Kansas City’s BizCare is committed to helping undervalued entrepreneurs succeed. The city recently received two grants. $15,000 for a City Inclusive Entrepreneurship Grant to support Hispanic/Latino business owners from the National League of Cities and $10,000 from the United States Conference of Mayors for a DollarWise Innovation Grant.
“Kansas City is an entrepreneurial city and we are committed to serving our community every day and supporting the small, rural and minority businesses that are the foundation of our city. increase.” Mayor Quinton Lucas Said. “Latino and Hispanic entrepreneurs are vital to our local economies, but they continue to face barriers to their growth and starting businesses, including lack of access to capital and language barriers. The grant will help the Kansas City BizCare office provide resources and support to local Latino and Hispanic businesses to overcome these barriers and succeed. Thank you for your continued commitment to conference entrepreneurs.”
The City will use a $15,000 grant to lower barriers for Hispanic entrepreneurs at every stage of their business. As part of the National League for Cities City Inclusive Entrepreneurship Grant, BizCare has identified several institutional or programmatic barriers for Hispanic entrepreneurs to start, grow, or sustain their businesses.
Below are four measures that BizCare has identified as solutions to help Latino business owners succeed.
- Culturally Competent Technical Assistance Guide – This includes language translation of all documents related to starting a business.
- 24/7 Multilingual Support – Features a chatbot to assist Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs with questions and resources.
- Visibility – BizCare will partner with nonprofit newspaper Startland News to feature and promote Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs.
- Fee Waivers for Organizations/Initiatives – This allows eligible Hispanic business owners to access low-interest or interest-free capital to help grow and expand their business.
“Even if every city bets on saying, ‘We want entrepreneurs. We want people who think they are important and who are doing it for the greater good of the city.’ That’s fine, but often there is no incentive or support.” BizCare Small Business Advocate Samuel Morris Said. “Not so in Kansas City. Helping Kansas City become the most entrepreneurial city in the nation, see what other city leaders can do with their budgets, and infuse the entrepreneurial spirit that’s already there We need to invest in entrepreneurs to get them to invest in our city.”
BizCare applies a US Conference of Mayors $10,000 grant to the city’s Access to Capital program. In partnership with local entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs), professional service providers (such as accountants/bookkeepers), and financial institutions, the City provides small businesses with technical assistance for loan and grant applications and financial counseling. Offers. The program serves as a lifeline for small business owners by facilitating access to capital to grow their businesses during this economic downturn. This program is for a diverse range of Kansas City entrepreneurs and small business owners in low- to middle-income (LMI) communities.
“We are thrilled to receive this grant and it will be used for our Access to Capital initiative to help small businesses access start-up capital. Currently, the city is funding $700,000 for this effort. We have raised over $1000 and are planning to launch Access to Access Capital Initiative this summer. It helps create opportunities for entrepreneurs.” KC BizCare Managing Director Nia Richardson Said.
“We are grateful to the City of Kansas City for their support as we seek to open a business. We are happy and grateful for this opportunity.” Isolina and Dario de la Vega, owners of Los Hornos Said.
The City of Kansas City is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial environment, and these grants are an essential step in achieving that goal. By supporting local entrepreneurs of diverse backgrounds, the city helps build more vibrant and resilient communities for all.
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For media inquiries regarding KC BizCare, please contact Monica Castro. monica.castro@kcmo.org.