Mayor Nutter announced several initiatives that could help strengthen and grow the LGBT business community.
During a breakfast Feb. 18 sponsored by LGBT chamber of commerce Independence Business Alliance, which drew about 100 members, Nutter said the city is committed to expanding opportunities for LGBT business owners to participate directly in the economic rejuvenation of the city.
U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-8th Dist.) also attended, and discussed his efforts to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on openly gay servicemembers and his backing of stimulus bills in Congress to strengthen the economy.
During his speech, Nutter said the city is considering incorporating the LGBT certification offered to business owners by the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce into its minority-contract process.
Bill Gehrman, president of IBA, said only Washington, D.C., and San Diego include NGLCC-certified business owners as eligible for city contracts designated for minority-owned businesses.
“The city wouldn’t actually certify LGBT businesses, but the mayor was talking about the idea of using LGBT-certified businesses who’ve been approved by the NGLCC in minority-purchasing programs,” Gehrman explained. “So the mayor’s saying he wants to look at that possibly and he supports it, and that’s extremely important. That’s been one of the main goals of the IBA.”
Gehrman said the IBA has been in conversation with Gloria Casarez, director of LGBT affairs for the city, and begun to evaluate the feasibility of implementing such a plan, which he added would be a boon for the LGBT business community.
“LGBT-owned businesses would have increased opportunities to be considered for city-government projects, everything from Web-site design to marketing, manufacturing, just a slew of services that would be offered to our community,” he said.
Gehrman said more than 10 local LGBT businesses have been certified with the NGLCC, and he expects that number would jump significantly if the city began accepting the certification.
Local small businesses are also getting a boost — to the tune of $27 million — from the federal stimulus package. Nutter outlined four programs to help local businesses access credit and stay afloat in the tough economic climate.
The $13-million Recovery Zone Facility Bonds program will offer small-business owners low-cost capital, while the $4.5-million Gap Financing, a program begun last year, will be available to cover “gaps” business owners are struggling to overcome.
Business owners can also take advantage of the $9-million Greenworks Loan Fund, an initiative that allows the city to offer loans to businesses attempting to become more energy-efficient. Likewise, business owners can apply for the Greenworks Rebate Program, which will provide rebates worth up to $10,000 or 50 percent of the total cost of a project that seeks to make energy-efficient investments in their buildings.
The mayor’s detailing of the initiatives during the IBA breakfast also helped the agency carry out one of its primary goals, Gehrman said.
“Our job as a chamber of commerce is to connect business members with the city and the opportunities it can provide for them.”
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].