Local minority entrepreneurs and business owners will have the opportunity to join a week-long series of networking and skill-building events in honor of Minority Enterprise Development Week, observed locally on Oct. 17 - 24.
The City of Chattanooga joined nine other local and regional partners to organize the 10-event lineup in celebration of the achievements and contributions of the region’s minority-owned business community. The events are free, open to the public, and geared toward minority business owners, community leaders, and individuals who are interested in starting or growing a business. Interested individuals can register online to participate at https://econ.chattanooga.gov/med-week-oct-17-24/.
“Minority-owned businesses create living-wage jobs, generate tax revenue for our schools and infrastructure, and brighten and strengthen the fabric of our culture, yet they continue to face long-standing barriers to starting and growing their enterprises,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. “That’s why we are proud to partner with the community to offer skill-building classes and technical assistance during this year’s Minority Enterprise Development Week.”
“From funding fundamentals to marketing your business for government contracting, these events will help our minority business owners and entrepreneurs gain the knowledge and tools they need to thrive and prosper,” continued Kelly.
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The City of Chattanooga thanks all of the partners involved in organizing the week’s events, including:
- City of Knoxville Small Business & Diversity Outreach Office
- EPB
- First Horizon Bank
- Knoxville Area Urban League
- Nashville Business Incubation Center
- Pathway Lending
- Regions Bank
- Tennessee Procurement Technical Assistance Center
- Urban League of Middle Tennessee
Ongoing Support of Minority-owned Businesses
Since taking office, Mayor Tim Kelly has directed city officials to streamline processes and procedures to make it easier for minority-owned businesses to do business with the city. As a part of this overhaul, Chief Procurement Officer Kevin Bartenfield modernized the city’s vendor portal and transitioned to processing vendor invoices and payments through a single electronic system, significantly reducing the amount of time it takes vendors to get paid.
Additionally, in July, Chattanooga City Council approved an increase in the city’s small purchase threshold from $5,000 to $20,000, which allows departments to make purchases of up to $20,000 with one formal quote as opposed to three - making it significantly easier for small, local, and minority-owned companies to perform services for the city.
The City’s Department of Equity and Community Engagement is also helping empower local minority businesses by hosting monthly roundtables as part of its commitment to increasing supplier diversity. The roundtables are designed to create a community for small black and brown business owners and entrepreneurs to network and get connected to resources according to their unique needs.
Looking ahead, Mayor Tim Kelly’s One Chattanooga Relief and Recovery Plan dedicates $8.8 million in federal funding for initiatives that will support workforce development and entrepreneurship for the city’s minority communities, including creation of a new, $1.4 million minority business resource center.