The Insight Center for Community Economic Development (Insight Center) has launched “InBiz,” the Inclusive Business Initiative to promote policies and programs in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors that enhance minority and women-owned business development.
The components of the Initiative include a research report series entitled “Best Practices, Imperfections, and Challenges in State Inclusive Business Programs” which looks at the trend and impact of affirmative action procurement and targeted small development at the state level, as well as a website designed to provide information to states and local governments, as well as diverse small businesses and their advocates, in order to further the inclusive business programs of public agencies. Both the research reports and the state-searchable database on the website provide information that is not otherwise available. Other components will be added to the Initiative next year and beyond.
“This is the first time that so much information has been available in one place regarding state inclusive business programs,’ said Tim Lohrentz, Program Manager at the Insight Center. ‘We will continue to add new data and information on a continual basis. In addition, the website features the InBiz Blog and a discussion forum for inclusive business practitioners.’
Roger Clay Jr., President of the Insight Center added, “This initiative is a key component of the Insight Center's work to advance strategies that build family and community assets and help overcome the racial wealth gap.”
The research report series includes:
Executive Summary: The Evolution of Affirmative Action (Nov. 2007, PDF, 359KB) - An accessible summary of the two full-length studies in this series
State Policies and Programs for Minority- and Women-Business Development (Dec. 2007, PDF, 924 KB) - a thorough scan of the inclusive business programs carried out by all 50 states and D.C. related to M/WBE procurement and to M/WBE financing and business development services.
The Impact of State Affirmative Procurement Policies on Minority- and Women- Owned Businesses in Five States (Oct. 2007, PDF, 625 KB) - By examining business outcomes in 5 states, including California post-Proposition 209, this study concludes that state procurement policies do have an impact on businesses owned by women and persons of color.
The Insight Center for Community Economic Development, formerly the National Economic Development and Law Center (NEDLC), is a national research, consulting and legal organization dedicated to helping people and communities become, and remain, economically secure. The Insight Center's multidisciplinary approach utilizes a wide array of community economic development strategies including industry-focused workforce development, individual and community asset building, establishing the link between early care and education and economic development, and advocating for the adoption of the Self-Sufficiency Standard as a measurement of wage adequacy and an alternative to the Federal Poverty Line.
http://www.insightcced.org/
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