WASHINGTON, DC, June 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) announced the deployment of $10 million in CARES Act funding to the network of MBDA Business Centers and national minority chambers of commerce.   The grants will be used for education, training, and advising small and minority business enterprises in their recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. 

“The Trump Administration is committed to helping minority businesses access the resources they need to rebound from unexpected challenges and allow distressed communities to thrive through private investment and federal support,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “These CARES Act grants, in addition to the nearly 9,000 Opportunity Zones across the country, ensure that minority-owned businesses have focused support in addressing critical funding, contracting, and operational needs in the unique circumstances resulting from COVID-19.” 

“MBDA recognizes that minority communities and businesses have been particularly hurt and continue to face enormous challenges due to COVID-19,” said David J. Byrd, MBDA National Director.  “Many of these small businesses now, more than ever, need access to the available resources from the federal government.  Our network of MBDA Business Centers and national minority chambers of commerce have been on the front lines. The CARES Act funding will help them implement programs that will assist more minority businesses in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The CARES Act funding was distributed to existing MBDA Business Centers and national minority chambers of commerce who have the infrastructure to provide national coverage and the capacity to implement nationwide programs that reach large quantities of minority business enterprises.

Funding is provided for a 12-month period from June 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021.  For additional information on MBDA and CARES Act funding, visit www.mbda.gov.

CARES Act awards were made to the following organizations:

• Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (Phoenix, AZ)
• Asian, Inc. (San Jose, CA)
• Asociacion Productos De Puerto Rico, Inc. (Puerto Rico)
• Business Outreach Center Network, Inc. (New York, NY)
• Caldwell & Associates, Inc. (Baltimore, MD)
• California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (Sacramento, CA)
• Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (Washington, DC)
• Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (Chicago, IL)
• Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (St. Louis, MO)
• City of Tacoma (Tacoma, WA)
• Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council (Dallas, TX)
• DESA, Inc. (Columbia, SC)
• El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (El Paso, TX)
• Georgia Tech Research Corporation (Atlanta, GA)
• M. Gill & Associates, Inc. (Miami, FL)
• Metropolitan Economic Development Association (Minneapolis, MN)
• Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (Detroit, MI)
• Mid-South Minority Council TADP Inc. (Memphis, TN)
• National Business League
• National Urban League
• Rocky Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council (Denver, CO)
• So. Cal. Corporate Growth Partners (Pasadena, CA)
• South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (South Bronx, NY)
• The Enterprise Center, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA)
• The National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship
• The University of Texas at San Antonio (San Antonio, TX)
• United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• University of Hawaii Systems (Honolulu, HI)
• USBC Community Economic Development Corporation

About the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (www.mbda.gov) is the only federal agency solely dedicated to fostering the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority business enterprises.  MBDA programs are focused on economic empowerment and leading minority business enterprises through business transformation. For 50 years, MBDA has helped minority-owned firms get access to capital, contracts, build scale and capacity, and expand into new markets.

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Velicia Woods
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
vwoods@mbda.gov