Cleveland Minority Business Development Framework

Overview
In 2005, together with the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, the Insight Center conducted research to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Cleveland's minority-owned business enterprises by industry sector and suggested best-practice strategies to promote MBE growth and development.

We used a research framework that will work for any region; demonstrating how to incorporate research and best-practice business-development assistance to further the growth of MBEs in strategic industry sectors. This type of research could be especially useful for those organizations that provide services, support, or financing to M/WBEs, such as MBE and WBE trade associations; supplier-diversity business councils; MBE, WBE, or ethnic chambers of commerce; national or community-based organizations that provide technical assistance or other services to M/WBEs; and community-development financial institutions.

Outcome
The Cleveland Foundation has used our research to create a new long-term strategy to support MBE development in the Cleveland area. In 2006 the foundation, as a lead partner in the Fund for Our Economic Future, used our research to bring together multiple intermediaries serving mid- to large-sized MBEs across Northeast Ohio to create a comprehensive, regional approach to MBE development. This led to the March 2007 announcement that the Fund for Our Economic Future had approved a grant of up to $1 million to launch a Minority Business Accelerator that would help medium- and large-sized minority-owned businesses in Northeast Ohio thrive and create new jobs.

Publications

• Full Report, Cleveland Minority Business Development Framework, 5.2 MB, PDF, 2005
• Executive Summary, 903 KB, PDF, 2005
• Presentation to The Cleveland Foundation, 1.3 MB, Powerpoint, August 29, 2005

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