CINCINNATI, Ohio—November 21, 2022 – The Business Development & Entrepreneurship (BD&E) Division at the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio announced today that it received a $50,000.00 grant from Truist Foundation to Grow Our Framework for Small Business Women of Color Initiative.

“Thanks to the Truist Foundation, this grant will help us build and strengthen a dynamic regional ecosystem for women of color entrepreneurs and small business owners.” – Sheila A. Mixon, Senior VP of Business Development & Entrepreneurship.

The Women of Color Initiative is an outreach and development program designed to build and strengthen a dynamic ecosystem for entrepreneurs of African Americans and women of color.

Our Women of Color Initiative aims to introduce and recruit minority women-owned businesses to Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and other Minority Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) certifications and provide technical assistance resources to drive growth. Activities for 2023 will include a series of Pitch Competitions.

FACT: About 50%  of women-owned businesses are women of color.

FACT: Women reinvest about 90% of their earnings into their families and communities.

While many women make tremendous strides in business, they still face obstacles as entrepreneurs.

Supporting Black- and minority-owned businesses is a vital part of this work to increase supply chain pipelines and opportunities with corporations, institutions, and government agencies.

“At Truist, we’re committed to creating pathways for small business owners, particularly women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color, to help them succeed and access wealth-building opportunities,” said Andrew Hawking, Northern Kentucky/Ohio market president for Truist. “Supporting the Urban League’s great work in this area is an example of how we live our purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities.”

About Business Development & Entrepreneurship Division at The Urban League Of Greater Southwestern Ohio

The Business Development & Entrepreneurship of the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio’s mission is to help established entrepreneurs increase their capacity to take advantage of new business opportunities and qualify for financing that will lead to higher levels of business growth.

About Truist Foundation

The Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Established in 2020, the foundation makes strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. The Truist Foundation’s grants and activities focus on building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation.

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