African Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest

Amount Appropriated?

$2.5M

FFID tracks stages 1–2 — stages 3–5 vary by agency, assistance type, and earmark structure.

Project Description

Community project funding will be used for planning and pre-development activities for the proposed African Business Innovation Center (ABIC) in Tukwila and advance the project through to the acquisition phase. \n\nABIC is envisioned to be a business, economic, and trade hub to help address growing inequities and underinvestment within the workforce and small business community in South King County, especially for African immigrant communities and communities of color. The proposed project will be a mixed-use development to provide space for small businesses, programs and services for African communities, and vocational training and workforce training. The project will leverage decades of experience from the African Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest and other potential project partners to specifically help promote trade and economic activity between businesses in King County and Africa. The current vision would also include space to house community-based organizations and other service providers for African communities and small businesses such as import/export assistance, immigration and legal services, and banking. \n\nThe COVID-19 crisis has deepened the economic gap between small businesses and large companies, and within marginalized communities. The disparities are even greater for small businesses in communities of color. As income inequality and the wealth gap continue to persist, expanding economic opportunities through education and training and small business development are critical needs of the community. This is especially true for communities of color and immigrants. \n\nThis funding will enable the project partners to create a plan and fully developed concept that will meet the needs of the community.