Baltimore Small Business Support Fund
Small businesses are neighborhood economic drivers, hubs for meeting neighbors, and the lifeblood of stability for communities. Despite this, many businesses in Baltimore have lacked, and continue to lack, access to capital.
I serve as a consultant for the Baltimore Small Business Support Fund—a multimillion funder collaborative approach focused on building a more equitable ecosystem for small businesses in the city. Initially designed by James Wahls at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, I was brought in as a consultant, in partnership with Erika Seth Davies of the REAL, to consult on the Fund’s development and execution.
My first charge was to assist in developing a strategy to identify and attract funders. Resulting funders included local foundations, national foundations, and banks that were interested in small business in Baltimore, particularly Black- and brown-owned small businesses.
Following fundraising, my second phase of work, in partnership with Erika, was to work with the Fund’s advisory committee to determine the best strategy for investing these funds, the types of businesses and organizations that could support small business access to capital, and how the Fund should support the organizations above and beyond funding.
The third phase of this work has been to provide operating and monitoring support, including working with the Fund’s evaluator and grantees. These intermediaries (accelerators, hubs, CDFIs, and community engagement nonprofit partners) are working diligently to ensure that Black and brown business owners in Baltimore are prepared to access needed capital and other resources to sustain and grow their business.
I love the ability to consult with a project as it evolves in order to support the mission and intention of the clients’ work.