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PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE TO FILE 22-4706
Sponsored by: KEVIN B. MORRISON, Cook County Board of Commissioners
PROPOSED RESOLUTION REQUESTING A MEETING OF THE COOK COUNTY FINANCE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS ACCESS TO CAPITAL CHALLENGES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, the Cook County Policy Roadmap, presented by President Preckwinkle in 2018, emphasizes creating Vital Communities through a goal of pursuing inclusive economic and community growth by supporting residents, growing businesses, attracting investment, and nurturing talent; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Policy Roadmap section on Vital Communities contains the objective to, support expanded opportunities for local businesses, women or Black, Brown, Indigenous Nations, and Asian American-owned businesses and firms owned by people living with disabilities and a goal to expand Cook County's toolbox of available resources for small- and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners supports that goal and seeks to see greater opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive in their districts; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, the Board of Commissioners passed a resolution calling for an outside evaluation of the suburban Cook County small business ecosystem and the needs of those small businesses; and
WHEREAS, Cook County retained Next Street to conduct this evaluation and present the findings to the Cook County Economic Development Advisory Committee's Small Business sub-committee; and
WHEREAS, the resulting report and data from Next Street's evaluation led to recommendation and launch of several programs including small business grant programs, manufacturing grant programs, and the Cook County Small Business Source; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Equity Fund Report released in 2022 includes a policy recommendation to develop the small business and entrepreneurship ecosystem, especially for Black and Latine residents, to...
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