In 2021, the Small Business Administration (SBA) awarded LISC funding under the Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP) to build stronger entrepreneur support ecosystems through investments in partnerships with trusted and locally-based Business Development Organizations (BDOs).
Through this grant, LISC’s BDOs will serve over 3,200 small business owners, including veterans, women, people with disabilities, and those from rural places and communities of color, by expanding the capacity of local BDOs to provide under-resourced businesses with access to planning support, financial coaching, new revenue streams and more.
Meet 3 entrepreneurs of color who have made meaningful and dream-fulfilling strides on their small business journeys, thanks in part to the SBA's Community Navigator Pilot Program.
LISC’s Destiny Allen and Michelle Harati highlight how the SBA CNPP program invests in local and national partnerships with trusted organizations to reduce the barriers entrepreneurs face in accessing critical support.
Hubs and Spokes
The Community Navigator Pilot Program lowers the barriers facing small business owners in underinvested communities. LISC acts as a “hub,” coordinating local sub-grantees and supporting planning and peer learning, and helping hire personnel to provide access to SBA programs.
Meanwhile, BDOs are the “spokes,” serving as trusted ambassadors to underinvested communities, guiding business owners in accessing SBA and other resources through outreach and relationship-building. LISC has recruited 30 local agencies to act as spokes in seven markets.
LISC’s BDO Spokes in Seven Markets
To find the full list of Community Navigator assistance across the country, outside of the LISC markets listed below, please visit the Small Business Administration's local assistance map.
