About
Technical assistance is a fundamental component of equitable economic development that can help BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses overcome historic inequities in accessing resources to help them succeed. Technical assistance can bridge the access gap that exists between business owners and government and other assistance programs because of language and cultural factors and as well as lack of trust in or familiarity with programs and institutions. Technical assistance and counseling often includes business planning, accounting, license application assistance, marketing, and tax filing. Language assistance can also be provided, such as English as a Second Language (ESL) programs and cultural competency training for immigrant entrepreneurs.
Stakeholders
Technical Assistance Provider
Community-based or Nonprofit Organizations
Banks or Lending Institutions
Strategies in Action
Thriving Small Business Loan Program – Portland, OR
The Thriving Small Business Loan Program was created by Prosper Portland, the economic and urban development agency for the city, to address barriers to accessing capital for women and BIPOC and business owners in low-income [...]
The Economic Development Corporation – Prince George’s County, MD
The Economic Development Corporation provides support to small, local, and BIPOC-owned businesses located in Prince George's County, including one-on-one counseling and onsite access to SCORE Counselors, counselors with local Small Business Development Centers (affiliated with [...]
Maryland APEX Accelerator – College Park, MD
The Maryland APEX Accelerator was established in 2002 to help more small and BIPOC-owned businesses compete in government contracting. Funded in part by the Department of Defense and administered by the Maryland Small Business Development [...]
Northern California Procurement Technical Assistance Center – Arcata, CA
The Northern California Procurement Technical Assistance Center (Norcal PTAC) provides services to all small businesses in the Northern California region but focuses particularly on underserved businesses such as women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and veteran owned businesses, [...]
Georgia Minority Business Development Agency – Atlanta, GA
The Georgia Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center helps Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) access capital, increase profitability, and scale their businesses. In addition, the center provides businesses with technical assistance and one-on-one counseling, proposal [...]
