East Side Small Business Technical Assistance and Loan Hub

Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs will see greater success when Technical Assistance & Investment partners on the East Side coordinate their efforts and collaborate.

In October 2024, Rooted Philanthropic led a learning trip to Atlanta, GA, bringing together Technical Assistance (TA) providers from the East Side of St. Paul to explore entrepreneurial ecosystem models and service delivery strategies. Attendees included entrepreneurs, business support organizations, government representatives, and funders, including The Mali Center, Latino Economic Development Center, Asian Economic Development Alliance, African Economic Development Services, Neighborhood Development Center, East Side Neighborhood Development Company, Women Venture, Hmong American Partnership, East Side Area Business Association (ESABA), the City of St. Paul, Ramsey County and funders: Rooted Philanthropic, East Side Funders Group, and the McKnight Foundation.

Key takeaways from the trip included new insights on scalability, a shared interest in strategic service delivery, and the establishment of stronger relationships among stakeholders. Since returning, participating organizations have been identifying overlapping services and collaboration opportunities to improve efficiency and create innovative, locally tailored solutions for East Side entrepreneurs as well as broadening the coalition to other organizations serving the East Side.

To build on this momentum, ESABA, on behalf of a coalition of service providers, seeks an experienced consultant to lead a design process for a Small Business Technical Assistance and Loan Hub. This consultant will facilitate conversations, foster learning and collaboration, and conduct research to assess current conditions and opportunities. The consultant will deliver a comprehensive report outlining a shared vision and implementation strategies to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

We're seeking a consultant to help us design this work!

Download the RFP and Help Us Get the Word out Here!