The GK Folks Foundation is delighted to announce our partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as the active force on the frontlines, bridging small businesses with essential resources and assistance. From 2021 to 2023, we achieved the following milestones:
GK Folks Foundation
QUARTERLY NARRATIVES
Quarter 1 (December 2021-February 2022)
GK Folks entrepreneurship program exists to help empower black business owners to be successful by providing resources and training. This quarter, they hired a CNPP business counselor dedicated to the project implementation. Multiple staff members attended the virtual convening and requested 1:1 support from the HUB to track data in the ETO software. GK Folks had success in utilizing the Forms QR code in outreach, allowing business owners to fill out basic information for follow-up services. With the hiring of a navigator, GK folks will be able to enroll clients and continue to use the outreach form to enroll more.
Quarter 2 (March 2022-May 2022)
This quarter, GK Folks focused on outreach activity and participated in multiple in-person events to speak with business owners, attended association meetings, and used social media channels to spread the word. This quarter, GK Folks enrolled 9 clients with 32 hours of counseling and provided application assistance totaling $20,000 in grant capital.
Quarter 3 (June 2022- August 2022)
This quarter, GK folks focused on designing and leading workshops. Topics included financial literacy, business operations mentorship, and navigating funding options with banks and loan applications. The community navigator worked with clients individually to provide counseling on developing a website and increasing social media presence. GK Folks enrolled 9 new businesses and provided 40 hours of counseling.
Quarter 4 (September 2022- November 2022)
This quarter, GK folks focused on implementing enhanced counseling services and worked to build more business service partners to add to their ecosystem. GK folks developed a unique partnership with The Mill Entrepreneurship Center, recruiting consultants to provide free classes to enrolled CNPP business owners who want to attend. In addition, they also focused on helping small businesses break the barriers of applying for loans. The navigator noted that most businesses encountered were skeptical of loans and preferred grants, savings, and borrowing from friends and family. The navigator uses counseling to provide more information and clarity on accessing capital through loans. GK Folks enrolled 8 new businesses and delivered 88 hours of counseling.
Quarter 5 (December 2022- February 2023)
GK Folks experienced lower-than-expected outcomes this quarter due to staffing gaps and navigator parental leave. However, they strategized to keep their momentum. Before leave, the navigators strategically divided responsibilities within the team, utilized the networks of community partners, and implemented a new marketing approach. They partnered with the Salt Lake Center of Opportunity Partnership (Salt Lake Coop) to plan future joint workshops. They created a buzz with a “countdown” marketing approach, where they announced that GK Folks wanted to help seven small businesses in December. They did consistent shoutouts about how many of the seven spots remained as small businesses stepped up for service. As the spaces became more limited, businesses reached out and felt lucky to be accepted into the program. They also spent this time reaching out to clients requesting services in the past but did not follow up on benefits. These more strategic approaches helped them during their leave time. GK Folks enrolled 7 new businesses and provided 46 hours of counseling.
Quarter 6 (March 2023- May 2023)
GK Folks concentrated on networking and recruiting through small, local pop-up events this quarter. Navigators collaborated with the Utah Black Chamber, Impact Magazine, and other local organizations. The partnerships and pop-up events helped the GK Folk team increase enrollments and counseling hours while strengthening relationships with existing businesses. While the GK Folks navigators felt they had to reduce direct assistance for website building due to a lack of resources, they found that it was a much-needed service and are seeking partners to continue this service. With upcoming events, business owners are eager to get their names out in the community and would benefit from website development training. GK Folks enrolled 8 new businesses and provided 55 hours of counseling. Quarter 7 (June 2023- August 2023) Over the past quarter, the GK Folks Foundation leveraged CNPP funds to host workshops and conduct counseling for business owners. One success for this period was working with two entrepreneurs as they moved from the ideation phase to registering and launching their business. GK Folks focused on helping entrepreneurs develop sustainable business plans and work through prototyping their ideas and products. As an organization focused on empowering African immigrants, GK Folks attended events highlighting African culture in Utah. They also organized an Afro-beat dance workshop to practice and learn Afro-beat dance while networking and connecting with other entrepreneurs. GK Folks leveraged this dance workshop as an opportunity to share resources for small business owners. Through their efforts, they counseled and assisted nine businesses this quarter to access loans, grants, and other business resources. GK Folks enrolled 9 new businesses and provided 53 hours of counseling. Navigators also hosted 4 workshops for 6 hours covering business planning.
GK Folks entrepreneurship program exists to help empower black business owners to be successful by providing resources and training. This quarter, they hired a CNPP business counselor dedicated to the project implementation. Multiple staff members attended the virtual convening and requested 1:1 support from the HUB to track data in the ETO software. GK Folks had success in utilizing the Forms QR code in outreach, allowing business owners to fill out basic information for follow-up services. With the hiring of a navigator, GK folks will be able to enroll clients and continue to use the outreach form to enroll more.
Quarter 2 (March 2022-May 2022)
This quarter, GK Folks focused on outreach activity and participated in multiple in-person events to speak with business owners, attended association meetings, and used social media channels to spread the word. This quarter, GK Folks enrolled 9 clients with 32 hours of counseling and provided application assistance totaling $20,000 in grant capital.
Quarter 3 (June 2022- August 2022)
This quarter, GK folks focused on designing and leading workshops. Topics included financial literacy, business operations mentorship, and navigating funding options with banks and loan applications. The community navigator worked with clients individually to provide counseling on developing a website and increasing social media presence. GK Folks enrolled 9 new businesses and provided 40 hours of counseling.
Quarter 4 (September 2022- November 2022)
This quarter, GK folks focused on implementing enhanced counseling services and worked to build more business service partners to add to their ecosystem. GK folks developed a unique partnership with The Mill Entrepreneurship Center, recruiting consultants to provide free classes to enrolled CNPP business owners who want to attend. In addition, they also focused on helping small businesses break the barriers of applying for loans. The navigator noted that most businesses encountered were skeptical of loans and preferred grants, savings, and borrowing from friends and family. The navigator uses counseling to provide more information and clarity on accessing capital through loans. GK Folks enrolled 8 new businesses and delivered 88 hours of counseling.
Quarter 5 (December 2022- February 2023)
GK Folks experienced lower-than-expected outcomes this quarter due to staffing gaps and navigator parental leave. However, they strategized to keep their momentum. Before leave, the navigators strategically divided responsibilities within the team, utilized the networks of community partners, and implemented a new marketing approach. They partnered with the Salt Lake Center of Opportunity Partnership (Salt Lake Coop) to plan future joint workshops. They created a buzz with a “countdown” marketing approach, where they announced that GK Folks wanted to help seven small businesses in December. They did consistent shoutouts about how many of the seven spots remained as small businesses stepped up for service. As the spaces became more limited, businesses reached out and felt lucky to be accepted into the program. They also spent this time reaching out to clients requesting services in the past but did not follow up on benefits. These more strategic approaches helped them during their leave time. GK Folks enrolled 7 new businesses and provided 46 hours of counseling.
Quarter 6 (March 2023- May 2023)
GK Folks concentrated on networking and recruiting through small, local pop-up events this quarter. Navigators collaborated with the Utah Black Chamber, Impact Magazine, and other local organizations. The partnerships and pop-up events helped the GK Folk team increase enrollments and counseling hours while strengthening relationships with existing businesses. While the GK Folks navigators felt they had to reduce direct assistance for website building due to a lack of resources, they found that it was a much-needed service and are seeking partners to continue this service. With upcoming events, business owners are eager to get their names out in the community and would benefit from website development training. GK Folks enrolled 8 new businesses and provided 55 hours of counseling. Quarter 7 (June 2023- August 2023) Over the past quarter, the GK Folks Foundation leveraged CNPP funds to host workshops and conduct counseling for business owners. One success for this period was working with two entrepreneurs as they moved from the ideation phase to registering and launching their business. GK Folks focused on helping entrepreneurs develop sustainable business plans and work through prototyping their ideas and products. As an organization focused on empowering African immigrants, GK Folks attended events highlighting African culture in Utah. They also organized an Afro-beat dance workshop to practice and learn Afro-beat dance while networking and connecting with other entrepreneurs. GK Folks leveraged this dance workshop as an opportunity to share resources for small business owners. Through their efforts, they counseled and assisted nine businesses this quarter to access loans, grants, and other business resources. GK Folks enrolled 9 new businesses and provided 53 hours of counseling. Navigators also hosted 4 workshops for 6 hours covering business planning.
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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