In 2020, many companies made public commitments to racial equity, supplier diversity, and inclusive economic growth. Those commitments mattered. They signaled a willingness to do business differently and to invest in communities that have historically been under-resourced.

Today, many of those budgets, teams, and initiatives have been reduced, reorganized, or sunset altogether. At the same time, the environment for Black-owned businesses has become more complex, not less.

Black Business Enterprises (BBE) sits at the center of this reality.

BBE is a Black-led, Minneapolis-based hub that supports entrepreneurs through business formation, credit and financial readiness, homeownership education, technical assistance, and accessible space to work, meet, and convene. We serve founders who are starting out, pivoting, or rebuilding after layoffs, closures, or organizational shifts—including Black women and other leaders who are now moving from internal roles into ownership.

Reimagining Black Business Enterprises is our next-stage effort to strengthen this ecosystem for the long term. We are not creating a campaign for a moment; we are building infrastructure that can carry beyond any single cycle of news, funding, or politics.

For corporate partners, this is an opportunity to move beyond symbolic alignment and support a tangible, trusted local partner that:

Increases the stability and growth of Black-owned businesses
Strengthens the pipeline of potential suppliers and partners
Delivers culturally competent financial and business education
Provides a physical home for Black entrepreneurship in Minneapolis

WHY PARTNER WITH BBE NOW

Strategic Alignment

BBE’s work aligns directly with corporate goals related to economic inclusion, small business support, workforce stability, and community impact. Partnership with BBE offers a practical, community-rooted way to continue advancing equity commitments in a changing environment.

Proximity to the Work

We are close to the people most impacted by business closure risk, limited access to capital, and shifts in DEI spending. Our members are employers, sole proprietors, and emerging founders whose success or failure has direct implications for local economies.

Operational Capacity and Trust

Our team combines lived experience, technical skill, and a strong track record of delivering programming, space, and support that Black entrepreneurs actually use. Corporate investment helps us strengthen that capacity instead of rebuilding it from scratch every time priorities change.

WHAT YOUR INVESTMENT MAKES POSSIBLE

Corporate support of the Reimagining Black Business Enterprises campaign helps us:

Stabilize and extend core programming in business formation, financial readiness, and homeownership preparation for Black entrepreneurs and their families
Maintain and improve physical space for coworking, meetings, trainings, and community convenings
Expand technical assistance capacity so we can serve more businesses without reducing depth or quality
Develop and refine impact tracking to align with corporate reporting needs and ERG frameworks
Offer targeted membership and program access support when cost is a barrier for entrepreneurs we should not lose

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP LEVELS

You can adapt the amounts to your reality, but here is a structure that is easy to communicate:

Community Partner – $10,000+

Supports ongoing workshops and technical assistance for local Black-owned businesses, including business basics, financial readiness, and credit education.

Program Partner – $25,000+

Underwrites a specific BBE program track (such as business formation, homeownership readiness, or a cohort-based accelerator experience) and includes customized impact reporting tied to that investment.

Space & Access Partner – $50,000+

Helps sustain and enhance BBE’s physical home for Black entrepreneurs, including coworking access, meeting rooms, and convening space. This partnership can include co-branded programming or targeted events for entrepreneurs in the company’s focus areas.

Ecosystem Partner – $100,000+

Supports the broader Reimagining BBE vision, including program delivery, space, infrastructure, and evaluation. This level of support helps BBE operate as a stable, long-term ecosystem anchor and can include deeper co-design around supplier diversity, pipeline development, and leadership engagement.

(Partners may also choose a custom level or multi-year commitment. We welcome multi-year investments to align with long-term impact.)

OUR APPROACH TO INCLUSION

Black business is our focus. That focus reflects both need and opportunity in our community. At the same time, our programs and space are open and welcoming to people of all backgrounds. We support BBE members and participants of every race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, pregnancy status, marital or family status, immigration status, and veteran status. The lens is Black; the door is open.

Power the Next Chapter of Black Business Enterprises

Team Members