Track the Plan: Strategy 6

Develop pathways to entrepreneurship and Black, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous business ownership

In alignment with recommended actions from Strategy 6, Community & Economic Development has begun to implement the work of the plan.

Dial set at 25 percent

Accelerate Black, Latinx, Asian and indigenous income generation through business growth and investment.

  • Support the portfolio of small-scale housing developers through the development of the Emerging and Diverse Developers (EDD) program. The EDD program pairs technical assistance to emerging developers with a tailored solicitation supported small scale, community centered, innovative projects that lead to the rehabilitation and construction of affordable housing units. 
  • Ramsey County was awarded $1.5 million in congressionally directed spending in late 2022. The planning stage of the Re-Imagination Resource Center started in August of 2024.  A Request for Information (RFI) was deployed in April of 2025 to assess the needs of various Business Community Organizations (BCOs). A Request for Proposal (RFP) is anticipated in June 2025. This pilot program aims to support BCOs in delivering training, technical assistance and mentorship to small business owners. If the program proves successful, additional funding will be pursued to expand and sustain the assistance. 
  • Continued involvement with the Open to Business program. Open to Business provides direct technical assistance and other forms of support to small business owners and entrepreneurs. In 2022, Open to Business served 64 existing businesses and 26 start-ups. 71% of program participants are from racial and/or ethnic communities. In 2023, 150 businesses were served mainly in the retail, service and food industries. In 2024, the program served 153 businesses, with a noticeable increase in the number of businesses from the health and fitness sector seeking assistance.
  • CEO Now was launched in 2024 with the goal of supporting early-stage companies that are in the process of establishing their operations, building a customer base and achieving financial stability. These businesses often face challenges such as limited resources, lack of formal business planning, and the need for foundational support in areas like marketing, finance, operations, and compliance. CEO Now provides targeted technical assistance in a cohort format to help them build strong business fundamentals, increase their chances of long-term success, and position themselves for future growth. The first round of the program successfully graduated six CEOs from Ramsey County. 

Create new opportunities for post-crisis business planning.

  • See reference to $1.5 million small business Re-imagination Recource Center project above.

Support the ecosystem of diverse suppliers.

  • No updates at this time.

Proactively foster racial inclusion, equity, and belonging in the procurement policies and practices.

  • Increased Section 3 worker and business outreach. Section 3 helps low-to-moderate income workers or business owners compete on bids for federally funded (Community Development Block Grant and HOME) Ramsey County projects and gain access to connections in the construction industry.

Partner with community leaders to influence and leverage private sector investments, lending practices, and spending with black, Latinx, Asian and Indigenous owned businesses.

Influence and coordinate strategies to respond to historic underinvestment in Black owned businesses.

Partner to develop tools for business owners to proactively acquire ownership of their real estate assets to grow wealth.

  • No updates at this time.

Explore pilot to create entrepreneurial start up spaces in suburban Ramsey County.