有色人种企业家基金获得6位新出资人的投资超过900万美元，以促进南部和西部少数民族拥有的小企业

September 25, 2019 (Chicago) -芝加哥行动组织(Accion)和当地倡议支持公司(LISC)——有色企业家基金在芝加哥的非营利性合作伙伴——今天宣布了3美元.来自六家领先机构的600万美元新投资:第一中西部银行、美国银行和美国银行.S. 银行，科尔曼基金会，麦考密克基金会，芝加哥社区信托和普罗维登斯银行 & 信任. 新的投资, which will be paired with business 训练 and mentorship for small businesses, 使有色人种企业家基金的资金总额超过900万美元，用于支持芝加哥南部和西部的少数族裔企业家.

有色人种企业家基金支持非营利性贷款机构Accion和LISC的工作，为少数族裔拥有的小企业提供资金，并通过促进商业活动和帮助在南部和西部创造就业机会来刺激经济增长. 该倡议于2018年7月启动，最初得到了澳博官方网站app和五三银行的资金支持.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our city’s economy, 提供需要的工作, 服务, 为我们的家庭和芝加哥每个社区的居民提供机会,” 市长洛丽·E. 快脚. “有色人种企业家基金在推动我们社区小企业发展方面发挥着关键作用, particularly those that have experienced generational disinvestment, 我们感谢这些最新的资助者在我们扩大融资渠道的过程中挺身而出，尽了自己的一份力量, develop entrepreneurial skills, 真正释放我们城市的潜力，成为所有人希望和机会的灯塔.”

Small businesses are key drivers of growth, and that growth is fastest among minority and women entrepreneurs. In Chicago, small businesses employ more than 1 million people. 研究 shows it would require only a 9 percent increase in small business jobs, or less than one job per existing small business, to eliminate unemployment in Chicago’s low-income neighborhoods.

然而，芝加哥各个社区小企业的财务弹性各不相同. The 澳博官方网站app 研究所 发现 南区和西区许多社区的小企业现金储备比北区的同行更有限. 例如, 在恩格尔伍德，小企业的存款账户中只有不到一周的现金储备，而在布埃纳公园，小企业的现金储备为17天，是恩格尔伍德同行的三倍.

“芝加哥LISC经济发展战略的一个关键原则是，权力和财富来自所有权. 投资当地商业和创业对于创造社区财富和权力至关重要, is integral to supporting the communities we serve,” Meghan Harte, Executive Director of LISC Chicago. “我们很自豪能成为有色人种企业家基金的合作伙伴，并期待继续共同努力，支持南部和西部少数族裔拥有的小企业主.”

In its first year of operations in Chicago, the initiative has made over 130 loans totaling more than $1.7 million and resulting in nearly 400 new or preserved jobs. Fifty-three percent of the loans support minority women-owned businesses.

新的投资将使有色人种企业家基金能够在第一年获得的见解的基础上，为芝加哥更多的少数族裔企业家提供关键的资金渠道, 训练 and other resources needed to support their small businesses.

“Chicago’s neglected neighborhoods need more jobs. 如果小企业主获得了创业所需的贷款和培训，他们就可以创造这些就业机会,” Brad McConnell, CEO of Accion Chicago. “That’s what Accion does, and that’s what this partnership is about.”

Urban Roots是在有色人种企业家基金的支持下获得贷款的小企业之一, 公司., launched and managed by Jimmie and Tiffany Williams. The landscaping company serves residential, 并帮助有犯罪背景的人进行技能培训，使他们在入狱后能够找到工作.

“有色人种企业家基金给了我们发展和扩大业务的机会，”她说 吉米·威廉姆斯，有色基金贷款接受者和Urban Roots, 公司 .的所有者. “现在, we can continue to offer our 服务 across Chicago, help create more jobs in our neighborhood and give back to our community.”

影响的历史

有色人种企业家基金于2015年由澳博官方网站app(澳博官方网站app)在底特律首次发起, 和W一起.K. Kellogg Foundation and Detroit Development Fund, 为少数族裔拥有的小企业提供资金和技术援助. The fund has since tripled in Detroit to $22 million. 除了, the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund has expanded to San Francisco, 南布朗克斯, 大华盛顿地区和芝加哥是澳博官方网站app4000万美元的一部分, three-year commitment to the South and West sides of the city.

“小企业的增长是为南部和西部更多人创造经济机会的关键,” Charlie Corrigan, Head of Midwest Philanthropy at 澳博官方网站app. 在澳博官方网站app, we are pleased to see businesses, 非营利组织和政治领袖共同帮助少数族裔企业家获得实现梦想的公平机会.”

Eligible entrepreneurs can run new or existing businesses, allowing more businesses to stay local and invest in their neighborhoods. These entrepreneurs are typically unable to qualify for traditional loans, often due to previous credit challenges, limited financial collateral, short business history or informal business practices.

寻求小企业贷款或指导的企业家可致电312-275-3000与Accion或312-422-9550与LISC联系.

关于Accion Chicago
Accion helps neighborhood entrepreneurs grow by providing the capital, 训练, 小企业主需要在伊利诺伊州和印第安纳州创造财富和就业机会. By partnering with entrepreneurs, Accion offers the most cost-effective way to invest in underserved communities. Accion offers small business loans between $500 and $100,向合格的借款人提供5000美元，并为任何想要发展业务的企业家提供免费指导. 欲知详情，请浏览 us.accion.org/chicago.

关于LISC
With residents and partners, LISC在美国各地打造了充满活力和包容性的机会社区——这是适合居住的好地方, 工作, 访问, do business and raise families. Since 1979, LISC has invested $18.6 billion to build or rehab 376,000 affordable homes and apartments and develop 63 million square feet of retail, community and educational space. 欲了解更多信息，请访问 www.lisc.org.

关于澳博官方网站app
澳博官方网站app & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial 服务 firm with assets of $2.7 trillion and operations worldwide. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial 服务 for consumers and small businesses, 商业银行, financial transaction processing, 资产管理. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 澳博官方网站app & Co. 为美国和世界上许多最著名的公司的数百万客户提供服务, institutional and government clients under its J.P. 摩根 and 追逐 brands. Information about 澳博官方网站app & Co. 可在 wt8n.byum.net.

约五分之一
Fifth Third Bancorp是一家多元化的金融服务公司，总部位于辛辛那提, Ohio and the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, an Ohio-chartered bank. 截至6月30日, 2019, Fifth Third had $169 billion in assets and operated 1,207 full-service Banking Centers and 2,551 ATMs with Fifth Third branding in Ohio, 肯塔基州, 印第安纳州, 密歇根, 伊利诺斯州, 佛罗里达, 田纳西州, 西维吉尼亚州, Georgia and North Carolina. 在总, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 53,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, 分支银行, Consumer Lending and Wealth & 资产管理. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. FDIC会员.

媒体接触
阿玛莉亚Kontesi, 阿玛莉亚.Kontesi@chase.com