In 2021, the SBA rolled out the Community Navigator Pilot Program, an American Rescue Plan initiative designed to reduce barriers that underrepresented and underserved entrepreneurs often face in accessing the programs they need to recover, grow, or start building a small business. The program provided a total of $100 million in funding to 51 organizations including NH Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) to improve access to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and government resources for America’s entrepreneurs.
Supporting Underrepresented and Underserved Entrepreneurs in Building a Small Business Via the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program
“Hubs” like NH CFDA were tasked with bringing in organizations that had built trust in their local communities to be the ‘boots on the ground’ that would connect those building a small business to critical resources and assistance. As one of these organizations, Hannah Grimes led the Southwest NH “spoke”. Throughout the two year program, we strived to reach traditionally underrepresented communities: micro and rural business owners who are veterans, new Americans, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, socially & economically disadvantaged, persons with disabilities, and/or women.
Hannah Grimes has always had a focus on rural entrepreneurs, with a majority of clients being economically disadvantaged and/or women over the years. The Community Navigator program was the perfect fit to bring awareness of our business support to even more entrepreneurs who may not have had access to our resources otherwise. From 2021 to 2023, HGC staff and consultants attended inclusivity workshops and trainings to learn how we could improve our practices, programs, and marketing to reach the largest audience of entrepreneurs.
HGC has always been open to any and all entrepreneurs should they seek us out, but throughout the Community Navigator program we were able to visit each town in Cheshire and Sullivan counties individually to bring our resources to them. This outreach resulted in dozens of new entrepreneurs finding the right resources for building a small business. Some of them are now long-time clients.
As a result of the Community Navigator program, we were able to create marketing materials showcasing client success stories. Many of our clients struggle to see themselves as entrepreneurs or business owners, instead identifying solely as the makers of their products and/or services. By sharing diverse success stories, we are able to communicate the ways that HGC can help anyone who is building a small business more effectively, however they identify themselves.
As the Community Navigator program came to a close last winter, we wanted to garner feedback from traditionally underrepresented entrepreneurs to continue this diversity, equity, and inclusion work. We co-hosted two focus groups with the state-wide spoke of the Community Navigator program, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). One focused on BIPOC entrepreneurs and the other on LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Both groups expressed the desire for a network of peers. There are not a lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs with marginalized identities to gather, especially in rural places where the population is lacking density. Focus group participants who had sought out affinity groups for entrepreneurs were driving 60+ miles to participate and expressed a specific desire to interact with other BIPOC and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs right here in the Monadnock Region. Being an entrepreneur can be incredibly isolating. Affinity groups provide welcoming environments to share genuine struggles and successes with peers who have had similar experiences. Support systems are vital to all entrepreneurs, and affinity groups are just one way to create that support.
Bringing Affinity Programming to Monadnock Region Entrepreneurs
Since then, we have been working with partners to get affinity programming off the ground. We started with our first women entrepreneurs’ mini-retreat in May, where over 50 women gathered here at Hannah Grimes to learn, share, and celebrate. We also launched our LGBTQ+ Entrepreneur Network in June with a small gathering and continue to reach out to partner organizations to develop similar programming for BIPOC entrepreneurs. Although the Community Navigator program has come to a close, we have been able to continue this momentum with funding from a Community Development Block Grant for microenterprise businesses and low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs.
Another important aspect of this work is making our physical and digital spaces accessible to individuals with disabilities. Over the last few years, we have commissioned accessibility audits of our websites, facility, and annual summit. We now have a greater understanding of the access needs that exist in our community and how we can reach them. As funding allows, we provide translation services, ASL interpreters, and other accommodations. We recently received some funding toward our larger accessibility needs goal from Savings Bank of Walpole to invest in new furniture for our coworking space that will better serve people with disabilities and bodies of all sizes.
This work can be daunting, but it is important to Hannah Grimes and our community of entrepreneurs. The Hannah Grimes mission is to provide the space, tools and connections that innovative entrepreneurs need to build strong businesses, thriving local economies, and vibrant communities in the Monadnock Region. Serving entrepreneurs of all backgrounds is vital to achieving that mission.
Written by Program & Development Coordinator, Lillian Chase.