Award type: project grant

The Chinese American Chamber of Commerce - MN (CACC-MN) received a $1 million Project Grant award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Entrepreneurial Development under the Community Navigator Pilot Program. Through this funding, CACC-MN and its subrecipients will provide high-quality support and technical assistance with pandemic relief programs and recovery services to small businesses through December 2023. Specifically, CACC-MN and its contractors will deliver one-on-one counseling and group trainings to small businesses and entrepreneurs from historically underserved categories on SBA and other government agency programs. The Community Navigator Pilot Program aims to increase participation in SBA initiatives through various entities providing outreach, education and technical assistance targeting underserved small business communities. This award furthers those goals by assisting minority, women, veteran and socially disadvantaged small businesses in navigating pandemic recovery resources.

Activities

Provide high quality support and technical assistance with pandemic relief programs and recovery services to small businesses.; deliverables: grantees will provide reports on activities and progress toward stated goals to SBA on a quarterly basis.

Expected outcomes

Increase awareness of and participation in programs of the u.s small business administration and other government agencies.

Intended beneficiaries

Small businesses and entrepreneurs that fall into a historically underserved category, including minority entrepreneurs (black, indigenous, and people of color), entrepreneurs with disabilities, lgbtq entrepreneurs, rural entrepreneurs; veterans and military entrepreneurs (including spouses), women entrepreneurs, innovative startups, micro businesses, and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses

Subrecipient activities

Grantees (hubs) and their contractors (spokes) will provide high quality support and technical assistance with pandemic relief programs and recovery services to small businesses. This support takes the form of 1:1 counseling and group trainings.