Durham County, N.C. - Durham County Government is continuing its commitment to inclusion and the advancement of minority-owned small businesses and professionals in the county through the launch of a new initiative, the MWBEvolution in Durham, powered by Interise. The program is designed for minority, women, small business owners who want to take their business to the next level. The application portal for this 6-month cohort style program will open on September 21.
“We are excited to partner with Interise, a national leader in this work, to bring a proven model for growth to our county’s minority-owned businesses,” said Dr. Kimberly J. Sowell, Durham County Manager. “MWBEvolution in Durham builds on our commitment to creating equitable opportunities to build wealth in the county. This program will fulfill an important need in our business community by helping our minority-owned businesses scale and grow their operations through training in key areas like finance, human resources, and marketing.”
The foundation for this program lies in Interise’s StreetWise 'MBA'™, a nationally recognized, award-winning curriculum designed to accelerate the growth of existing small businesses. The StreetWise 'MBA'™ uses a peer-learning method to provide small business owners with the knowledge, know-how, and networks necessary to grow and scale. Industry experts, business peers, and the program’s instructor provide insights, strategies, motivation, and accountability. The first cohort of MWBEvolution in Durham will run from October 18, 2023, to April 24, 2024, and includes 13 split in-person and virtual sessions that meet every other Wednesday from 4:30-7:30p.m. EST. At the end of the program, participants walk away with a vetted, individualized three-year Strategic Growth Action Plan™ outlining the action steps required to achieve their business goals.
Valued more than $15,000 per student, MWBEvolution in Durham will be provided free of charge to participants and offer the tools to advance their business operations, financial management, marketing and sales, human resource tactics, business strategy development, access to capital, and contract development.
“It has never been more important to support our small, minority-owned businesses,” said Tammie Hall, Assistant County Manager. “These businesses are an important part of our county economy and unique culture, and we know they have often faced barriers in growing their businesses. After all our business community has endured during the pandemic, we are proud to be able to offer this opportunity to help ensure minority-entrepreneurs are empowered with the tools to expand their businesses.”
"We are thrilled to partner with Durham County to support minority small businesses as they work to increase capacity and scale" said Darrell Byers, CEO of Interise. "Our research shows that when small minority-owned businesses increase their proficiency, the community grows economically, and we can expect impressive results in terms of job creation and revenue growth.
Applications for MWBEvolution in Durham will open on September 21 and close on October 2 at 5 p.m. The program will accept between 15 and 20 initial participants to the training geared toward reaching mid-sized minority-owned businesses with a report of $50,000 to $1 million in annual revenue, and at least one non-owner employee on the payroll. Finalists will be selected by an internal review team and notified via email about the commitment to attend all classes for the 13 sessions identified. To learn more about MWBEvolution in Durham and apply for the program, click here.
For more information about MWBEvolution in Durham and the application process, email Durham MWBE Coordinator Nadia Phillips at nphillips@dconc.gov.
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About Durham County Government
Durham County provides minorities and women equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of the County’s contracting programs, including, but not limited to, construction projects, and/or materials and service contracts. The County is committed to promoting the development and growth of Minority and Women Business Enterprises/Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) and to ensure that they have the maximum opportunity to do business with the County. The County maximizes contracting opportunities by actively soliciting and encouraging minority and women owned firms to participate in the procurement process by providing increased knowledge about County projects, greater access to project managers, and links to resources that help assist with growing their businesses to scale. M/WBE Program – Durham County Purchasing Group (dcpurchasinggroup.com)
About Interise
Interise builds an inclusive economy through small business development, supporting the growth of minority-owned small businesses and small businesses located in low- and moderate-income communities. Interise’s award-winning StreetWise ‘MBA’™ uses a peer-learning method to provide business owners with the knowledge, know-how, and networks necessary to grow and scale. As Interise companies grow, they contribute to local job creation and build community wealth. Interise companies historically create new jobs at 5x the rate of the private sector and are responsible for the creation of over 30,000 new jobs. Interise partners with government agencies, anchor institutions, and business associations to make locally branded StreetWise ‘MBA’™ programs available in 75+ cities, nationwide. Strategic Growth Partners include the Kauffman Foundation, the Surdna Foundation, and the Prudential Foundation. More information can be found at http://www.interise.org/ @StreetWise_MBA and at http://www.facebook.com/Interise
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