Many small business owners in underserved communities are still struggling from the economic fallout due to the COVID-19 pandemic and need additional support to rebuild and recover.

    Kaiser Permanente Northern California is partnering with the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) on a virtual program that offers small businesses a tuition-free, 40–hour mini-MBA program that combines executive education, webinars, coaching and connection to capital.

    The Inner City Capital Connections program (ICCC) helps small businesses in underserved communities build the capacity they need to grow and create new jobs. Kaiser Permanente has partnered with ICIC since 2016 providing support to more than 1,700 businesses and creating more than 2,000 jobs. Of the 1,786 businesses that have participated in the program, 66% wereminority-owned and 58% were owned by women.

    Businesses selected to participate will complete a training and coaching program. Kaiser Permanente Northern California is sponsoring the ICCC program to support small businesses, spur job growth and improve the health of the communities we serve.

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    A 2020 Health Crisis survey conducted by ICIC found 71% of business owners who responded experienced revenue loss, 33% laid off employees and 90% received some type of government financial assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    “Kaiser Permanente recognizes how difficult the COVID-19 pandemic has been for many of the small businesses in our communities that struggled over the past year,” said Carrie OwenPlietz, FACHE, president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region. “Economic opportunity is a key driver of health. Our communities must be economically vibrant to improve individuals’ health outcomes and reduce health disparities for all residents, including our members.”

    Nominations are open for the first cohort of the virtual program, which will be held in July. The program is open to businesses throughout Northern California who meet program qualifications and are selected following an application process. The deadline to apply or nominate a small business is May 28, 2021.

    The ICCC program includes an interactive virtual, two-day seminar series that focuses on business recovery strategies and information on capital and technical assistance resources.

    The program also includes webinars, one-on-one coaching with distinguished business leaders,and culminates with a conference for program graduates. Participants leave the program with the tools they need to help their businesses survive, recover and grow.

    In 2020, ICCC served 1,220 businesses in 17 markets with 74% identifying as minority-owned business owners and 61% as women-owned businesses.

    “I would not be where I am today from a strategy and a revenue perspective if it weren’t for the fact that I was exposed to these seminars and webinars,” said Julio Ortiz, business partner for Gaspachos in Sacramento, which participated in the ICCC program in 2019. “Kaiser and ICCC are doing amazing work out in the community.”

    About Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC)

    ICIC is a national, nonprofit research and advisory organization founded in 1994. ICIC’s mission is to drive economic prosperity in America’s inner cities through private sector investment to create jobs, income and wealth for residents. www.icic.org

Mia Lane

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