Press Coverage

Eager to offer more inclusive cosmetics, Pound Cake, a local start-up, got an influx of capital to help make that a reality.

Pound Cake CEO Camille Bell recalls the frustration of shopping for cosmetics as a Black woman seeking shades that emphasized her beauty.

“I would go into a retailer and I would...

To increase potential sales, Stimulus leverages artificial intelligence to find out when a large institution might be most receptive to vendors.

Philadelphia native Tiffanie Stanard saw an opportunity in what she found to be a broken system that drew the ire of both institutional buyers and sellers...

Inspired by savings clubs, the goal is to connect financial advisers to first-time investors to stock market investing.

Mical Jeanlys-White remembers how her grandmother built wealth as an immigrant to the United States from Haiti, and it was primarily through savings clubs that she invested in the...

Lancaster – Fulton Bank, N.A., a subsidiary of Fulton Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: FULT), and The Enterprise Center today announced a new program to provide early-stage financing to entrepreneurs.

To support the program, Fulton Forward Foundation, an independent, private nonprofit foundation funded...

The Inaugural Visionary Pitch Competition was held at the Enterprise Center in Philadelphia to give minority-owned businesses a chance to win $250,000.

Ten businesses were the finalists out of 547 applicants, and they had to pitch their companies to win the grand prize.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle...

Minority owned businesses from all over the nation were in Philadelphia competing for a $250,000 prize. The competition was the first of it’s kind for the Enterprise Center. NBC10’s Yukare Nakayama shows how each business made their pitch.
 

Ten minority-owned business finalists vied Thursday at the Enterprise Center for a chance to win $250,000 in the center’s inaugural Visionary Pitch Competition.

The 10 finalists out of 547 applicants hoped to win the grand prize in the Shark Tank-esque competition, where they pitched their companies...

The devastating consequences of divestment, like deteriorating infrastructure, vacant lots, and vast expanses of food and green space deserts, are glaringly obvious in low-income areas of Philadelphia. These inequalities in resources and opportunities have created a vicious cycle of poverty and made...

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The first 'Black-Owned Businesses Bus Tour' was created to coincide with the 2024 National Small Business Week.

It was a collaboration between The Enterprise Center, Urban Affairs Coalition, Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, African American Chamber...

Some histories are better heard than read.

A new oral history project called “Legacy on 52nd Street,” which features the voices of people and businesses from West Philly’s historic Black business corridor, makes that case.

The Enterprise Center, Rowhome Productions, and Urban Art Gallery...

The West Philly community gathered Saturday under the protection of a tree older than any of those in attendance, and Krista Nelson played her original song “Malcolm X Park” on her Native Turtle Island flute. Attendees closed their eyes, and could feel the nature that constantly surrounds people...

In conjunction with Earth Day, organizers from Get Fresh Daily, Friends of Malcolm X Park, The Enterprise Center, and Painted Bride Art Center held an event at Malcolm X park that gave space to share and honor indigenous stories. The day included an interactive land acknowledgment and a performance...

Rebuilding Together Philadelphia has repaired and upgraded 2,100 owner-occupied homes in the city since 1989.

The newest episode of our How to Really Run a City podcast finds the mayors exploring the power of investing in Black and Brown entrepreneurs with evangelist for inclusive growth Della Clark and Michele Lawrence of JP Morgan Chase

This month’s money moves include Mayor Parker’s first budget address and her $2 billion five-year plan.

Also, a local venture capitalist committed $300,000 to support sciences fairs in the region and an AI healthcare organization received funding from a federal agency.

Parker proposes $130 million...

Some business owners in West Philadelphia had the opportunity to showcase their services to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and State Sen. Vincent Hughes during a walking tour of 52nd Street on Friday.

During their walk, the two talked up the expansion of capital funding along the corridor, which is considered...

Last month saw plenty of activity in Philadelphia’s tech and business community. The Chamber of Commerce and Center City District both hired new, highly respected vice presidents, and a local biotech firm scored a pharma-experienced CEO.

Read on for all the details, plus announcements from The...

The city’s apostle of Black and Brown entrepreneurship was joined by Mayor Parker and Patti LaBelle to kick off a 22-city tour highlighting her message of equitable economic empowerment. The Citizen will report the lessons learned from every stop.

A connector, bridge builder, and leader of a capital revolution

Between 45th and 46th streets in West Philadelphia, a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC)  marker stands on Market Street. The fifth of five sentences informs passersby that the Nationally Registered Historic building...

6abc is Philly Proud to select and honor six prominent African American community leaders here in Philadelphia and across the region to celebrate during Black History Month.

6abc was proud to host its annual Black History Month Community Awards Dinner on Feb. 20 to celebrate this year's honorees...

6abc Studios (WPVI) -- 6abc is Philly Proud to select and honor prominent African American community leaders here in Philadelphia and across the region to celebrate during Black History Month!

This year's theme is 'Advocacy, Elevation and Equity'.

Join Rick Williams and the Action News Team as we...

PHILADELPHIA – While visiting small businesses in West Philadelphia, Gov. Josh Shapiro on Thursday, Feb. 15, joined state Sen. Vince Hughes (D-7), state Rep. Jordan Harris (D-186), state Rep. Rick Krajewski (D-188), state Rep. Amen Brown (D-10) and Enterprise Center President Della Clark to continue...

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s “Main Streets Matter” tour took him to West Philadelphia and included favorite Black-owned businesses such as Hakim’s Bookstore and Two Locals Brewing Company.

Shapiro has proposed a $25 million investment in similar business corridors across the state. The funds would go toward...

Philadelphia, PA – Today, while visiting small businesses in West Philadelphia, Governor Josh Shapiro joined Senator Vince Hughes, Representative Jordan Harris, Representative Rick Krajewski, Representative Amen Brown, and Enterprise Center President Della Clark to continue his ‘Main Street Matters’...

Gov. Josh Shapiro visited Black-owned businesses in West Philly on Thursday to promote a proposed $25 million budget initiative to support small businesses across the state.

The potential program, called Main Street Matters, would support downtown areas across the state by offering grants to...

...

The Enterprise Center awarded $200K in its first pitch competition for entrepreneurs of color

The program was funded by a $125,000 grant from the Most Diverse Tech Hub initiative from the City of Philadelphia’s Commerce Department. Eight companies were selected to go through a 10-week...

The Enterprise Center received a $5 million investment from TD Charitable Foundation for its Innovate Capital Growth Fund. The West Philly-based nonprofit, which provides resources and opportunities for entrepreneurs, launched the fund in 2022 to support women and minority-owned businesses.

The...

A new pop-up eatery arrived last month at Drexel’s campus. Authentic Ethnic Cuisine combines dishes from West Africa, the West Indies and American soul food, reflecting the personal and professional journey of owner Arthur Browne.

Browne has previously offered his version of “diasporic cuisine” in...

The DEI-focused competition is open to startups across the US, with a $250,0000 grand prize awarded in Philly in May.

Partnership with Dell Technologies, URBN, Troutman Pepper, and Morgan Lewis will provide cash grand prize and comprehensive business advisory services to the winner

The Enterprise Center, the West Philadelphia-based non-profit that helps local minority-owned businesses, has recently received a generous investment in its Innovate Capital Growth Fund (ICGF). The $5 million investment was made by TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank. It...

When journalist and author Peter Baker opens the Jefferson Educational Society's Global Summit XV speaker series on Monday, Oct. 23 at Gannon University, it will be the 15th year that the Jefferson has brought the summit to the people of Erie. Baker, a six-time author and chief White House...

Worldwide issues take stage locally during the upcoming Jefferson Educational Society's (JES) Global Summit, the 15th of its kind. This year, the slate of speakers is dense — 18 individual speakers within 14 total events spread over only three weeks time, and those organizing the event are more...

MOUNT LAUREL, NJ, Oct. 5, 2023 – TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, today announced its first-ever Mission Related Investment (MRI) of $5 million to Innovate Capital Growth Fund (ICGF) – the first equity investment made by the Foundation. ICGF is a new non-profit...

After participating in a 10-week accelerator, eight tech company leaders competed for four monetary prizes. Here's who won.

A Pennsylvania Historical Marker was recently installed outside of Hakim’s Bookstore, the oldest operating Black-owned bookstore in the state and perhaps on the East Coast, according to the University City Historical Society which advocated for the marker in partnership with the Enterprise Center.

...

Black residents make up approximately 43% of Philadelphia’s population yet own only about 6% of the city’s businesses and contribute just 2% of overall business revenues locally, according to the latest figures available from both the U.S. Census Bureau and research from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

...

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $960,000 grant to The Enterprise Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to establish the Infrastructure Innovations and Business Opportunities Center in Newark, New Jersey.

This grant will...

NEWARK, NJ — The U.S. Department of Commerce is investing $960,000 to encourage minority-owned construction businesses and innovative startups in the City of Newark.

The agency’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded the competitive $960,000 grant to The Enterprise Center, based in...

Sixty years since Martin Luther King Jr. shared his most famous address at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the majority of Black Philadelphians are still far from that dream.

A new report keyed to King’s milestone speech shows that nationwide, most economic aspirations of the Civil...

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $960,000 grant to The Enterprise Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to establish the Infrastructure Innovations and Business Opportunities Center in Newark, New Jersey.

This grant will...

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – On Tuesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2023-18 to increase opportunities for small and small diverse businesses to compete for state contracts, make the Commonwealth procurement process more accessible, and take actionable steps to help small businesses and small...

Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa. has signed an executive order directing state agencies to help Black-owned and other small firms to get more state contracts by increasing eligibility, capital and technical support.

Helping more small and small diverse businesses compete for state dollars, Shapiro said, is...

Business owners and elected officials met at The Enterprise Center in Philadelphia this week to discuss Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s new executive order mandating that state agencies award more government contracts to small and diverse businesses, writes Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza for WHYY.

T...

For decades, the daunting and expensive process of securing lucrative government contracts felt insurmountable for small businesses, though a new executive gives them hope.

“Opening the doors wider to lift up small and diverse businesses requires institutional buy-in at all levels,” said Della...

(The Center Square) – For decades, the daunting and expensive process of securing lucrative government contracts felt insurmountable for small businesses, though a new executive gives them hope.

"Opening the doors wider to lift up small and diverse businesses requires institutional buy-in at all...

Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa. has signed an executive order directing state agencies to help Black-owned and other small firms to get more state contracts by increasing eligibility, capital and technical support.

Helping more small and small diverse businesses compete for state dollars, Shapiro said, is...

One thing Governor Shapiro can’t change with the stroke of a pen — raising the threshold for small business certification from 100 to 500 employees — is the state’s definition of a small business. It would require the state legislature to pass a new law.

In the meantime, the aim is to create more...

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Small businesses in Pennsylvania may now have a better chance at landing a state government contract as a result of an executive order Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Tuesday during a visit to Philadelphia.

Shapiro signed an executive order aimed at ensuring small and small...

Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order in Philadelphia that mandates state agencies to award more government contracts to small and diverse businesses.

Steven Scott Bradley jokes that one of the best things to happen to him early in life was getting cut from the basketball team his freshman year of high school. It led Bradley to channel his energy into school, a move that would ultimately lay the groundwork for a successful nearly 40-year career in...

Erie, Pennsylvania (August 16) – The JES announced its Global Summit 2023 speaker lineup in a media conference on Wednesday, August 16 at 10:30 a.m. at the Jefferson Educational Society, 3207 State St.

New York Times Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker kicks off its 15th Global Summit...

Trina Worrell Benjamin is an example of an entrepreneur who has taken advantage of the many programs designed to help small businesses, to help her build a growing, successful Black-owned company.

Years ago, she and a partner started picking up corporate cleaning jobs as subcontractors, but when...

Prosperity Now announces partnership, funding and lab for two major Entrepreneurship Supporting Organizations

The Enterprise Center, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization that helps promote small business development, has a new $500,000 revolving loan pool for minority-owned companies.

The goal is to increase building ownership along commercial corridors — which enables small businesses to build...

Throughout his career, Steven Scott Bradley has been blazing a trail – both for himself and for others. As a champion of the African-American community, particularly in Greater Philadelphia, Bradley has been a leading voice in support of Black businesses and initiatives to support them.

It is for...

This year’s Philadelphia Forty Under 40 features a wider array of professions than ever, reflecting the myriad ways young Philadelphians are making an impact in their neighborhoods and throughout the region. These young achievers are politicians and strategists, attorneys and entrepreneurs – but...

In a session hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, several business leaders offered insight on what trips entrepreneurs up.

...

The Enterprise Center Introduces $500,000 Loan Pool to Help Small Business Owners Buy Property

Last week, the Enterprise Center, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization that helps promote small business development, introduced a new $500,000 revolving loan pool to help minority-owned...

The Enterprise Center has a new revolving loan pool earmarked for minority owned small businesses making a major capital investment.

The Enterprise Center has announced that it will be launching a new $500,000 fund aimed at supporting minority businesses that lack the assets necessary to secure loans for property purchases.

The organization, in conjunction with The Enterprise Center Capital Corporation, expects that the Due...

Local housing programs, minority businesses and nonprofit groups in Greater Philadelphia are getting a much needed boost from funding from major bank foundations that have large operations in the area.

The Enterprise Center announced the completion of a new three-story Business Center on May 11...

The Enterprise Center has launched a loan pool designed to help businesses of color that lack sufficient assets for traditional loans to purchase property.

That’s good news for Trina Worrell-Benjamin, who owns TWB Cleaning Contractors, a commercial cleaning company she founded in 2014.

“That pool...

The Enterprise Center has launched a loan pool designed to help businesses of color that lack sufficient assets for traditional loans to purchase property.

That’s good news for Trina Worrell-Benjamin, who owns TWB Cleaning Contractors, a commercial cleaning company she founded in 2014.

“That pool...

The new hub is located on 52nd Street in West Philadelphia and is part of a plan to grow the commercial corridor.

Enterprise Center Capital Corp., the community development financial institution of the Philadelphia-based Enterprise Center, has launched a new $500,000 Due Diligence Revolving Advance Pool that will help minority business enterprises pay for due diligence expenses by advancing funds to them on...

The key to getting some of what you want.

Compromise is the art of reaching an agreement wherein you and the other party get some, but not all, of what you want. When you’re at a stalemate, compromising can help a conflict move forward. While it might not lead to 100% on your end, ideally you end...

“When you invest in a woman, a woman invests in the women around her, a woman invests in the community around her.”

This is the philosophy Sarah Bondzie, associate investment and loan officer at The Enterprise Center (TEC), has been repeating to herself as the West Philadelphia hub works toward...

The Enterprise Center in West Philadelphia has completed construction on a new community resource hub that was built entirely using the services of minority contractors.

The new three-story building, which had been in construction for over two years, is the result of a new approach taken by the...

After more than two years in development and construction, a new Community Resource Hub has opened at 277 South 52nd St. The grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by state and local officials, like State Sen. Vincent  Hughes and City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, was held on...

PHILADELPHIA — A new executive order from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro intends to give small businesses and small diverse businesses more opportunities to secure lucrative state contracts.

State contracts awarded to small businesses including those led by minorities and women rose under Shapiro’s...

Minority entrepreneurs were hit disproportionally hard by Covid-19 and the violence that erupted after George Floyd's murder in 2020. Many Black- and brown-owned businesses that survived the pandemic are still trying to recover and lack sufficient resources to grow. During the Business Journal’s...

Local businesses can get direction, mentoring at Kroc Center.

The Enterprise Center, Mom Your Business and the city of Philadelphia announced that they have opened the application process for minority-owned tech businesses looking to participate in a new pitch competition whose winner will receive up to $80,000 in funding.

The organizations released the...

A joint venture between the University City Science Center and Drexel University is providing its second round of funding to four minority-founded, Philadelphia-area startups ranging from fintech to health care.

The Raynier Seed Fund focuses its financing on up to four underrepresented...

The Enterprise Center recently announced a regional call-for-applications for diverse owners of tech businesses to participate in a new pitch competition.

This is the first-ever ‘Most Diverse Tech Hub’ (MDTH) Pitch Competition is in partnership with Mom Your Business and the City of Philadelphia...

The Enterprise Center has invested a total of $500,000 in two minority-owned businesses selling their food and beverage products in the Philadelphia region.

Enterprise Center Capital Corp,, the community development financial institution of the Philadelphia-based Enterprise Center, made two $250...

In Round 2 of The Citizen’s Ultimate Job Interview of Philadelphia candidates for mayor on Monday night, retired 6abc Anchor Jim Gardner laid out a few unfortunate facts about Philadelphia. We have:

• 26 percent of our population living in poverty, the highest rate of the 10 largest cities in...

Democratic candidates for mayor faced a panel including Jim Gardner for the Philadelphia Citizen's forum on how they will grow jobs and build a pathway to the middle class.

West Philly voters will have a chance this week to meet some candidates for the City Council’s At-Large seats and mayor at two community forums. Both events will take place on Thursday, March 16. Here are some more details about each event.

The Enterprise Center (4548 Market St.) is hosting a Mayor...

Mayoral candidates to talk buildings, tourism, business, more

There are at least four chances to see and hear candidates for mayor this week:

• BUILDPhilly Mayoral Forum at the Kimmel Center (8 a.m. Tuesday, RSVP to attend)
• Mayoral Candidates Forum on Hospitality & Tourism at the Pa. Convention...

The MBE Equity Multiplier project will work with businesses at their current stage to navigate the equity investment process and ecosystem to increase access to equity and venture investment and investors. The equity project’s services include developing investment packages, reviewing financial...

The six organizations funded in the PHL: Most Diverse Tech Hub initiative's third year will connect talent, convene tech companies, fund underrepresented startups and record impact.

In the third year of the PHL: Most Diverse Tech Hub (MDTH) initiative, the City of Philadelphia’s Department of...

With the opening of a new community branch in West Philadelphia, JPMorgan Chase provides community members with valuable information and resources.

Khaliff Young, a longtime Philadelphia resident, spoke about buying the house his family rented in South Philadelphia for 25 years with the help of a loan officer .

“She spoke to me in language that I could understand,” Young said of Tanyika Rickard, the lending officer at a Chase branch near 52nd...

Situated at 15 S. 52nd St., at 6,000 square feet the branch is more than three times the size of a normal Chase store. It occupies the former home of an original Philadelphia Savings Fund Society location.

It is also located in the commercial spine of West Philadelphia, which has been plagued by...

The Enterprise Center

The Enterprise Center (TEC)  has promoted racial and economic equity since 1989 by supporting the growth of diverse small businesses and partnering with West Philadelphia communities on revitalization strategies. Their mission is to cultivate and invest in minority...

Fulton, a subsidiary of Fulton Financial Corp., invested the funds in Innovate Capital Growth Fund, L.P., which provides capital and operational expertise to minority- and women-owned businesses.

The investment is part of Fulton Bank’s Commercial Affinity Banking Initiative, which is designed to...

Lancaster-based Fulton Bank, a Fulton Financial Corp. subsidiary, has invested $1 million in Innovate Capital Growth Fund, a Small Business Investment Company focused on providing equity investments in women- and minority-owned lower middle market firms in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Based in...

The Enterprise Center (TEC) is blazing a trail with its $50 million Innovative Capital Growth Fund, demonstrating how private sector investment can be leveraged through the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Small Business Invest Companies (SBIC) program to increase private-equity investment in...

PHILADELPHIA & LANCASTER, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fulton Bank, a subsidiary of Fulton Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: FULT), has invested $1 million in Innovate Capital Growth Fund, L.P., which provides capital and operational expertise to enable minority- and women-owned businesses to grow.

“We are...

Fulton Bank has put $1 million into a fund that helps businesses owned by women and minorities.



Innovate Capital Growth Fund L.P. provides capital and expertise to qualifying businesses that have annual revenue of about $2 million to $10 million, according to a statement from Fulton Financial Corp...

The Philadelphia Tribune and Independence Blue Cross’ Our Community. Our Health. campaign focuses on providing information and resources to the African American community about the major conditions that diminish health and quality of life – like heart disease, diabetes, and COVID-19. New campaign...

The Enterprise Center, Equity Alliance and Drexel’s Nowak Metro Finance Lab have co-created a plan to revive small, minority-owned businesses on Philly’s 52nd Street Corridor. Here’s why it matters.

This year, minority entrepreneurs are getting a boost in the holiday business all thanks to the newest store in West Philadelphia.

Just in time for the holidays, a Black-owned holiday pop-up has opened in West Philadelphia.

The holiday season is here and these Black businesses are helping you crank up the festivities.

The Philadelphia-based organization, The Enterprise Center Community Development Corporation, founded in 1989, has opened its first Black Holiday Pop-Up Market in West Philly.

According to The...

The Enterprise Center opens its first Black-owned holiday pop-up market on the historic corridor.

Exc. - The holiday hustle and bustle starts anew, and in that spirit, we’re back at it with our list of where to find unique gifts in Philly this year.

...

Black Holiday Pop-Up: Shop for clothing, books, candles, skin-care products, home decor and more.

Nov. 11-Jan. 15 — 26 S. 52nd St...

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- From trendy tees and adorable accessories to natural skincare and cozy home goods. Everything at the Black Holiday Pop-Up indoor marketplace in West Philadelphia comes from a Black-owned entrepreneur. 

"It's like a Black Macy's in here," senior director of The Enterprise...

Shop at The Enterprise Center's West Philly Black Holiday Pop-Up Market Through January 15, 2023 (Tuesdays through Sundays)

More than 30 Black-owned businesses and Black creators set up shop in West Philadelphia’s historic Black shopping corridor during this special holiday pop-up market. Offerings...

West Philly’s 52nd Street corridor is a destination for seasonal cheer, thanks to a holiday pop-up market organized by The Enterprise Center.

Featuring products from over 30 Black-owned small businesses, the department store-meets-local market offers everything from art to accessories to apparel...

Nov. 11-Jan. 15, 2023, Sun. 11 a.m.-5p.m., Tue.-Thu. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m. -7p.m.

For the first time ever, The Enterprise Center will present a holiday pop-up market dedicated to Black creators. More than 30 different Black-owned businesses and creators will participate selling their...

These local power altruists do more than just champion a cause—they revolutionize the world along the way.

With the holiday season quickly approaching, The Enterprise Center Community Development Corporation has opened their first Black Holiday Pop-Up Market in West Philadelphia.

The holiday pop-up market is focused on highlighting over 30 Black-owned businesses, with a diverse range of products such as...

As you plan your holiday shopping, be sure to stop by the Black Holiday Pop-Up Market on 52nd Street just south of Market.

Hosted by The Enterprise Center, the market located in a retail space at 26 S. 52nd St. offers everything from art and jewelry to books and skin and healthcare products from...

Honeysuckle Provisions has opened its doors at the Center for Culinary Enterprises in West Philadelphia.

The concept, founded by fine dining Chef Omar Tate, started as a fine dining pop-up and now, is a fine-eating grocery. Tate says he was moved by the lack of representation of African Americans...

AtiyaOla's Spirit First Foods has been bringing vegan, vegetarian and raw foods to West Philadelphia for more than a decade. You can go for comfort foods like falafel burgers, mild or spicy vegan sausage and vegan cheesesteaks.

There are two soups of the day, one of which is always the coconut...

Della Clark & Regina Hairston

WORK TO DO: As two of the leading voices for Black entrepreneurship in the city, Clark (the Enterprise Center) and Hairston (the African American Chamber of Commerce) are tasked with tackling one of the most pressing questions we face — in a city with climbing property values and booming venture capital, how do we ensure that all Philadelphians partake of the prosperity?

Chefs Omar Tate and Cybille St.Aude-Tate's grocery store with takeout food focuses on nourishment and reclamation of Black food traditions and cultural aesthetics.

The Afrocentric grocery and café on 48th Street in the Walnut Hill neighborhood in West Philadelphia offers “Black-made, -owned and –grown food” with the goal of “expanding the idea of Afrocentricity in food by redefining the limits of a restaurant,” per the organization.

An Afrocentric grocer and café comes to West Philadelphia

The equity minders

When it comes to business services, these impactful women remain must-knows in the city: The Enterprise Center’s Della Clark and the African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ & DE’s Regina Hairston.

“As two of the leading voices for Black entrepreneurship in the city, Clark...

After more than two years in planning, this will be the first full week of business for West Philly’s highly anticipated Honeysuckle Provisions, a market and cafe from husband-and-wife chefs Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate that aims to forward Black culture. Expect groceries, hoagies, salads...

Gilbane Building Company is pleased to announce that Craig Campbell has joined the team as economic inclusion manager for the Philadelphia and New Jersey business units. Campbell will be responsible for developing and fostering relationships with external stakeholders, conducting outreach with small...

IKEA South Philadelphia has designated The Enterprise Center and The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey as recipients of a $50,000 Black Business Initiative (BBI) grant funded by the IKEA U.S. Community Foundation. Each organization received a $25,000 grant, which will support Black...

Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Acting Secretary Neil Weaver and the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority (BFTDA) announced today that $5 million through the Diverse Leaders Venture Program has been approved for two Philadelphia-based venture capital firms that will...

Cybille St. Aude-Tate quickly corrects herself when she talks about the folks who shop at Honeysuckle Provisions, the new Afrocentric grocery and café set to open this Saturday, Oct. 29 near 48th and Pine.

“Not customers … neighbors,” said St. Aude, an accomplished Haitian-American chef who runs...

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will be in Philadelphia Thursday. He's visiting the Enterprise Center in West Philadelphia to talk about potential contracting opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses.

Secretary Buttigieg is also expected to detail transportation investment...

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Thursday took part in a Philadelphia conference focused on expanding the number of Black and brown contractors in the region.

Speaking at the event, Della Clark of the Enterprise Center noted there are many subcontractors who could grow if they had...

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined regional leaders in West Philadelphia Thursday to discuss ways to include minority business owners in potential transportation contracting opportunities.

The Enterprise Center has paid $12.5 million for a stretch of land it will look to develop in West Philadelphia, part of a broader effort by the nonprofit aimed at revitalizing the area in and around the 52nd Street commercial spine. Clark said the Enterprise Center, a community development...

"I learned about making simple food by working at some of the most exciting restaurants in Philadelphia and New York. Now I’m trying to bring some of that simplicity to a new West Philly grocery store." - Omar Tate, Owner Honeysuckle Provisions

I was 5 years old the first time my mother sent me to...

The Philadelphia Inquirer provided readers with tips on how to get a small business loan, offering a step-by-step explanation on the loan securement process and answering common questions, as well as directly mentioning lending organizations and community-based financial institutions in Philadelphia...

An award ceremony took place to kick off the 2022 Philadelphia MED Week, honoring diverse small business owners making a positive impact to the city.

In the days leading up to Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Philadelphia, Women Against Abuse launched its 15th annual iPledge® campaign.

At the Philadelphia City Hall courtyard on Wednesday, Sept. 28, Philadelphia’s largest domestic violence provider, held an event hosted by Iola Harper...

Philadelphia’s leading domestic violence service provider and advocate — is teaming up with the city of Philadelphia Office of Domestic Violence Strategies to launch Domestic Violence Awareness Month with its 15th Annual iPledge Campaign. The 2022 iPledge Campaign, Take the Lead, as a call to action...

As a chef–organizer–entrepreneur, Evans highlights the stories of incarcerated individuals through food, storytelling, and—most importantly—empathy.

Richard Foreman Jr., the second-generation owner of longstanding Dynamite Pest Control, gave The Enterprise Center and our partner Wells Fargo a nod in a recent interview conducted by Billy Penn in response to improvements made to his storefront as a part of the Hope, U.S.A. campaign:

"...Foreman...

PHILADELPHIA- The Enterprise Center has announced it will be holding a Black Holiday Pop-Up Market in West Philadelphia this fall. This pop-up event will take place from November 1, 2022, and run until January 15, 2023. The market will be held in the very heart of the historic Black business...

When Poorva and Rajus Korde moved to the Philadelphia area with their new baby, shipments of homemade food followed from Rajus’ parents, Arvind and Vijoo, who were living in Michigan. “My mother and my mother-in-law grew up treating food as a way to nurture, to heal, to comfort,” said Vijoo Korde, a...

After 30 years at the Enterprise Center, Della Clark says her work is just getting started.

For most, that’s an unusual sentiment. After decades of work, thoughts of retirement begin to take hold. But for Clark, a champion of Philadelphia-area women and minority business owners for the past three...

An amazing opportunity for a young baker, as she will sell her goods inside some local grocery stores. It’s all thanks to a special program designed to give young entrepreneurs the leg up they need to get their businesses started.

"I’m making oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Right now, I’m making...

...

In Philadelphia, many turned to The Enterprise Center, which became a hub for loan activity. Iola Harper – senior executive vice president at the Center – said they were already working at a deficit when COVID hit.

So, the organization positioned itself to distribute funds, to help keep...

...

When Guzman visited Philadelphia last summer, she met with officials from The Enterprise Center in West Philadelphia. Since that time, The Enterprise Center launched a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) that will provide growth equity capital to local “standout” minority- and women-owned...

There’s no shortage of advice from experts and entrepreneurs to help you start up a business. Have a business plan, they say. Make sure you’ve accumulated enough capital. Put together a team of advisers. Watch your overhead. Be prepared to spend a lot of time.

All of that advice is true. But what...

Honeysuckle Provisions (310 S 48th St., mid-September). What chefs Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate’s call their “Afrocentric grocery cafe” is reaching the finish line after two years. Omar Tate says the small grocery will sell produce from local Black farmers (including themselves — they operate...

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia hopes to improve health outcomes for kids by repairing the homes they live in, thanks to a $1 million investment from Bank of America. CHOP will select more than 100 homes in West and Southwest Philadelphia — where one-third of children live below the poverty line...

Funding aims to reduce health disparities for patient and families living in West Philadelphia, extending CHOP’s overall community impact.

[Della Clark]'s leadership throughout her 30-year career at the Enterprise Center, which offers financial services to minority and women business owners, has made her an invaluable asset for many in the Philadelphia community. It is for those three decades of work, as well as her dedication to...

A new agreement between the city of Philadelphia and SEPTA is designed to promote diversity in contracting and supply the transit agency with the materials it needs to move into the future.

Deputy Managing Director Mike Carroll, who is also a SEPTA board member, said the Equity in Infrastructure...

This Sunday, June 19, is Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The date marks the day in 1865 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were finally told of their freedom, more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

A recent...

The funding will aid The Enterprise Center, and is a continuation of Wells Fargo’s pledge to support small businesses in a variety of ways.

The 52nd Street business corridor in West Philadelphia will be receiving an extra boost!

On Monday, June 13, Wells Fargo announced that it will provide $250...

The 52nd Street business corridor will get improvements ahead of Philadelphia’s Juneteenth Parade and Festival, thanks to funding received as part of Wells Fargo’s “HOPE 2.0” initiative. The $250,000 in funding, presented to The Enterprise Center today, is a continuation of Wells Fargo’s “HOPE, USA”...

Shelby Turner, the administrative assistant to Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) Food Service Director Anthony Avalone, keeps an ever-growing list of entrepreneurs in and around West Philadelphia who might like to sell their products to staff, patients, and caregivers at the hospital...

Who's who in the local technology and business community? These Philadelphians are opening doors and bringing others together in another challenging year.

If you wanted to join the Philly tech community today and hit the ground running, who should you meet? Who would help you on your way? It’s a...

The Enterprise Center in Philly pioneers a new idea to fill in the equity gap by getting private investment fund managers to invest in more women- and minority-led businesses.

The Enterprise Center’s new Innovate Capital Growth Fund is specifically seeking out minority- or women-owned businesses...

Comcast recently officially announced of the latest round of RISE grant funding to be distributed. The Comcast RISE Investment Fund will provide $1 million in grants to support Philadelphia small businesses hardest hit by the pandemic.

The national nonprofit Founders First CDC has announced its second expanded “Job Creators Quest Grant for qualified businesses in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The program will total $100,000 and be awarded to 30 minority and underrepresented businesses in the neighboring northeast states. Grant...

In honor of National Small Business Week, Wells Fargo convened a panel discussion of local leaders in partnership with the Enterprise Center, Camden Business Association, Camden Community Partnership, Latin American Economic Development Association and Parkside Business & Community in Partnership...

Councilwoman Cherelle Parker on Monday morning kicked off National Small Business Week with a news conference outside the New Olympia House restaurant, 7242 Castor Ave.

Parker was joined by officials of the Pennsylvania Community Development Financial Institutions Network, city commerce department...

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)  today announced that it will host its first-ever Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Diverse and Emerging Fund Manager Forum on April 25. The event will feature the Honorable Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman and leaders across the...

Della Clark, president of The Enterprise Center is seeking to raise $50 million for the Innovate Capital Growth Fund to address the capital gap faced by numerous minority and women owned businesses in the mid-Atlantic region.

With the launch of the fund, TEC becomes the first Minority Business...

One of the most prominent non-profit organizations in West Philly, The Enterprise Center, is launching a fund in order to help struggling businesses owned by women and people of color within the Philadelphia, New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic area.

Many up-and-coming entrepreneurs and businesses have...

The Enterprise Center, the West Philadelphia-based nonprofit offering business education and capital resources, is officially launching its fund to support investments in women- and minority-owned businesses. Called the Innovate Capital Growth Fund and aiming to cap at $50 million, the plans for the...

Della Clark, president of the Enterprise Center of West Philadelphia, is raising $50 million for a new, for-profit fund investing in small businesses run by women and underrepresented entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other mid-Atlantic states, the founders said Monday.

Clark’s private...

The Enterprise Center said Monday that it is launching a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) that will provide growth equity capital to local “standout” minority- and women-owned businesses in the Philadelphia region.

An SBIC is a privately owned and operated company that makes long-term...

At a time when affordable housing and job markets are at a crisis point, one organization in Philadelphia is tackling the challenge head-on — and centering women developers of color in the process.

A $900,000 specialty fund from The Enterprise Center, a nonprofit that supports small and mid-sized...

Philadelphia-area partnerships between for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations are taking local philanthropy to new heights.

Read the full article here.

U.S Congressman Dwight Evans received a $1million grant to renovate West Philadelphia’s 52nd Street.

This money will go towards West Philadelphia’s famous 52nd Street in order to add more businesses and create more jobs, while also revamping the area to give it a makeover.

This new business prospect...

Following the passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan a year ago almost to the day, the Nowak Lab and New Localism Associates created an “Investment Playbook” tool to help cities maximize the fragmented flow of federal funds by strategically selecting geographies of opportunity and...

National League of Cities, an organization comprised of local leaders across the US that are focused on improving the quality of life in their communities, is developing an action guide called A Roadmap to Inclusive Entrepreneurship. And Wilmington leadership is involved.

Wells Fargo has earmarked $420 million to small business recovery efforts for those hardest hit—minority and women-owned businesses.

The Enterprise Center of New Jersey will also house the new Camden Cares Business Center, with funding from the CARES Act. This program will provide technical assistance, training services, and funding application support to COVID-impacted businesses in Camden.

Clients will participate in intake...

JPMorgan Chase announced a $30 billion commitment to advancing racial equality and economic opportunity for people and communities of color over four years. Other institutions have made similar pledges. PNC promised $1 billion to social justice and economic empowerment of Black communities. Wells...

The University City Science Center will recognize four local leaders during its annual Nucleus Awards on September 21, 2021, presented by CSL Behring. This year’s class of honorees includes Max Perelman, Co-founder and Business Lead of Biomeme; Della Clark, President of The Enterprise Center; Tracey...

Community members in Walnut Hill including the Walnut Hill Community Association gathered in a collaborative effort with the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation and The Enterprise Center to rebuild Walnut Hill Park creating a safe and relaxing space for children and families. 

MBC-PA Director James Sanders highlighted the importance of kicking the partnership off by focusing on the importance of how advisory boards assist business development.

“We have looked at our clients that we’re worked with over the past 10 years, and we’ve noticed that the firms that have grown...

In honor of Black History Month Metro Philadelphia is proud to present the 2024 Black Power Players list. The list highlights community leaders, innovators, and politicians from different industries and organizations across Philadelphia. Discussing everything from resolutions, to advice they wish to...