RBA partners with IBM and the World Bank to aid minority entrepreneurs
May 28, 2008

Free online toolkit provides valuable resources

The Rockland Business Association has formed a partnership with IBM and IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank, to promote a free online toolkit aimed to help minority entrepreneurs.

The SME Toolkit is specifically designed for small and medium business owners in emerging markets as well as women, Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian entrepreneurs.

"Communities with job growth are healthy and vibrant and small businesses are responsible for most of the job growth in the economy," said Sheila Appel, IBM Corporate Community Relations Manager. "IBM is partnering with local business associations like the RBA who can help educate businesses on the Toolkit and provide another layer of support to nurture small businesses."

The RBA will provide a link to the site (http://us.smetoolkit.org) on their web site (where it will be available to both members and nonmembers. "To some, Rockland’s minority business community has been invisible. We would like to correct that and give them the visibility they deserve," said RBA President/CEO Al Samuels.

The Toolkit is a free program that enables entrepreneurs and small/medium size businesses to learn how to implement the sustainable business management practices needed for growth in areas such as finance, accounting, international business, marketing, and human resources or legal. It includes highly developed business information, tools, and training services.

The website consists of several specialized pages including those dedicated to Green business, technology, and business planning. Other tools available are an online calculator that helps small businesses determine their readiness for financing; free software to build a web site; free business forms used for employee performance evaluations; community tools such as online conferencing, blog capability, group calendars, survey and quiz builders to help small businesses make decisions; and a multilingual business directory to help small businesses link locally, regionally and globally.

"This resource is designed for people that have not been well served in the business community such as minorities and women," said Fran Reinstein, co-chair of the RBA Woman’s Forum and Program Director for the Women’s Enterprise Development Center. Reinstein brought the SME Toolkit to the RBA’s attention. "We are going out to the minority world of business people in Rockland who, for example, speak Spanish, or Creole, and offering them yet another valuable tool to aid in their success."

The RBA plans on promoting the Toolkit to its members and will be holding user-training sessions in the future.

RBA partners with IBM and the World Bank to aid minority entrepreneurs

Member to member referrals get big business

Archived Newsletters