Join the Urban League of Louisiana and Louisiana Economic Development virtually on Wednesday, September 13, 12:00pm-1:30pm, for “Connect to Capital: What Louisiana's Small Businesses Need to Know about the State Small Business Credit Initiative”. SSBCI is a $10 billion federal program that helps states support small businesses and startups that are creditworthy but unable to access the capital they need to grow or establish their businesses and create jobs. U.S. Treasury guidelines ensure that very small businesses (VSBs) with fewer than 10 and no more than 499 employees and small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDIs) will receive critical resources to sustainably grow and thrive. LED, via the Louisiana Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), is working with private equity funds and financial institutions to disburse SSBCI funds via equity, micro lending, collateral support and loan guaranty programs. The loan programs make it easier for businesses to borrow money by providing collateral support to borrowers, loan guarantees to lenders, and funding for micro loans. Equity programs connect start-ups, early-stage and expanding small businesses with funds to invest in the business. During this session, small businesses in Louisiana will learn: SSBSI programs offered Eligibility criteria Financial institutions in Louisiana offering […]

Urban League of Louisiana and Southern Poverty Law Center in partnership with League of Women Voters Louisiana, Black Voters Matter, Power Coalition, and Voice of the Experienced look to galvanize groups across the state with a nonpartisan 2023 Louisiana Black & Brown Voter Registration Day on Saturday, September 16, 2023. This statewide effort will be concentrated in seven (7) targeted cities: Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Orleans, Monroe & Shreveport. The goal of this nonpartisan effort across the state is to register as many Black and Brown voters as possible, educate voters on their registration status, and highlight the collective voting power of marginalized communities in our state ahead of the 2023 Gubernatorial Election and the 2024 Congressional Elections. Organizations and groups are invited to sign up to participate in one or more target cities. Participating organizations will receive training and education on voter engagement laws in Louisiana, as well as strategies and resources to aid in its voter registration efforts on the day of action. This voter registration initiative builds upon the strong advocacy by nonprofit and legislative leaders in the State Capitol and courts to ensure fair redistricting, fair voting maps, and equitable access to voting […]

Join the Urban League of Louisiana's Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation this September for "Built to Last: Uncovering the Financial Potential of Your Small Business". Sessions take place September 18th, 20th, 25th, and 27th, 5:30pm-8:00pm, at the Best Western Plus Westbank, 1700 Lapalco Blvd, Harvey, LA, 70058. This special series is sponsored by the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program in collaboration with the National Urban League. Now, more than ever, small businesses have an opportunity to re-imagine, re-position, and re-charge their business models and operations towards becoming more scalable, agile, and resilient. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: - What scalability means related to growth and operational capacity - Best practices for evaluating new business models and revenue streams that are responsive to changing market needs - Considerations for new and improved processes and technology - Insights on how to reorganize one’s business support model, including employees, suppliers, consultants, mentors, accountability partners, etc. - How to best integrate risk management and continuous improvement strategies to increase organizational resilience - During this session, entrepreneurs will gain insights on how to develop a strategy and plan of action to build operational leverage, flexibility, and sustainability. Facilitator: Desiree Young, Founder, VentureWalk Space is limited. Register […]

The latest evolution of UDA's top-rated online construction management software, ConstructionOnline 2023, delivers hundreds of new updates and enhancements, alongside world-class construction estimating, scheduling, and project management solutions - optimized to deliver meaningful ROI to professional construction companies. Join us on Wednesday, September 20, 9:00am-12:00pm, at Urban League of Louisiana, 4640 S. Carrollton Avenue, Suite 110, New Orleans, LA 70119. During this session, participants will learn how ConstructionOnline 2023 can power your company’s success, including how you can: Stand out from the competition with unlimited styling options for fully customized proposals from the brand-new OnPoint™ Proposal Wizard Track profits, delays, and more at-a-glance with the latest information through Project Health Dashboards Power-up project schedules with SmartLink™ - connect Schedule Tasks & To Dos to provide the ultimate in detail and direction for your team Get detailed insights into predicted cash inflow and outflow with new TrueVision™ Cash Flow Reports Find what you're looking for in a flash with the new, platform-wide Search, Filter, and Sort options Optimize efficiency and avoid mitigate conflicts with ResourceTrak™ and enhanced trade-based resource management This workshop will be facilitated by Frank Johnson, III, Senior Business Advisor and Contractor Specialist at the Urban League of Louisiana. […]

Join the Urban League of Louisiana's Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation this September for "Built to Last: Uncovering the Financial Potential of Your Small Business". Sessions take place September 18th, 20th, 25th, and 27th, 5:30pm-8:00pm, at the Best Western Plus Westbank, 1700 Lapalco Blvd, Harvey, LA, 70058. This special series is sponsored by the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program in collaboration with the National Urban League. Now, more than ever, small businesses have an opportunity to re-imagine, re-position, and re-charge their business models and operations towards becoming more scalable, agile, and resilient. One of the major challenges that most small businesses face is knowing how to properly price its products and services to ensure increased sales and profitability. While there are several factors to consider, such as understanding your customers, costs, and competition, it is imperative that entrepreneurs “do the work” to determine their optimal pricing strategy. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: - Types of pricing strategies for service-based and product-based businesses and when to use them - How to actually know when it’s time to increase your prices - The profit-building way to offer incentives without discounting - During this session, small businesses will learn key strategies and tactics to […]

Join the Urban League of Louisiana's Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation this September for "Built to Last: Uncovering the Financial Potential of Your Small Business". Sessions take place September 18th, 20th, 25th, and 27th, 5:30pm-8:00pm, at the Best Western Plus Westbank, 1700 Lapalco Blvd, Harvey, LA, 70058. This special series is sponsored by the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program in collaboration with the National Urban League. It is imperative that small businesses implement the right revenue model to support their business goals. A revenue model lays out the process by which your business makes money. It is a system design in which a business makes money from the solutions, products and services that it provides – all of which provides value to your customers. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: - The importance of implementing the right revenue model - Types of revenue models - How to diversify your revenue streams - During this session, small businesses will learn the importance of implementing the right revenue model, types of revenue models, and how to diversify your revenue streams. Facilitator: Lori Jackson, Financial Literacy Coach, MSC Coaching Space is limited. Register today to reserve your seat! https://builttolast-s3_sept2023.eventbrite.com

Join the Urban League of Louisiana's Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation this September for "Built to Last: Uncovering the Financial Potential of Your Small Business". Sessions take place September 18th, 20th, 25th, and 27th, 5:30pm-8:00pm, at the Best Western Plus Westbank, 1700 Lapalco Blvd, Harvey, LA, 70058. This special series is sponsored by the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program in collaboration with the National Urban League. As your business grows, identifying and leveraging the right financial resources is critical to long-term growth and sustainability. Small businesses must become financially savvy and learn which resources to utilize to support small business growth. Whether you need equity or debt funding, or whether you should tap into a traditional bank or a CDFI, financial support can be a game-changer in your entrepreneurial journey. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: - How to leverage financial resources - Best practices in accessing financial resources - Insights into financial metrics to track and monitor - During this session, you will gain insights on how to develop a financial strategy and plan of action to build operational leverage, flexibility and financial sustainability. Facilitator: Lori Jackson, Financial Literacy Coach, MSC Coaching Space is limited. Register today to reserve your seat! […]

Join the Urban League of Louisiana on Thursday, September 28, 10:00am-11:30am, for “Opportunity and Preparation: Creating a Business Development Plan for Your Construction Business”. This virtual session is a part of a series of monthly events in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s DBE Supportive Services program. Business development in construction management refers to a strategic and actionable plan for pursuing new business and fostering relationships with your most preferred clients. Your business development plan outlines how you identify prospects, share your capabilities, and nurture business relationships so that prospects become clients when the time is right. Business development is strategic integration of marketing, sales and customer service efforts. It also is most successful when everyone in the business understands and works towards a common goal for bringing on new business. During this session, contractors will learn how to increase profitability and scalability, by creating and managing a business development strategy – one that maximizes its strengths and experience and one that targets and converts its most preferred client types. The goal is to convert prospects to clients and to turn bids into awards! After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the […]

Join Urban League of Louisiana for Wealth Building Wednesdays! This monthly webinar series is designed to provide communities across Louisiana with insights, tools, and practical steps to develop healthy financial habits, become financially independent, effectively manage risks, and chart a pathway towards generational wealth creation. Sessions take place on Wednesdays each month, 6:00pm-7:30pm. Register today to reserve your spot… and share with a friend or family member! One of the most critical factors in obtaining a home mortgage, a small business loan, a car loan, or any other type of loan is a healthy credit score and credit history. Whether you are building credit for the first time, repairing bad credit, or simply improving your credit score, taking the necessary steps to get your credit in a good place could mean the difference between loan approval or denial. Join Urban League of Louisiana for “Wealth Building Wednesdays: Building, Repairing, and Improving Your Credit” on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, 6:00pm-7:30pm, online. During this session, representatives from Chase will provide attendees with essential steps for getting your credit in order. Don’t let fear, anxiety, and procrastination stop you from preparing yourself to access capital. Featured Speakers: - Diana Holmes, Community Manager, J.P. […]

Using AI to Transform Your Social Media Presence Join the Urban League of Louisiana on Wednesday, October 25, 12:00pm-1:30pm, online, to learn how AI can transform your business’ social media presence! From automated content creation to competitor analysis, discover how AI tools and techniques are revolutionizing the digital world. During this session, Cliff Worley, Senior Director of Portfolio Growth Marketing at Kapor Capital, will provide insights on how entrepreneurs can leverage AI to: - Produce realistic audio content to strengthen podcasts, music, and voiceovers - Reshape visual storytelling through enhanced videos, from deepfakes to automated editing - Automate content creation, striking a balance between efficiency and authentic storytelling - Craft stunning visuals for design, art, and branding - Boost social media engagement with content suggestions tailored to user behavior and preferences - Provide in-depth competitive analysis and insights into market trends to support strategy development Register today to explore these topics and to see live demos of cutting-edge tools that can help you explore the exciting intersection of AI and social media! There is no cost to attend. However, registration is required. Register today to reserve your seat! https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3202187312192699226