Minority Business Alliance

Applications are now open for the Minority Business Enterprise COVID Recovery Funding Opportunity

Click here for more details and shareable flyer. Applications due by September 15.

The purpose of the Chamber Minority Business Alliance (MBA) is to convene, support and promote minority businesses; leveraging local business and nonprofit partners to expand community wealth building. A Minority Business Enterprise is a business that is at least 51% owned by one or more minority individuals (African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Native American) who are United States citizens or legal resident aliens.

Meeting time: 12:00-1:00pm on the 4th Tuesday of each month

Location: online via Zoom

Attendance policy: MBA meetings are free to attend for Chamber members and non-members. Registration is required.

Visit the Minority Business Alliance on Facebook.

2020 Meetings & Events Leadership Partnerships Speaker Inquiry Support MBA MBA Endurance Fund

2020 Meetings & Events

All in-person meetings and events scheduled for March through December have been moved online.

Click here to register for upcoming events.

January 28
February 25
March 31
April 28
June 23
July 28
August 25
September is Charlottesville's Minority Business Month! Click here for 7 virtual events to celebrate.
September 22
October 27
November 17
December - No meeting

Leadership

Partnerships

Partnerships with Purpose

In an effort to successfully fulfill our mission of growing and supporting minority businesses, the Minority Business Alliance has created purposeful partnerships with the following organizations:

City of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development
City of Charlottesville Minority Business Commission
City of Charlottesville Minority Business Program | Mentoring Entrepreneurs in the Charlottesville Area (MECA)
Jefferson School African American Heritage Center
United Way of Greater Charlottesville | Minority Business Enterprise COVID Recovery Funding Opportunity and Minority Business Grant Opportunity
Blue Ridge Bank

Speaker Inquiry

Support MBA

MBA Endurance Fund

En-dur-ance: the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way. At a time when a pandemic and systemic injustices are plaguing our nation, we are humbly grateful for the opportunity to share this good news.

MBA members Antwon Brinson with Culinary Concepts AB, Pranav Shah with Fuzzy's Taco Shop, Sober Pierre with Pearl Island Catering and Ty Cooper with Lifeview Marketing & Visuals, LLC were selected as the first recipients of the MBA Endurance Fund. Each business received $1000 to be used toward rent, payroll, supplies and equipment. The four inaugural recipients have sought innovative means to endure what has been an unprecedented challenge for the entire business community, and even more so for minority-owned microbusinesses.

Endurance Fund in the news:

Minority Business Alliance announced Endurance Fund recipients www.cbs19news.com

Charlottesville’s Minority Business Alliance awarding funds to 4 businesses www.nbc29.com

Minority Business Alliance announces first grant recipients www.dailyprogress.com

MBA Shares Insights with Nationwide Equity Roundtable

On July 21, 2020, the MBA executive committee talked to more than 60 chamber executives from across the U.S. in a meeting hosted by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Round Table.

They spoke about MBA, its mission and history, and working as a chamber affinity group. Read MBA Chair Quinton Harrell's reflections on the meeting and the role of minority business groups.

Minority Business Luncheon (formerly CBDC luncheon)

Due to ongoing concerns for the safety, health and well-being of members and the community, the Minority Business Alliance executive committee made the decision to cancel the 2020 Minority Business Luncheon. A signature MBA event, the luncheon is our opportunity to support and celebrate minority-owned businesses. We’ll miss being able to do that this year but will continue celebrating these businesses through the awarding of scholarships through our MBA Endurance Fund and other business grants providing support through the pandemic.