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 $435,209 under the MBDA Business Center cooperative agreement to provide technical assistance, training, education, and advisory services to minority business enterprises affected by COVID-19. The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. will deliver these products and services from July 2021 through June 2022 to address the pandemic's impacts. Performance metrics include the number of minority firms assisted, informed of COVID relief programs, and submitting applications, as well as awards received from programs. The funding supports the MBDA's mission through the Business Center program (CFDA #11.805) to promote minority business growth with innovative projects.

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.