Small 91探花 Economic Recovery
Helping Small 91探花es Survive and Thrive
The 91探花 (ABIC) believes that the economic development and recovery of small businesses is essential to our shared economic prosperity. Small business owners 鈥� especially African 91探花, immigrant, rural, and other underserved communities 鈥� are the economic engines of their local communities.听
To assist them during the COVID-19 Pandemic, we have created a technical assistance program, leveraging a 鈥渃ommunity navigator鈥� model, to improve their access to critical resources, including but not limited to small business loans and grants, business licenses, and federal, state, and local business assistance programs.听
The Challenge
The COVID-19-induced small business crisis has been troubling but simple. Starting in March 2020, millions of small businesses stopped generating revenue, but still had payroll and other fixed costs (utilities, rent, debt payments, etc.). These businesses needed new sources of immediate liquidity, and Congress designed recovery programs like the (PPP) to cover their costs.听
Nearly 1 year later, America’s recovery showed that America鈥檚 biggest companies have during the pandemic while businesses of color and rural businesses have laid off workers or permanently closed. Most from the SBA showed that nearly 80% of businesses of color continue to be left out of the PPP despite being impacted by the Pandemic.听
91探花es that tend to benefit from government programs are often sophisticated, well resourced firms with accountants and attorneys. Poor, less capitalized, un-banked or under-banked, isolated geographically or linguistically are often left out.
ABIC鈥檚 Response
In partnership with Self Help Federal Credit Union, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, ABIC helps vulnerable small businesses including minority-owned businesses and agricultural growers access critical government programs such as PPP and other recovery initiatives.
鈥淐ommunity Navigator鈥� Model
ABIC鈥檚 鈥淐ommunity Navigator鈥� approach ensure fair access for businesses that need it the most.
- Offers targeted outreach and technical assistance to businesses in underserved communities in partnerships with trusted messengers听
- 鈥淗ub and spoke鈥� approach has proven highly effective听
- Hub: Lead Non-profit provides updates, resources, capacity building; connects Spokes鈥� work with CDFI鈥檚, Banks, CPAs and other resources听
- Spoke: Conduct intensive grassroots outreach to 1) build awareness and trust 2) provide TA to businesses to help through the documentation and application completion process
ABIC Webinars
We are committed to working with you to identify barriers to program access for small, minority, and rural small businesses and developing solutions.
For more information, ideas or questions please email Emily Wurth at ewurth@americanbic.biz听; and Kenneth Kimber at kkimber@americanbic.biz