North Carolina’s Shift in Support for Underrepresented Businesses
Amidst significant changes in North Carolina’s budget, a crucial resource for underrepresented business owners has been dissolved. The Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB), which was established in 1999 to aid women, minorities, and veterans in securing state contracts, has been eliminated.
The HUB office had been a vital link for over 6,000 businesses, providing training, development resources, and inclusion in a vendor database, as reported by the North Carolina Department of Administration (NCDOA).
Despite this cut, Administration Secretary Gabe Esparza remains committed to supporting small businesses. The Small Business Enterprise program, now housed within the Division of Purchase and Contract at NCDOA, is set to fill the void left by HUB.
“While we mourn the loss of HUB, we want to make the most of this opportunity to continue to support small businesses that want to provide goods and services to state government,” Esparza stated. “We’re asking business owners to let us know their needs and tell us what they’d like to see this program become. Small businesses are vital to our economy, and we want to do our part to uplift them and connect them to opportunities.”
To gather essential feedback, a forum was recently conducted at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro. Additional sessions are scheduled in Charlotte and Greenville this month, with another event planned for next month at ReCity in Durham, located at 112 Broadway Street.
