News: MSP counties, private sector leaders unite to support small businesses affected by COVID-19

Hennepin County, Minnesota sent this bulletin at 06/09/2020 03:04 PM CDT

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contact: Maggie Habashy, Greater MSP, 952-457-4571

MSP counties, private sector leaders unite to support small businesses affected by COVID-19

Business4Business coalition matches small businesses to community resources; asks for private sector support

Today, a broad coalition of Twin Cities counties, chambers of commerce, community development agencies and other partners are announcing Business4Business Minneapolis-Saint Paul (B4B MSP), a regional coalition that aims to build a local support network to help small businesses survive and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges facing our small business community.

The B4B MSP coalition will connect small businesses harmed by COVID-19 with local resources from public agencies and private sector partners, including technical and financial assistance to provide immediate relief and boost long-term recovery efforts.

Priority outreach will be conducted in partnership with community-based organizations working in low-wealth communities, communities of color, and areas with barriers to access other small business resources.

Businesses in the Greater Minneapolis Saint Paul region account for 64.5% of jobs and 68.7% of annual revenue in the state of Minnesota. Of all businesses in the region, 83% have fewer than 20 employees. These small businesses have been the most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and have been least able to access first-come, first-served business relief funding.

The greater Minneapolis-Saint Paul region is home to private industry leaders and strong public sector partners that have a demonstrated history of working together to support community and economic vitality.

Through strong public and private sector partnerships, B4B MSP will support our resilient small business community through unprecedented challenges and continue to drive inclusive economic growth that strengthens our communities at home and across the state.

To learn more about B4B MSP and how to support small businesses in the greater Minneapolis-Saint Paul region, visit Business4BusinessMSP.com.

 

Business4Business Regional Coalition Partners

  • Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers
  • GREATER MSP Partnership
  • Minneapolis Regional Chamber
  • Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce
  • East Side Area Business Association
  • SPEDCO
  • Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce
  • LatinoLEAD
  • Metro North Chamber of Commerce
  • Midway Chamber of Commerce
  • SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce
  • Watertown Chamber of Commerce
  • Waconia Chamber of Commerce
  • White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Oakdale Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Minnesota Hmong Chamber of Commerce
  • Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce
  • Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Norwood Young America Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Payne-Arcade Area Business Association
  • Ham Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Quad Area Chamber of Commerce
  • The Center for Economic Inclusion

Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at hennepin.us/news.

Discover how we're making a difference in our communities at hennepin.us/stories.