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3 <br /> 104 South Estes Drive <br /> Chapel Hill, .7 <br /> C <br /> The Campaign p919.969677075 <br /> 075 <br /> For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro carolinachamber.org <br /> February 2, 2024 <br /> Travis Myren, Deputy County Manager <br /> Orange County <br /> 300 W Tryon St <br /> Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br /> Subject: Proposal to accelerate Black, Latinx, and refugee-owned businesses in Orange <br /> County through The Campaign for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro <br /> Dear Travis, <br /> Based on the recommendations of the Big Bold Ideas Committee on Innovation and Workforce <br /> Development and feedback from the Black Business Alliance Leadership Council, The Carrboro Business <br /> Alliance Leadership Council, El Centro Hispano leadership, 70 recently-interviewed business and <br /> community leaders, and supported by recent and historic conversations with municipal leaders and local <br /> economic development professionals, we propose and request funding in the amount of $30,000 each <br /> year for FY 2024, FY 2025, and FY 2026 to support the hiring of a full-time community advocate to <br /> support the growth of new and existing Black, Latinx, and refugee-owned enterprises in the greater <br /> Carrboro-Chapel Hill region. <br /> This community advocate will serve as a navigator and connector who can identify our local BIPOC <br /> enterprises and entrepreneurs, build trusting relationships, map and connect them to resources, create <br /> strong networks, and help them navigate complex systems of small business support. <br /> Key Position Responsibilities <br /> • Create and maintain a list of local BIPOC-owned enterprises; <br /> • Conduct a needs assessment of local Black, Latinx, and refugee-owned enterprises; <br /> • Map local business-support organizations, education and training opportunities, sources of grants <br /> and capital, and other resources; <br /> • Connect and convene enterprises and identify and create collision spaces; <br /> • Staff the local Black Business Alliance and support El Centro Hispano and local refugee- <br /> support organizations; <br /> • Represent BIPOC business interest to policy leaders and decision makers; and <br /> • Establish and improve upon local BIPOC business retention and persistence rates. <br /> Key Outcomes <br /> Identify existing BIPOC enterprises and their current needs and challenges; <br /> • 400 new Black, Latinx, and refugee-owned enterprises by 2028; <br /> • Improved BIPOC business retention, growth, and persistence rates; and <br /> • Black and Hispanic per capita income growth over the next five years grows faster than the county <br /> average. <br />