The Regional Disenfranchised Business Development Project (RDBDP) is a public-private partnership between the Northern California Black Chamber Presidents Association (NCBCPA) and 3C Capital Fund, Inc. (3CCF) to RESTORE, REBUILD and RETAIN small black-owned businesses after the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide assistance for growth and retention.
RDBDP’s mission is to develop a regional strategic action plan to build back stronger small minority businesses in the Northern and Central California business corridors through an ecosystem of interconnected resources, technology solutions, technical assistance and funding.
and recover fair market positioning by providing resources and technical assistance for branding, marketing, customer re-engagement and retention.
businesses better and stronger than ever before by providing resources from access to capital to business restructuring and growth.
possession and growth of small businesses by building a sustainable ecosystem of investment resources in each regional area where small business owners can find the help they need to restore, rebuild and retain their businesses.
The goal of RDBDP is to create a blueprint for recovery that can be replicated in 10 regional areas. Short, intermediate and long-term funding and investments are structured to meet the needs of small businesses. Programs, services, and business development support are tailored to combat systemic economic inequalities. And a sustainability model aims to close the wealth gap across multiple generations.
Northern California Black Chamber Presidents Association (NCBCPA) is a community impact coalition made up of ten ethnic chambers of commerce in Northern and Central California providing a unified voice to promote the interest of small minority businesses and strengthen community connections.
NCBCPA recognizes that small black-owned, women-owned and minority-owned businesses are falling behind in the marketplace and struggling to keep their doors open. The high cost of doing business in California, access to needed capital, a hostile business environment created by big corporations, and the devastating economic impact of COVID-19 has made it harder and harder for small minority businesses to stay in business.
In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused businesses around the country to shut down, it was clear that financial support for small businesses was becoming even more unattainable. Recognizing the impact of the pandemic, NCBCPA stood firm with small minority businesses to advocate for a greater share of public and private dollars to help struggling businesses stay in business.
NCBCPA 10-member Chamber of Commerce organization:
an organization of businesses seeking to further their collective interests, while advancing their community, region, state or nation. Business owners in towns, cities and other territories voluntarily form these local networks to advocate on behalf of the community at large, economic prosperity and business interests. These civic entities have existed in the U.S. for more than two centuries.
3C Capital Fund Inc. (3CCF), founded in 2016 and located in Bakersfield, CA, is a 501(c)3 non-profit Community Development Entity (CDE) as certified by the United States Department of the Treasury – CDFI Fund (20NMC054097).
3CCF has a mission to provide comprehensive technical assistance and alternative capital funding to low-to-moderate income communities and businesses with an emphasis toward populations of color. One of the services offered by 3CCF for its partners and clients is asset management. 3CCF acts as a Fiscal Sponsor for several small local non-profit organizations to identify and secure funding for community projects and events.
3CCF will secure, manage and disburse funds for the Regional Disenfranchisement Business Development Project (RDBDP) with oversight by NCBCPA. Programs, services and activities associated with the development of a RDBDP regional strategic action plan will be managed by 3C Capital Fund.
3CCF acknowledges that small businesses are the life blood and economic engine of every community. The overall health of small businesses depends on connections and support from the local community. 3CCF is committed to expanding best promising and successful practices that support small business development and growth.
3CCF’s belief is that when investments are made in local communities where products and services are accessed, local business owners truly benefit. This ultimately leads to a more effective and robust economic outcome.
A CDE is a domestic corporation or partnership that acts as an intermediary vehicle for the provision of loans, investments, or financial counseling in Low-Income Communities (LICs).
CDEs are certified by the U. S. Department of the Treasury,
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund). Benefits of being certified as a CDE include being able to apply to the CDFI Fund to receive a New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation to offer its investors in exchange for equity investments in the CDE and/or its subsidiaries; or to receive loans or investments from other CDEs that have received NMTC allocations.
As a champion for small minority businesses in Northern and Central California, NCBCPA and 3CCF have partnered to develop a master plan to secure funding for the implementation of a regional strategic action plan.
RDBDP is a strategic economic development project aimed at creating shared knowledge and decision-making; identification of investment and sustainable resources; providing technical assistance; and growth and retention for small minority businesses.
Develop a “best practice” tool kit for business recovery, growth and sustainability.
Develop a regional strategic action plan to help emerging and existing businesses connect with financial, branding, marketing and customer engagement services in their region.
Create an ecosystem of investments and resources in each region where small minority business owners can find the help that they need to stay in business.
Strategic planning is a process for documenting and establishing a direction for small businesses. By assessing where you are and where you’re headed, the strategic plan plays a pivotal role in the growth and success of a business.
The Hartford Small Biz Ahead, What Is Strategic Planning?
Strategic Planning Process
RDBDP is developing a regional strategic action plan for restoring, rebuilding and retaining small minority businesses in Northern and Central California.
Profile businesses in targeted zip codes, challenges, needs, assets, and resources.
Map programs and services in the region that support small businesses.
Write a regional strategic implementation plan that can be replicated in each region.
Develop a toolkit. Define timelines, agreements and activities for implementation.
Adopt robust evaluation methodologies for measuring progress and project success.
In a 2018 Constant Contact survey, despite the benefits of a strategic plan, a growing number of small business owners are not focusing on long-term strategies of their businesses.
The Hartford Small Biz Ahead, What Is Strategic Planning?
Strategic Planning Process
The goal of this project is to build a long-term strategy for recovering small minority businesses, rebuilding small business infrastructures, investing in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods, and investing in emerging small businesses in disenfranchised communities. The long-term strategy will include a sustainable ecosystem of resources to support small minority businesses and close the persistent wealth gap for African Americans and other people of color.
Ultimately, the strategic plan of action will provide a unique and consistent approach for economic growth and sustainability of small minority businesses in communities throughout Northern and Central California.
RDBDP thanks its corporate partners and sponsors for helping RDBDP to achieve its goals and for supporting small businesses.
