As part of the American Rescue Plan, we are engaging thousands of BIPOC, immigrant, refugee people and women, veterans, and socially disadvantaged individuals to help them by using culturally-specific outreach with business formation to launch new small businesses or help existing small businesses flourish.
Our focus is to reach and support underserved pre-entrepreneurs, and micro-businesses, with an emphasis on those owned by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. The goal of this program is to improve the long-term economic recovery and resilience of small businesses.
Our network of Community Navigators and Service Providers are serving together to help people navigate the journey as aspiring business owners or new entrepreneurs looking to take their business to the next level of growth.
Our network of Community Navigators and Service Providers are serving together to help people navigate the journey as aspiring business owners or new entrepreneurs looking to take their business to the next level of growth.
We are building a network of care.
We are building a network of Community Navigation agencies and Service Providers who are working together to launch and develop this exciting, new initiative. We are building bridges of connection for those who enroll in this business development program, so they will have access to training, support, and resources.
We connect entrepreneurs to community navigators.
Aspiring business owners and micro-businesses in East Multnomah County, can turn to these Community Navigation agencies that have deep ties to the community. They are your first step in connecting with this network by enrolling in this Pilot program.
We provide pathways to business ownership.
We support the underserved and underrepresented as they explore starting and sustaining small businesses. We work to create opportunities to access business training and mentorship programs, capital, and government programs that are earmarked for small business development.
Core Values
We adopt our values from our parent organization, the Rockwood Community Development Corporation
We are personally invested in the community.
Everyone involved in our work, either lives in the community or is in relationship with our low-income neighbors.
We will never leave the table.
We are here for the long term, even when things are difficult.
We are committed to reconciliation.
We pursue people who are disconnected and invite them into relationships rooted in humility, listening, and learning.
We build bridges, not armies.
Everything we do is built on an ethic of inclusion, diversity, and justice.
Our Team
Ashley Pugh
Program Assistant
Ulu Seria
Program Director