks Community Navigators Entrepreneurship Program. Our goal within the next two years is to ensure that businesses have knowledge of various relief programs, can navigate the application process successfully, and receive the necessary support required to rebuild our economy.
GK Folks Foundation will work together with the IRC to raise millions of dollars for the small business owners served in this project. We will commit to helping them access and secure these funds as we combine efforts towards rebuilding a stronger economy in each of our communities.
A CALL FOR BIPOC SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS!!! Are you a Small Business Owner who identifies as an Immigrant or a Person of Color? If your answer is YES, then this invitation is for you: Register your business here
The program offers funding to nonprofits, state and local governments, universities, and tribal entities to partner with the SBA at the center of a hub and spoke network. These hubs then support spoke organizations -- trusted, culturally knowledgeable local groups and individuals -- who will connect to specific sectors of the entrepreneurial community to provide assistance during economic recovery.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is proud to announce that it has received a 5 million dollar award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Community Navigator Pilot Program. Part of a $100 million federal American Rescue Plan initiative to support small business economic recovery, this effort will help small business owners build back resilient, thriving companies.
In the two-year Community Navigator Pilot Program initiative, the IRC will work with over 21 community-based partners across Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, and Utah to support up to 3,000 diverse small business owners. With a specific focus on refugee and immigrant business owners, the IRC will help these businesses recover from the impacts of COVID-19 by providing counseling, technical assistance, and support, accessing up to $30 million in small business relief.
Erica Bouris, the Director of Economic Empowerment at the IRC, said:
“America’s small business owners – especially those owned by immigrants, refugees, and other diverse populations – have long been critical to the economic health of communities and the United States. We welcome the opportunity that this grant provides to expand the services we can offer them during this time of crucial recovery and ensure that they can continue to drive economic growth and opportunity in communities across America in the years ahead.
“We are proud that through this project, we will be able to work with the community and economic development partners to ensure that all small business owners have the opportunity to receive the locally-based support, culturally and linguistically accessible support they need to survive, recover and thrive.”
“IRC is excited to serve as a national top tier partner in the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program and looks forward to ensuring that through this effort, these small business owners can continue to drive economic growth and opportunity in communities across the U.S. in the years ahead.”
IRC’s continuum of economic empowerment programs includes but is not limited to workforce development, financial capability and inclusion, and small business development support programs that reach more than 15,000 diverse Americans each year. With these programmatic interventions, the IRC helps people and communities on a path towards economic opportunity, supporting financial resilience and intergenerational wealth building for the decades to come.
GK Folks Foundation is proud to partner with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as the ‘boots on the ground’ that will connect small businesses to critical resources and support, including but not limited to:
- Financial assistance and Access to capital
- Contracting and Procurement
- Marketing
- Operations Assistance
- Business Development
- Industry-specific training
- Business Counseling
- Financial Literacy
We realize that many small businesses were unable to gain access to funding and support during the darkest times of the pandemic and that is why we are launching the GK Folks Community Navigators Entrepreneurship Program. Our goal within the next two years is to ensure that businesses have knowledge of various relief programs, can navigate the application process successfully, and receive the necessary support required to rebuild our economy.
GK Folks Foundation will work together with the IRC to raise millions of dollars for the small business owners served in this project. We will commit to helping them access and secure these funds as we combine efforts towards rebuilding a stronger economy in each of our communities.
A CALL FOR BIPOC SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS!!! Are you a Small Business Owner who identifies as an Immigrant or a Person of Color? If your answer is YES, then this invitation is for you: Register your business here
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