The Liberty Project
Growing businesses owned by Black and African-Americans in Seattle at a rate equal to their representation in the population.
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Eligibility Overview
qApplicants must be entrepreneurs or small businesses negatively
affected by the pandemic
affected by the pandemic
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qEntrepreneurs/small businesses should have fewer than the equivalent to 20 full-time employees.
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qApplicants must possess identification and must have or be in the process of obtaining a federal Uniform Entity Identification (UEI).
Management
Education systems and institutions that incubate and accelerate businesses are not producing a sufficient number of skilled entrepreneurs and business owners of color that enable POC-owned businesses to reach revenue equity.
Money
Through an interlocking set of factors including regulations, underwriting guidelines, historic redlining, gaps in family wealth, and networks, businesses owned by POC face systemic barriers to securing debt and equity financing.
Markets
The structure and practice of corporate and government procurement systems produce barriers to accessing contracting opportunities for businesses owned by POC. At the consumer level, accessing clients through online and brick-and-mortar channels present such barriers. Rent costs in high-income communities and lack of access to appropriate distribution channels limit the POC business owners’ ability to reach consumers with significant disposable income.
In Partnership With