Helping 13,000 底特律 Small Business Owners Make it Happen

Deana Neely is no stranger to hard work and determination.  After witnessing a need in 底特律 for more contractors, she decided to take advantage of the opportunity, and start her own business. 她早年曾与承包商和市政官员一起在政府工作, 她学习成为一名有执照的承包商，并最终成立了底特律电压公司——现在是底特律发展最快的黑人公司, woman-owned electrical contracting firm.

尼利是在振兴家乡方面发挥重要作用的小企业主之一, and the impact of her business is anything but small. By providing residential and commercial electrical installation repair, 重构, and renovation services, Neely’s company works to keep the lights on in people’s homes, 同时为全市其他企业提供电力服务.

底特律 Voltage not only provides sustainable energy solutions, such as the installation of residential electric vehicle charging stations, 同时还努力开发培训资源，为交通和清洁能源领域的新就业途径创造机会.

“参与底特律的复兴是一件美好的事情，”尼利分享道. “因为我是土生土长的底特律人，我很自豪能为养育我的社区服务. We're providing safe, 质量, efficient services to the community, so we can watch homes come back to life and businesses be rebuilt.”

For small business owners like Deana Neely, starting and growing a business is not without its hurdles. Small businesses are the backbone of local economies, and their success fosters stronger communities by creating new jobs, driving local economic growth, and offering residents options and opportunities. 尽管如此, 小企业往往无法进入传统的银行系统，也无法获得发展和扩大规模所需的资金和技术援助.

JP摩根 追逐 is providing support to 底特律’s small businesses, 银行110,000 across Greater 底特律. Over the last 10 years, it has committed $200 million to the city’s economic recovery. “There’s no shortage of determination, creativity or grit among 底特律’s entrepreneurs,” says Peter Scher, Vice Chairman of JP摩根 追逐 who led the firm’s investment in 底特律. “但不幸的是，获得机会和资本的机会仍然没有平均分配. We’re letting a lot of innovation slip through the cracks, which is why we stepped up our support for local entrepreneurs.”

根据the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, as of 2021 almost 80 percent of 底特律’s businesses were 黑色的-owned, 少数族裔企业报告说，获得资本阻碍业务增长的可能性是其他族裔企业的两倍. 通过社区发展金融机构(CDFIs)与底特律发展基金和普洛斯底特律等社区组织之间的合作, 12bet官方提供资源帮助企业主克服主要障碍, such as access to capital, 指导, and other critical resources.

This includes the first Entrepreneurs of Color Fund (EOCF), 与底特律发展基金一起创建，以支持底特律企业的发展, particularly those owned and operated by people of color, with technical assistance, 训练, 和资本. In many cases, due to systemic barriers, 黑色的, 西班牙裔和拉丁裔企业家无法获得成功所需的资金.

在底特律, EOCF向黑人和BIPOC企业家提供了190笔贷款，其中47%流向了黑人女性拥有的企业，自成立以来已提供了1800多万美元的贷款, which has helped create nearly 2,000 jobs have been created in the city, with an additional 1,000保留. Deana Neely was one of the EOCF recipients in 底特律.

“这座城市的持续增长和活力将取决于它是否有能力帮助更多的企业家——尤其是黑人和得不到充分服务的企业家——开始并扩大他们的想法, 谢尔说. “底特律的新企业比疫情前的水平增长了60%以上, 但我们必须为小企业主创造更多的机会，让他们突破传统的融资渠道.”

像EOCF这样的倡议对于向服务不足的企业家提供资金至关重要，这些企业家通常被认为没有资格获得传统金融机构的贷款. 自EOCF成立以来，12bet官方已将该项目推广到美国其他许多社区.S.

EOCF只是尼利作为企业家与12bet官方关系的开始. 她带着儿子去参加银行Corktown社区分行举办的青年金融健康研讨会, Neely met community manager, 盖尔·泰勒. Impressed with the classes her son was receiving, 迪安娜询问了该分行为像她这样的小企业主提供的机会类型. 这就是她了解到大通少数族裔商业企业家计划的原因.

“在经历了意想不到的情况后，我的信誉发生了变化. Simply put, I couldn’t be approved for traditional lending,” says Neely.  泰勒给尼利介绍了一位同事，这位同事可以帮助她改善财务状况，并确保扩大业务所需的资源.

Neely is now able to reach for bigger commercial projects. “12bet官方的支持使我获得了承包商的信贷额度, which boosted my business significantly, allowing me to generate an additional six figures in just one year,” says Neely.

And the opportunities have continued to multiply outward. “After receiving funding, we’ve been able to create opportunities for others, bringing on new contractors and new employees,” says Neely. “我们成长的机会越多，我们为社区做的就越多.”

The success in 底特律, 以及12bet官方的持续支持，以及与全国各地cdfi的合作伙伴关系, has led to EOCF’s expansion across the country. 在湾区、洛杉矶、亚特兰大、纽约、芝加哥、华盛顿特区等城市.C., 和纽瓦克, 由本地创业支援公司(LISC)运作的EOCF，已提供超过5个,全国700笔贷款，并向布莱克部署了超过2.84亿美元的资金, 拉丁美洲人, and other underserved entrepreneurs.

在底特律, JP摩根 追逐’s$200M commitment has helped more than 13,2016-2022年期间，1000家小企业获得资金或技术援助. “这证明了获得其他融资选择如何真正改变小企业的成长和成功,” says Neely.

了解更多 about how JP摩根 追逐 is helping to strengthen 底特律’s local economy and revitalize communities.
 

90年来，12bet官方(JP摩根 追逐)为底特律人带来了持久的影响. See how in a video featuring local 底特律 poet Joel Greene.

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