OBJECTIVES:

To provide minority business owners with enhanced access to the marketplace by identifying:

--marketing and sales opportunities,

--financing resources,

--potential joint venture partners,

--timely market leads and other current business information;

--promote relationship building and sharing of business information between organizations in a geographic service area conducting substantial purchasing activity;

--assist in the identification of sources of equity capital such as capital funds and institutional investors;

--conduct media outreach, disseminates economic data, sponsors workshops, conferences and seminars within service area; maintain inventories of various service providers such as banks, bonding companies, chambers of commerce and trade associations.