City Announces Recipients of $4.45 Million in Opportunity Hub Grants
Published on November 15, 2023
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Nov. 15, 2023) – The City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity today announced the recipients of the $4.45 million Business Opportunity Hub grant, which tasks recipients with creating a space to connect small business owners, entrepreneurs and residents to financial assistance, access to capital, job opportunities and more. The six hubs will reduce barriers that underserved and underrepresented small business owners, entrepreneurs and residents face in accessing programs and resources needed to recover, grow, stabilize, start their business, or find employment.
“The Business Opportunity Hub grant not only empowers the Corridor but strengthens all of Charlotte, ensuring that our city’s future is one of inclusivity and prosperity,” said the Mayor of Charlotte, Vi Lyles. “Congratulations to the grant winners for this opportunity and for their commitment to addressing the needs of our underserved areas. Initiatives like the Business Opportunity Hub are vital to the well-being of Charlotte’s communities, and we strive to connect people to the resources they need to thrive.”
The grant recipients are located in the city’s six Corridors of Opportunity communities, including North Graham/North Tryon, Sugar Creek/Interstate 85, Albemarle Road/Central Avenue, Beatties Ford Road/Rozzelles Ferry Road, West Boulevard, and Freedom Drive/Wilkinson Boulevard.
Recipients will provide services that target each corridor’s specific needs while also serving as a direct referral to services available at all six of the hubs. With this model, residents and businesses in each corridor will have direct access to the broader range of programs, services, resources and training available from all six hub operators.
Recipients of the six Business Opportunity Hub grants are:
| Business Awarded |
Hub Description |
Corridor |
| Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte
|
The Spark Centro hub will provide vital resources to support emerging local retailers, entrepreneurs and job seekers in the community, with a strong emphasis on boosting opportunities for minority-owned businesses. |
Albemarle/Central Corridor
|
| LISC Charlotte |
The West End Business Navigator program for small businesses in partnership with Historic West End Partners will provide financial services, CRM platform assistance, business plan consulting and assessment, and more.
|
Beatties Ford/Rozzelles Ferry Corridor
|
| Freedom Communities |
The Freedom Business Center will include an incubator program and affordable space for entrepreneurs and programming from partner organizations including Do Greater Charlotte, The Boost Pad, Goodwill Industries and others.
|
Freedom/Wilkinson Corridor |
| The NEO Foundation |
The NEO Foundation will expand three existing core services for small businesses and nonprofit organizations to include one-on-one technical assistance and customized training, infrastructure support for organizational governance and development, funding and help with securing funding and compliance, and more.
|
West Boulevard Corridor |
| She Built This City |
She Built This City will permanently expand existing construction skills services to include Women in Trades pre-apprenticeship training, Women @ Work apprenticeship in facilities management, Explorer Kids & Generation Trades workshops for youth, and childcare services for all participants.
|
Sugar Creek Corridor |
| Hispanic Contractors Association of the Carolinas
|
HCAC will expand its existing business consulting and employment development services for contractors to include business consulting services for minority- and Hispanic-owned construction firms, OSHA 10 and 30 certification training for minority and Hispanic workers in the construction industry, workforce development, and more. |
North Graham/North Tryon Corridor
|
"We are thrilled to partner with the City of Charlotte to bring an Entrepreneurship Hub to the Freedom Drive Corridor," said Hannah Beavers, executive director of Freedom Communities. "The Hub will provide both an affordable space to operate and a space to receive advice, training, and connections to support West Side entrepreneurs with taking their businesses to the next level. We are grateful for the support and partnership of the city and many others to bring this important project to life!"
These hubs will help further the Corridors of Opportunity’s mission to foster thriving communities for residents and businesses, build lasting legacies, and grow communities equitably across the six corridors.
“I am thrilled to announce the Business Opportunity Hub grant recipients. This grant is a vital step in our journey toward fostering vibrant and equitable communities in Charlotte,” said Monica Holmes, executive manager of the Corridors of Opportunity program. “The hubs will have a transformative impact on the residents within the Corridors and serve as catalysts for economic growth, job creation, and support for our local businesses. We share a mission with each of these grant winners and can’t wait to get the work started.”
Corridors of Opportunity has supported the implementation of several projects that strive to spur economic mobility and opportunity, create housing access for all, build diverse and resilient communities, integrate the natural and built environment, develop safe and equitable mobility, retain culture and identity, and grow healthy, active, and safe communities. Learn more by visiting the Corridors of Opportunity website.