Increase Minority Business Resiliency

Increase Minority Business Resiliency Through Mentorships and a Minority Supplier Database

Increase Minority Business Resiliency Through Mentorships and a Minority Supplier Database

Lead Orgs:

  • Norfolk State University, Hampton University and the Hampton Roads Urban League, University of Virginia

Goal:

  • Aggressively support and grow minority entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses.

Actions:

  • Inventory all existing minority support services and resources in the region.
  • Formulate a comprehensive minority supplier support ecosystem.
  • The central component of this system will be an online minority supplier database that will:
    • Provide information and links to state/federal grants, ongoing assistance, peer-to-peer networking, business-to-business marketing assistance, training, etc. 
    • Profile minority firms and their contact information.
  • Create mentorship programs to help minority businesses participate in this resource.
  • Market this service to all businesses and non-profits across the 757.

Accountability:

  • Track and report KPIs related to the use of this resource and the growth of minority businesses.