The Independence Business Alliance (IBA) is proud to announce that the chamber was awarded a $5,000 grant on Thursday, August 25th at the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s (NGLCC) 2016 International Business & Leadership Conference in Palm Springs, California.
Funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and administered by the NGLCC, this grant was awarded to expand capacity and offer technical assistance to the IBA ConnX Supplier Diversity Initiative. The main goal of the program is to foster the development, growth, and sustainability of certified LGBT business enterprises (LGBTBEs®).
“The IBA ConnX Supplier Diversity Initiative has become a vital resource to our members as they develop their businesses and engage in strategic planning,” said Rich Harrow, IBA President. “The program supports our mission of supporting our members through business growth, education, and advocacy. We are thrilled to receive this generous grant from Wells Fargo and NGLCC which will allow us to expand and enrich our program.”
“Wells Fargo is a proud, long-time supporter of NGLCC, and we share their commitment to helping small business owners succeed financially,” said Lisa Stevens, head of Small Business for Wells Fargo. “We are dedicated to providing funding that will support their entrepreneurship and leadership training programs, along with educational tools and resources to help diverse-owned business in communities across America grow and thrive.”
“The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is excited to see the Independence Business Alliance grow as an organization and a voice in the LGBT owned and allied businesses community. They have shown tremendous growth in the size of their business membership and outreach programs, embodying the mission that NGLCC has continuously strived for,” said Sam McClure, NGLCC Senior Vice President.