HCC receives $1.6 million grant to continue operation of Houston MBDA Business Center
May 12, 2016
The U.S. Department of Commerce, through the Office of Business Development, has awarded Houston Community College $1,608,875 in grant funding for the continuation of the Houston Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center. HCC has successfully operated the Houston/HCC MBDA Business Center since 2013. This grant extends operations through 2021.
"We are thrilled that the work of the MBDA staff will continue,” said Dr. Maya Durnovo, Chief Entrepreneurial Initiatives Officer at HCC. “We are so proud to make a strong impact on building and expanding minority owned businesses.”
The primary objectives of the MBDA Business Center program are to foster the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority-owned businesses by facilitating transactions through referrals; business consulting; contract proposal preparation; loan packaging and matching Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) to contract opportunities, prime contractors, and capital resources.
Under the leadership of Program Director, Chris Bilton, the Houston MBDA Business Center has proudly earned an “Outstanding Rating” from the Office of Business Development and, since 2013, served 146 minority-owned businesses, facilitated $165 million dollars in contracts, and $152 million dollars in financing.
HCC and the Houston MBDA have developed a strong coalition of strategic partners who support and collaborate on many business events and summits. The partners include the Houston District of the Small Business Administration, Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC), the Houston Area Urban League (HAUL), the City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity, the National Association of Minority Contractor-Houston, the University of Houston Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), the WBEA, LiftFund (formerly Accion Texas) and the Asian, Hispanic, Black and Indo-American Chambers of Commerce.
To learn more about the MBDA program at HCC, visit hccs.edu/mbda.