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 a $500,003 cooperative agreement to Desa, Inc. to deliver technical assistance, training, education, and advisory services to minority business enterprises under the MBDA Business Center federal grant program (CFDA 11.805). The award period is July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Performance metrics include the number of minority businesses assisted, informed of COVID-19 assistance programs, and that submit applications to such programs with Business Center support. Metrics also track awards issued and minority businesses in economically distressed areas assisted. The funding will allow Desa, Inc. to provide a comprehensive COVID-19 relief effort for minority businesses, including preventing and responding to pandemic impacts through the MBDA Business Center.

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.