In our mission to create a prosperous economy where all can thrive, the Chamber partnered with the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) at Western Illinois Univerity-QC (WIU-QC) and Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC), providing additional resources so each SBDC could hire a minority business advisor to expand outreach and provide free counseling and advisement to minority and underrepresented communities. This additional focused outreach is having an impact and the SBDC business advisors have guided many minority entrepreneurs in launching successful businesses including:
- Cocina Verde food truck is providing authentic Mexican food made 100% vegan.
- Magical Moments Learning Center offers daycare, preschool and before- and after-school programs.
The following metrics showcase the work of both SBDCs over the past three quarters:
A total of $664,089 in capital funding was secured by the SBDCs to help 30 businesses.
- Hispanic: 20 businesses, $588,250
- Non-White: 8 businesses, $75,839
