Entrepreneurial support organizations in Baltimore are no longer siloed, and the Small Business Mini-Summit at Impact Hub Baltimore offered an opportunity to see how this coalition of business development orgs came together to help the city’s small businesses.
The partner organizations affiliated with this coalition, called The Baltimore BASE (Business Assistance and Support for Equity) Network, gathered on Friday to let small businesses know what programs it has to offer. The coalition also led workshops at the mini-summit, which featured such presenting entities as Made In Baltimore, Innovation Works, The Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) and the Black Arts District.
A panel on inclusive entrepreneurship led off the convening and featured a representative from each presenting partner organization. These representatives broke down their respective organization’s mission while discussing how collaborating with The Baltimore BASE Network increased their impact on the small business ecosystem. The subsequent Empower Baltimore panel showcased insights from microbusiness owners participating in that six-week program, which GoDaddy sponsors and focuses on web presence and digital reach.
The first of these panels highlighted how The Baltimore BASE Network distributed its first round of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, as well as notified the audience that the second round would arrive in the fall. Each of the participants also left the city’s small business community with a word of advice:
