[ad_1]
The Buffalo Niagara Partnership is expanding its outreach to minority-owned businesses.
The region’s largest business group has increased the number of participants in its Minority Business Initiative to 16, from five in last year’s inaugural edition of the program.
“We hope that this not only encourages more diversity in our membership but also amplifies those voices by opening pathways to board and industry participation,” said Dottie Gallagher, the Partnership’s president and CEO.
The Partnership’s goal is to help participating businesses grow by giving them increased exposure to new audiences, networks and professional development programs.
People are also reading…
Each of the participating businesses will receive a two-year sponsored Partnership membership, and will attend a range of networking and educational events. The Partnership said that based on the participants’ needs, some will be eligible for a seat on the organization’s Executive Exchange, a peer-to-peer leadership development opportunity.
Based on the influx of applicants for this year’s program, the Partnership decided to expand the size of the cohort, to allow for more participants and to include smaller and emerging businesses, as well.
Kenya Hobbs, director of community engagement and equity initiatives for the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, speaks at a recent panel discussion.
“It was clear that the pilot (Minority Business Initiative) program made a real difference to last year’s participants, and we knew that we wanted to continue that important work with this year’s cohort,” said Kenya Hobbs, the Partnership’s director of community engagement and equity initiatives.
The Partnership in recent years has increased its emphasis on diversity issues, creating the role of director of community engagement and equity initiatives, and conducting a survey of area businesses about their own diversity, equity and inclusion work. Recent seminars have also included a discussion of how employers can diversify their outreach to job candidates.
The Minority Business Initiative is funded through the underwriting of the Partnership, National Grid and Bank of America.
The 16 participating companies are: BSMART Coaching; Calhoun Custom Creations LLC; Denine Jackson Interiors; E-scent-ials Body Care LLC; Executive Sweeps LLC; Golden Cup Coffee; GROW Services LLC; and Hair Empire.
Also: Herne Law PLLC; the Mahogany Events LLC; SprintMarketer.com; That Brown Bag; Thyme-and-Honey; WhittCare; Whose Your Landlord?; and ZoomRide.
[ad_2]
Source link