County of Mecklenburg issued the following announcement on Dec. 16.
The inaugural class of the Business LaunchPad Program (BLP) graduated during a virtual ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. The Business LaunchPad is an exclusive, no-cost, 16-week program instituted and administered by Mecklenburg County's Office of Economic Development, in facilitation partnership with Central Piedmont Community College's Small Business Center. This program is made possible by a $300,000 grant from CLT Host 2020, Inc.
BLP is designed to help minority and women-owned businesses build capacity and competitive advantage when seeking to participate in government and institutional business opportunities, includes classroom instruction, subject matter experts, guest speakers, practical exercises, and participation in "real-world" workshops and events.
The next cohort begins Jan. 13, 2022. Find more information about the Business LaunchPad here.
Background
In 2020, Mecklenburg County's Office of Economic Development engaged Griffin & Strong, P.C. (GSPC) to conduct a disparity study on the availability and utilization of minority and women owned business enterprises and examine relevant evidence of race or gender-based discrimination in the County's contracting process.
The 2020 MWSBE Disparity Study revealed areas for improvement. As a result, GSPC made recommendations to assist the County in remedying the disparities found to ensure that all qualified firms within the relevant market are given every chance to succeed in doing business with the County. From these recommendations, the Business LaunchPad Program was established.
Original source can be found here.
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