This month, the Biden Administration announced winners of the Commerce Department’s Capital Readiness Program, a $125 million technical assistance program, marking the largest investment to support underserved entrepreneurs in the history of the Commerce Department. The program will be administered by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), an agency within the Department of Commerce dedicated to growth and global competitiveness of small businesses.
The Capital Readiness Program is a milestone for the MBDA after its designation in November 2021 as a permanent federal agency through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It serves as a testament to the significant impact the Agency has, with the funding and support it needs to succeed in its mission. “The purpose of the Capital Readiness Program is to provide every American entrepreneur an equitable shot at building a successful business,” said Donald R. Cravins, Jr., Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development.
The program will support the development of a national network of Capital Readiness incubators and accelerators that will help entrepreneurs build skills to start and scale businesses, access SSBCI capital, and secure other forms of capital. The 43 Capital Readiness awardees, including the National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE), the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), the US Black Chambers, Inc (USBC) and the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), will launch and operate business incubators or accelerators designed to prepare underserved entrepreneurs to secure capital. Through this program, the MBDA will be able to expand its reach, and support more underserved entrepreneurs.
The organizations that received Capital Readiness Grants will use the awards to launch programs that will provide resources, education and technical assistance to entrepreneurs across the country. “The investment made through the Capital Readiness program validates the importance of the contributions made to economic growth by the AANHPI business community. These continued investments help business owners to become more successful, and generate significant opportunities for our next generation entrepreneurs,” National ACE President and CEO Chiling Tong said.
Additionally, the grants will support the continued diversification of the U.S. supply chain, providing more small, underserved businesses with opportunities to create wealth and sustain long-term economic growth. “We find ourselves at an unprecedented moment in history. Despite the progress that has been made in supplier and business diversity, we know that we still have a long way to go if we are going to create the thriving, equitable business environment that is the key to not only achieving generational wealth for communities of color but also for the long term growth and sustainability of our nation’s economy,” said NMSDC CEO and President Ying McGuire.
As the economy continues to gain momentum, the Capital Readiness Program will provide support to the businesses and entrepreneurs that are fueling the economic recovery. This initiative builds on the investments made through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act and we’re already seeing strong results. In the last several months, we’ve seen strong employment growth, bolstered by over 10.5 million new small businesses applications filed since 2021. Small businesses serve as the foundation of our economic recovery.
While there has been significant progress made towards small business growth, there is still more work to be done. Ongoing investments are key to entrepreneurs’ and small businesses’ success, and the Capital Readiness Program marks a significant stride in the right direction.
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