{"id":734,"date":"2022-06-14T21:44:38","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T21:44:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arkansasdeltainformer.com\/?p=734"},"modified":"2022-06-14T21:44:40","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T21:44:40","slug":"u-s-small-business-administration-inks-historic-alliance-with-divine-nine-ahead-of-juneteenth-week-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arkansasdeltainformer.com\/u-s-small-business-administration-inks-historic-alliance-with-divine-nine-ahead-of-juneteenth-week-celebration\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Small Business Administration inks historic alliance with \u201cDivine Nine\u201d ahead of Juneteenth week celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Arkansas Delta Informer Staff \u2013 June 14, 2022 \u2013 \u00a0The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)<\/a>\u00a0today (June 14) finalized a historic alliance with Black fraternities and sororities across the nation to address the wealth gap between Black and white families that has increased during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman<\/a>, head of the  and the voice for America\u2019s 32.5 million small businesses in President Joe Biden\u2019s cabinet, signed a Strategic Alliance Memorandum (SAM)<\/a> with the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)\u2019s Council of Presidents, comprised of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities, sometimes referred to as the \u201cDivine Nine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis historic alliance between the SBA and the NPHC\u2014the first of its kind for a government agency\u2014will bring SBA\u2019s valuable small business resources into reach for many small businesses and entrepreneurs, furthering the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s commitment to build equity and close historic wealth gaps that have held back America\u2019s Black entrepreneurs, small business owners, and their families and communities for generations,\u201d\u00a0Guzman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOver the past 18 months, the SBA has made incredible progress reaching more of America\u2019s small businesses, delivering vital resources and support to entrepreneurs who have been historically underinvested in and overlooked\u2014the same people and communities hit hardest by the COVID pandemic,\u201d Guzman continued. \u201cWorking alongside partners and allies within the Divine Nine will provide even greater reach for the SBA to better provide the highly entrepreneurial Black community access to networks, financial literacy, technical training, and capital readiness so they can successfully realize their American Dreams of business ownership, create jobs, and advance our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Announced in the leadup to Juneteenth, this new strategic alliance advances the SBA\u2019s implementation of the Biden administration\u2019s commitment to building equity throughout the federal government and across America. Under the new alliance, a unique agreement for a federal government agency, the partnership will focus on increasing financial literacy within traditionally underserved, disadvantaged communities, expanding the SBA\u2019s outreach, and introducing Black entrepreneurs to the SBA\u2019s suite of tools and resources to start and grow their businesses including access to capital, government contracting opportunities and counseling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cThe National Pan Hellenic Council and its affiliate organizations are very excited about this opportunity with the U.S. Small Business Administration,\u201d said Reuben Shelton, chairman of the Council of Presidents of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. \u201cThis collaboration will give NPHC members critical access to information that will promote small business growth and create jobs in all sectors of our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often represented on thousands of university campuses, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with members in leadership roles across civic and business organizations and the faith community, the NPHC boasts over 2.5 million active members and scores of alumni members. Taken together, this group of engaged leaders is a critical ally in helping building trust within key communities and introducing small business owners to critical resources to bolster their business outcomes as we seek to close the wealth gap, SBA officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NPHC represents the following organizations:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n