The minority business development agency will use the coronavirus response and relief funding to serve and provide a more comprehensive relief to minority business enterprises to prevent, prepare for,…

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) awarded $473,234 under the MBDA Business Center cooperative agreement program (CFDA 11.805) to the University of Hawaii Office of the President. The award will support the provision of technical assistance, training, education, and advisory services to minority business enterprises in Hawaii to prevent, prepare for, and respond to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic from July 1, 2021 through August 31, 2022. Key performance metrics include the number of minority businesses assisted, informed of COVID-19 assistance programs, and applications submitted to programs as a result of assistance, as well as awards issued and businesses served in economically distressed areas. The funding will allow the University of Hawaii to enhance its support of minority-owned businesses throughout the state as they address challenges posed by the ongoing public health emergency.

The minority business development agency will use the coronavirus response and relief funding to serve and provide a more comprehensive relief to minority business enterprises to prevent, prepare for, and respond to effects of covid-19. Such assistance will include technical assistance, training, education, and advisory services to minority business enterprises. The performance goals and metrics include: number of minority business enterprises affected by covid-19 that are assisted by the business center; number of minority business enterprises informed and/or referred by the business center to covid-related local, state, and federal government assistance programs; number of MBE applications submitted to local, state, and federal government assistance programs as a result of business center assistance; number of awards issued by local, state, and federal programs to minority business enterprises assisted by the business center; and number and type (small, medium, large, ) of minority business enterprises affected by covid-19, in economically distressed areas, assisted by the business center.