New community foundation is supporting Black businesses in Colorado

DENVER — Colorado’s Black Enterprise Initiative (BBI) has launched the AYA Basis, a group led basis that gives assets and funding to assist Black enterprise house owners and entrepreneurs thrive locally. The muse offers capital and programming to help the Black companies to allow them to create social change, together with serving to to shut the wealth hole for the Black group.

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“We lose sight of how essential it’s to help us,” stated Tonoa Manuel, AYA Basis’s programming director. “A whole lot of us are small enterprise house owners and entrepreneurs, and we’re constructing that group, so what does it seem like to have the ability to help that in a means that promotes progress and sustainability?”

The AYA Basis has funding help from Mile Excessive United Means, the Colorado Well being Basis, Kaiser Permanente, McKinsey Firm, Cooley LLP, Rose Group Basis and Colorado Enterprise Fund. Manuel stated proper now, the group is working with about 20 completely different Black companies attempting to make an affect.

“We don’t have the help or somebody strolling with us on this journey to say, ‘I can do it,’” Manuel stated. “We’d like individuals to see that they’ve a seat on the desk, and so they can be taught the issues they should be taught.”

Based on the group, there was no group basis in Colorado devoted to serving the Black group. AYA management understands that programming alone received’t repair the wealth disparity within the Black enterprise group, however AYA is aiming to alter that.

“I feel in a spot like Denver the place the Black inhabitants is so low, I don’t assume we understand the dearth of entry to issues like this,” Manuel stated. “Whether or not that’s working capital loans or grants and gaining access to that all the way down to accounting and finance.”

Evan Simmons began his home portray firm known as Panoramic Professional Portray in 2019. He stated his firm did nicely throughout the pandemic and he needs to see that development proceed so he obtained involved with the AYA Basis.

“Once I began the journey of entrepreneurship, I all the time informed myself that I might be open to exploring completely different avenues and issues that would assist me develop the enterprise,” Simmons stated. “I reached out as a result of I used to be informed they’ve a number of assets obtainable that would actually assist someone like myself being a brand new entrepreneur.”

Programming on the AYA Basis for entrepreneurs, professionals and group leaders embody:

• “Jumpstart my Biz” — a four-week startup boot camp that focuses on understanding and mapping foundational enterprise ideas to equip entrepreneurs with the instruments and data wanted to start out their companies.
• “Minds Matter Monday” — a collaborative co-working house that permits creatives to attach, construct, community, and easily get issues achieved. AYA workers will lead conversations on a brand new enterprise growth or career-related subject every whereas, whereas additionally serving to individuals work by way of issues on their to-do lists.
• “Nav to Join” — a one-on-one teaching and advisory service to assist entrepreneurs develop strategic objectives and be held accountable to see them by way of. This program offers the help and assets wanted to be intentional about transferring companies ahead.
• “Black Capital” —- in partnership with BBI, Black Capital brings collectively aspiring entrepreneurs and small enterprise house owners to know capital programs and the best way to entry them.

“All of the applications and assets they’ve been capable of present have actually helped my firm and actually helped push me ahead,” Simmons stated. “It’s been wonderful for my enterprise and an enormous useful resource and one thing I undoubtedly wouldn’t be within the place I’m at present with out.”

The muse stated they imagine that profitable Black companies will assist lower unemployment charges and flow into extra money inside the group.

“What does that do to my household and my youngsters,” Manuel stated. “To have the ability to see that we maintain that sort of energy in our group and we can provide it again and that it’s impactful and highly effective.”

For extra details about AYA Basis right here.

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