Capital access and growth are long-standing pain points of minority-owned businesses across the nation and in the Greater New Orleans (GNO) region.  Minority-owned businesses, consequentially, have been disproportionately affected during the current economic downturn. As such, Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) and the Urban League of Louisiana (ULLA) are hosting a series of virtual discussions to dissect opportunities for minority-owned small businesses to increase their ability to access capital and to create viable, sustainable ventures that create generational wealth. For high growth ventures to successfully launch and scale, oftentimes, results lie in the ability of these firms to engage in multiple efforts to raise capital through rounds of external funding. However, many minority entrepreneurs of color are not aware of how series funding works and how it can becomes a potential funding source for their businesses. For those that are aware, lack of education, fear of the unknown, and being equity averse to external partners makes even exploring series funding a challenge. During this webinar, small businesses will gain insights from equity investment firms on the types of businesses they seek for investment, the funding process, and the expected outcomes. This session will serve to dispel the many myths […]

Construction firms understand that hard work has to happen before a single shovel ever hits the ground during the continuous construction-bid-proposal process. Submitting effective proposals and winning bids is at the heart of what contractors do, and developing this as a core competency is critical to building a profitable and sustainable business. For general contractors, a bid-to-win rate of one out of six is standard, and many see less of a conversion rate. During this session, contractors will learn best practices for developing a competitive proposal, including: positioning the firm to move quickly on submitting bid proposals, creating a winning scope sheet, developing and offering a value proposition, and putting your plans into action. In addition, participants will gain an understanding of the Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) delivery method, which entails a commitment by the Construction Manager (CM) to deliver the project within a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP), which is based on the construction documents and specifications at the time of the GMP. This session will also include an overview of the LAUCP DBE Certification, including eligibility requirements and the application process. There is no cost to attend this session, but registration is required, so register today!

Join the Urban League of Louisiana's Contractor's Resource Center for its 3-part, signature series, the "Construction Law Academy." It is imperative that construction contractors learn the key legal requirements that impact their business. This series will focus on understanding contract terms, partnering agreements and employment law. This series is sponsored by Chevron. Session 1: Understanding and Negotiating Contract Terms Tuesday, February 23 | 5:30-7:30p Session Presenter: Denise C. Puente - Partner at Simon, Peragine, Smith, & Redfearn, L.L.P. During this session, participants will learn some of the most common pitfalls in contract management and obtain guidance on how to avoid them through due diligence, preparation, and effective communications. Topics discussed include: Change Orders, Abandonment, Warranties, Termination, Unenforceable, etc. There is no cost to attend this informational webinar; however, you must be registered on GoToWebinar to participate. Please secure your spot today by visiting https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1550087507608084749. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Join the Urban League of Louisiana's Contractor's Resource Center for its 3-part, signature series, the "Construction Law Academy." It is imperative that construction contractors learn the key legal requirements that impact their business. This series will focus on understanding contract terms, partnering agreements and employment law. This series is sponsored by Chevron. Session 2: What Contractors Need to Know about Employment Law Wednesday, February 24 | 5:30-7:30p Session Presenter: E. Fredrick Preis, Jr. - Partner at Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P., New Orleans It is vitally important that entrepreneurs in construction become aware of and comply with the employment laws that are relevant to the industry. During this session, hear from an experienced employment law attorney about updates to employment law and how your business may be impacted. This session will also help to dispel the many employment law myths that exist, particularly relating to contractors vs. employees, and overtime and minimum wage laws. There is no cost to attend this informational webinar; however, you must be registered on GoToWebinar to participate. Please secure your spot today by visiting https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5781743824569238285. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and the City of Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish recognize the challenges that local businesses are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To meet the short-term financial needs of microenterprises and small businesses, the Resilient Restart EBR: Small Business Micro-grants Program offers one-time, micro-grants of $2,500 to eligible entities that have been impacted by COVID-19. Recipients may use these funds for rent, utilities, inventory, accounts payable, fixed costs, employee wages and benefits. To learn more about Resilient Restart EBR, please join us on February 25th from 10:00-11:30a CT for a special webinar session. During this session, potential applicants will learn more about the program’s eligibility requirements and the application process. If you have questions about the required documentation, we encourage you to join. To register for this event, please click here. Additional sessions will be held as well. This program is activated by the CARES Act through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Program with additional funding from Investar Bank, GMFS LLC, Postelthwaite & Netterville, and ExxonMobil Baton Rouge. This program is being administered by the Urban League of Louisiana. There is no cost to attend this informational […]