Submitted by Elizabeth Cotton, Black Tech Link Founder & Executive Director, and Natache Muschette, CEO, The Prep Institute LLC

In the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship and nonprofit development, the pursuit of knowledge and skill development is often the differentiating factor between success and stagnation. Yet, for many BIPOC-led small businesses and nonprofits, access to continuing business education and resources tailored to their unique needs and experiences remains a challenge.

Why do small businesses and small nonprofits often hesitate to pursue educational opportunities, and how can we address this gap?

CHALLENGES

Lack of Customization: Traditional business education often fails to address the specific learning needs and experiences of communities of color. Programming may not resonate with the cultural context or address the challenges faced by BIPOC entrepreneurs and nonprofits.

Financial Barriers: The cost associated with business education can be prohibitive for small business and nonprofit organizations with limited budgets. Many BIPOC-led ventures simply cannot afford expensive courses or workshops.

Relevance Gap: Business education may not always feel relevant to the lived experiences of BIPOC business and nonprofit leaders. Without practical applicability to their unique contexts, BIPOC-led ventures may perceive such education as disconnected from their reality. Additionally, generic business training may not provide the in-depth strategies and techniques necessary for driving growth in diverse communities. BIPOC entrepreneurs require tailored approaches that address their specific challenges and opportunities.

Lack of Continuity: While workshops are valuable, they often lack continuity and depth. There's a need for structured, continuous training programs that allow for skill-building from beginner to advanced levels.

SOLUTION

The Black Tech Link, RISE San Diego, The Prep Institute, and the County of San Diego are supporting continuous business growth education for small minority-led nonprofits and small minority-owned businesses through Project MOST.

Project MOST provides FREE workshops, training, and technical assistance countywide to make business training more accessible.

Commencing in April 2024, Project MOST will offer a 6-part Lunch & Learn workshop series led by Black Tech Link titled "Grow Up - Accelerating Business Growth for BIPOC Entrepreneurs and Nonprofits”. These FREE workshops will provide deep dive learning sessions and actionable strategies to expand one's business or nonprofit. Participants, regardless of their current stage in their business development journey will receive practical tools, insights and resources essential for navigating the complexities of business growth.

Workshops begin April 18th and occur biweekly on Thursdays from 11:30am - 1:00pm.

For workshop information please see below:

Financial Growth

• April 18th - Financial Management Pt 1: Bookkeeping for Small Businesses and Nonprofits
• May 2nd - Financial Management Pt 2: Bookkeeping for Small Businesses and Nonprofits

Customer Growth

• May 16th - Customer Acquisition Strategies: Identifying and Reaching the Populations You Serve
• May 30th - Government Contracting Opportunities for Minority-Owned Nonprofits and Small Businesses

Growth Marketing

• June 13th - Digital Tools to Optimize, Streamline, and Automate Business Operations
• June 27th - Utilizing Generative AI to Strengthen Business Communication Strategies

REGISTER for a WORKSHOP

Additionally, small nonprofits and small businesses will also have the opportunity to join the Prep Institute’s Fall 2024 Impact-By-Design Incubator for Nonprofit Growth and the Impact-By-Design Incubator for Small Business Growth. They will receive 12 months of ongoing business growth training and one-on-one coaching to develop their capacity and enhance their operations. To sign up to learn more about the joining the incubators contact Natache Muschette at natache@theprepinstitute.com.

Project MOST invites the widest range of multicultural small nonprofits and small businesses, including those in hard-to-reach places serving under-resourced communities, who are ready to grow their organization’s capacity. This initiative not only addresses the immediate educational needs of BIPOC-led businesses and nonprofits but also contributes to the long-term empowerment and prosperity of communities of color. Project MOST speaks volumes to the collective efforts of cultivating sustainable growth and success in BIPOC entrepreneurial and nonprofit ventures.