Five Priorities. One Mission.
Everything the Minnesota Black Chamber does is organized around five strategic priorities. Together, they define how we advance Black entrepreneurship in Minnesota — and what we measure to know we are succeeding.
Economic Empowerment
We invest in the growth of Black-owned businesses through education, technical assistance, access to capital, and procurement readiness. We measure success by the outcomes our programs produce — revenue growth, new hires, contracts won, and capital accessed.
Programs: 10,000 Black Business Program (Launch, Grow, Scale), Technical Assistance, Business Education Workshops, Chamber Connect
Advocacy and Policy
We advocate for policies that create equitable access to opportunity for Black entrepreneurs. We engage with legislators, regulatory agencies, and corporate leaders to advance the interests of Minnesota's Black business community. We don't just react to policy — we shape it.
Focus Areas: Procurement equity, capital access, certification reform, supplier diversity accountability, economic development policy
Strategic Partnerships
We build partnerships with corporations, government agencies, financial institutions, and philanthropic organizations that create real opportunity for Black entrepreneurs. Not symbolic relationships — substantive partnerships that produce measurable outcomes: contracts, capital, market access, and opportunity.
Partners include: Fortune 500 corporations, CDFIs and community banks, state and local government agencies, foundations committed to racial economic equity
Community and Connectivity
We build a community of Black entrepreneurs who support each other, share knowledge, create opportunity, and advocate together. Community is not a program — it is the foundation of everything the Chamber does. Membership in the Chamber is membership in a movement.
Community channels: Chamber Connect networking events, member peer groups, annual conference, Black Business Hall of Fame
Research and Knowledge
We produce and disseminate research on the state of Black business in Minnesota. We make the case for investment in Black entrepreneurship with data, stories, and evidence. We position the Chamber as the authoritative voice on Black business in Minnesota — the source policymakers, media, and corporations turn to when they want to understand the landscape.
Publications: State of Black Business in Minnesota (annual), policy briefs, data reports, research library
PRIMARY CTA: [ Explore Our Programs ]
SECONDARY CTA: [ Read Our Research ]