SBA and CDFI in Milwaukee need capacity-building of People of Color



Eric Ness - District Director
23 years w/SBA



MILWAUKEE - (MPA-PPR), January 8, 2013, Late Edition

The Small Business Administration/SBA in Milwaukee is under the leadership of Eric Ness, District Director, Frank Demarest, Jr., Deputy District Director/Veterans Representative and the District Counsel is Brad Trimble.  In the last three months, SBA has added Shirah Apple, Public Affairs Specialist.

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In AUGUST, 2012, Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC launched its 2012-2013 On-the-Road w/All Hands on Deck, WE CAN dialog for partnership with federal agencies that regulate and disburse "federal" funds that impact quality of life and economic development issues in the Urban city of Milwaukee. 

It was specifically to address the disparities in funding, lack of networking of neighborhood businesses, creation of businesses, un- and under-employment and creating Innovative ways to launch HIDDEN TALENT (pipelines for sustainability).

The change narrative includes REFORM that re-define, re-brand and un-trap stakeholders that live, invested in economic development, raise families, attend school and worship at the neighborhood level in Milwaukee. 

The first step of change recognized a "cultural discordant" - disparity with People of Color vs Caucasian - monopoly and oligopy trends - Mission saying one thing but actions are to the contrary - lacking scale of business development tied to business financing. 

CDFI

The first federal agency contacted was the U.S. Treasury Community Development Financial Institution/CDFI.  The history of those with oversight at the local level were perceived as part of the problem and did not show where Milwaukeeans, especially African American and other People of Color were advancing to and within these organization.  In fact, some grant agencies were seen as places for crony hiring and promotions in employment, to grow their resumes and to advance in the local-national-international business market.

The vision of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (the CDFI Fund) is to economically empower America’s underserved and distressed communities.

The CDFI Fund's mission is to increase economic opportunity and promote community development investments for underserved populations and in distressed communities in the United States.

Cultural Discordant and Cultural Humility
The "cultural discordant" factor was seen by Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, MPA LLC as a byproduct of a lack of "cultural humility" - recognizing ones biases that inhibit productivity with those they were working with.  This includes People of Color hirees working with other People of Color in a cultural discordant environment. 

The net results become, business-as-usual, play-to-the-federal regulations, cronyism, stagnation and don't rock the boat.

In other words, funds come to Milwaukee, disbursed to "handlers", this includes "banks" and no appreciative capacity building - creating and connecting for appreciative growth for sustainability.

SBA

In October, 2012, Glass visited the Small Business Administration in Milwaukee.

She met with Eric Ness, District Director, Frank Demarest, Jr - Deputy Director/Veterans Representative and Brad Trimble, Legal Counsel.  Region V Administrator - Marianne Markowitz was via conference call. 

Glass's review during her visit and the month or so after her visit has identified the "cultural discordant factor" and the need for "cultural humility" awareness training.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. We recognize that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace.

The Promise   

To deliver on the federal government promises, we expect partnerships that promote education and technology attainment (access-literacy/fluency), in-the-neighborhood networking, apprenticeships, internships, appropriations, credit programs, loan guarantees, financial management tools, cross-training (in/out of organization) and impact investment for starters.

The change sought by MPA LLC includes incorporating "cloud computing", pioneering investments, competition among the stakeholder talent and implementation of pathways and pipelines that utilize the stakeholders with some of the many opportunities already on the books, e.g., Jumpstart and the Affordable Health Care opportunities.

Stay tuned.