Long Island, New York – On June 16th, 2022 the Long Island Association presented its inaugural Small Business Conference at Hofstra University’s Student Center
The Small Business Conference was a huge success and attracted nearly 300 attendees.
The conference was a half day; the am session included a panel discussion which used a workshop format which allowed participants to hear pertinent information from the panelist and to ask questions to optimize their ability to reach their goal in their respective areas of business.
Marlene Cintron the SBA’s Representative for Region II Spoke about the SBA’s critical funding that her agency provided during the Covid-19 crises and the direct resources that the SBA provided to the region.
Ron Busby, Sr., CEO & President of the U.S.Black Chambers, Inc. served as the keynote speaker during lunch and provided critical numbers outlining the need for black business to be provided a pathway to access more government contracting opportunities detailing the massive budget of the federal government. Mr. Busby, Sr. remarks were well received by all of the attendees.
The U.S. Black Chambers, is comprised of 145 Black Chambers across the United States and is the leading voice and advocate for Black Business in America. The five pillars of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. are advocacy, entrepreneurial training, chamber development, procurement, and access to capital.
The Long Island Association announced a new partnership between the LIA, Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Inc. with the goal of conducting joint quarterly business to stimulate small business growth in the region.
LI African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc., a participating organization in the Community Navigator Pilot Program, is funded in part through United States Black Chamber’s grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The USBC Community Economic Development Corporation (USBC CEDC), providing services to the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. and Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. was awarded $5 million from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Community Navigator Pilot Program.
The grant, awarded to 51 applicants nationally, is part of a $100 million initiative to help reduce the barriers that underrepresented and underserved entrepreneurs face in accessing the programs and services that they need. The SBA’s Community Navigator Pilot Program was created to ensure that small and micro-businesses receive support and access to federal relief programs in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that can help them recover, grow, and thrive.
The grant is structured as a “Hub and Spoke” model to utilize networks and community advocates to assist historically underserved small businesses and entrepreneurs to better connect to the critical resources needed to launch, pivot, and recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is New York State’s largest African American Chamber of Commerce and was named the New York District Office of the United States 2019 Small Business Champion for 14 Counties in Downstate, New York.
For more information on the programs and activities of the chamber or to become a member today visit: https://www.liaacc.org
