MassInc's 8th Annual Gateway Cities Institute Innovation Awards & Summit

The third and final forum in our series on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for a Strong Recovery, this session will focus on fostering the growth of small businesses in Gateway Cities.

Data from the MassINC Polling Group show that since the beginning of the pandemic, nearly half of small businesses say they have laid off or furloughed employees. Businesses owned by women and people of color have been hit particularly hard and report greater financial losses.

From coalition building to providing capital and technical assistance, this session will feature case studies on inclusive small business development from Dougan Sherwood, President/CEO of the Greater Haverhill Chamber, and Ivette Olmeda, TDI Fellow, MassDevelopment.