Philadelphia Economic Recovery Procurement Summit: February 3rd

The Enterprise Center and the Pennsylvania Minority Business Enterprise Center are working to maximize inclusion of minority-owned businesses in stimulus projects resulting from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. To this end, The Enterprise Center will be hosting the Philadelphia Economic Recovery Procurement Summit on Wednesday, February 3rd. The event will occur from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM, and will allow minority businesses to network face-to-face with city agencies on current project opportunities. A panel discussion will also be held addressing stimulus-related issues and opportunities. Panelists include, among others, Philadelphia Mayor Nutter and MBDA National Director David Hinson.

Help us get you closer to winning stimulus contracts. The first step is for MBE's to register and complete a company profile online, which can be found by clicking here. The full online profile is required for attendance, and should be completed as soon as possible. Also, MBE's must send an RSVP email to info@pa-mbec.com, with "Interested in 2/3/10 Philadelphia Procurement Summit" in the subject line. Registration is free.

If you have any questions, please call us at (215) 895-4037 or send an email to info@pa-mbec.com. Working together, we can ensure that minority-owned businesses receive a fair share of stimulus-funded contracts in Pennsylvania.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Minority Procurement Event

The Enterprise Center and the Pennsylvania Minority Business Enterprise Center have been awarded a contract by the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce to establish the PA MBEC ARRA Advocacy and Outreach Initiative. The Stakeholders Outreach Initiative is designed to promote minority business participation in the economic recovery of the United States.

We are identifying specific American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)-funded contract opportunities and matching those opportunities with certified minority-owned businesses. We are also advocating for programs, policies and best practices to maximize the inclusion of minority business enterprises on stimulus projects in Pennsylvania. On December 4th, we will be holding a B2B procurement summit in Pittsburgh, which will bring together representatives from state and city agencies.

Help us help you get closer to winning stimulus contracts. The first step is for MBE's to register and complete a company profile online, which can be found by clicking here. Registration is free. Completion of the full online profile is absolutely essential, as the information will be used to connect your company with stimulus opportunities. The profile should be completed as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please call us at (215) 895-4037 or send an email to info@pa-mbec.com. Working together, we can ensure that minority-owned businesses receive a fair share of stimulus-funded contracts in Pennsylvania.

The Enterprise Center and the Pennsylvania Minority Business Enterprise Center Awarded Contract to Help Minority-Owned Businesses Identify Stimulus Opportunities

Philadelphia, PA -- Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Pennsylvania will receive an estimated $16 billion. ARRA funds are being used to finance a wide range of activities in the Commonwealth, including transportation, infrastructure, housing, energy, education and health projects.

The Enterprise Center and the Pennsylvania Minority Business Enterprise Center have been awarded a contract by the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce to establish the Pennsylvania MBE ARRA Office of Advocacy and Outreach to provide minority-owned businesses with the information they need to ensure equal access to ARRA contract and grant opportunities.

There will be a ribbon cutting for the launch of the office on October 8, 2009 from 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm ET at The Enterprise Center.

Download the Press Release (.pdf, 186KB)
Download the Media Advisory(.pdf, 261KB)

For more details please visit:
http://trackingchange.pbworks.com/ARRA-Advocacy-and-Outreach-Initiative

When the Rubber Meets the Road: Funding Minority Businesses

Jacqueline Hill was part of a panel discussion at the Entrepreneurs Forum of Greater Philadelphia about possible funding sources for Minority Business. Access to capital remains a major hurdle to minority business growth, especially in these economic times. The slides from her discussion can be downloaded here (1.52MB, .ptt).

The event was hosted at the Federal Reserve and was also sponsored by the Urban League of Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania Minority Business Enterprise Center

The Minority Business Enterprise Center (MBEC) is committed to accelerating the growth and development of minority-owned enterprises all over the state of Pennsylvania. The MBEC does so by providing a number of services to our minority business enterprise (MBE) clients.

The three main services we provide are Consulting, Contract Procurement, and Access to Capital.

Learn more

Consulting

We provide our clients access to high-end consulting in areas ranging from strategic planning to marketing, accounting, sales training, and human resources management.

Contract Procurement

We help clients do business with the Federal Government (which buys over $250 Billion worth of services annually) by leveraging our strategic link as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Access to Capital

We work hand-in-hand with our clients to obtain financing through partnerships with lending institutions statewide, and in some cases can provided funding ourselves. We have also explored a number of alternative financing sources for promising firms who have trouble getting a loan through traditional means.

Our Mission

Our mission is to accelerate the growth of minority enterprises through high end consulting, contract procurement, and access to financing services. Our goal is to have a significant impact on Pennsylvania's economy through the creation of jobs and taxable wealth.

The Pennsylvania Minority Business Enterprise Center is a federally funded program under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the only federal entity specifically tasked with accelerating the growth of minority owned businesses.

Learn more about the MBDA