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.

The following metrics showcase the work of the Illinois SBDC over the past quarter.

In 2023 Q3, capital funding was secured by the Illinois SBDC for clients in the following self-identified minority groups. 

• Hispanic:  $766,666
• Asian:  $200,000
• Women:   $1,373,600