WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the
U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency
(MBDA) is announcing grant awards of more than $3 million to support programs for American
Indian, Alaska Native, and Native
Hawaiian-owned enterprises.
"The Minority Business Development Agency's support to the
American Indian, Alaska Native,
and Native Hawaiian (including Pacific Islander American)
communities is a key component of MBDA's overall support for
minority business development," said MBDA National Director
Henry Childs, II. "Throughout this
process, we have worked closely with tribes to ensure economic
growth in communities across the country."
During Fiscal Year 2017, MBDA conducted six tribal consultations
to better understand business and economic development needs in
their communities. Consultation recommendations were incorporated
including recognition of the indigenous Native Hawaiian population,
expanding the geographic footprint, reducing programmatic and
regulatory burdens, as well as increasing project flexibility and
autonomy to address the most common business-related needs.
The grant recipients include:
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society ($233,881) to support a cohort of Native
professionals interested in developing STEM-related businesses in
California.
- ASIAN, Inc. ($300,000) to provide
consultative and technical assistance services to start-up,
existing, and growing Native American-owned businesses with focused
services in access to capital, business coaching, and growth
through incubators and accelerators.
- Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement ($300,000) to launch business networking sessions
with a focus on funding opportunities.
- University of Alaska Anchorage
($300,000) to connect minority-owned
businesses to resources that include capital, training, coaching,
incubators, accelerators, and infrastructure focused public-private
partnerships.
- New Mexico Community Capital ($300,000) to implement a signature program, the
"Native Entrepreneur in Residence" (NEIR) business
accelerator.
- Rural Community Assistance Corporation ($300,000) to provide technical assistance that
addresses core economic development needs of American Indian tribes
in Montana.
- Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma,
Inc. ($300,000) for consultation
services related to capital access and Federal procurement coaching
for capacity building.
- National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development
($556,609) to deploy an online
platform, "Native Edge", to provide access to business information,
training, counseling services, and business networking.
- Kauffman & Associates, Inc. ($300,000) to implement a technology resource
platform and incubator model for technical assistance in Federal
contracting.
- United Tribes Technical College
($300,000) to conduct a needs
assessment of 18 Tribal Nations in the Great Plains, identify the
top priorities, and assist with deploying economic development
activities.
These programs are part of the 2018 MBDA Broad Agency
Announcement, a new initiative this year. More than $13 million was awarded for 13 projects focused
on Department of Commerce and MBDA priorities from resources that
increase disaster preparedness and relief to programs that increase
access to capital. For a full listing of MBDA's 2018 grant awards,
visit www.mbda.gov/news.
About the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
MBDA is the only Federal agency dedicated to the growth and global
competitiveness of U.S. minority-owned businesses. Our programs and
services better equip minority-owned firms to create jobs, build
scale and capacity, increase revenues and expand regionally,
nationally and internationally. For nearly 50 years, MBDA has been
a dedicated strategic partner to all U.S. minority-owned
businesses, committed to providing greater access to capital,
contracts, and markets. For more information about MBDA visit
www.mbda.gov.
Contact: Velicia D.
Woods
Phone: (202) 482-0491
Email: vwoods@mbda.gov
Website: www.mbda.gov
Fax: (202) 482-5117
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SOURCE Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)