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West Michigan Black Business Alliance asks Grand Rapids to be co‑champion of regional effort
Summary
Presenters representing the Urban League and founding partners asked the city to co‑champion a rebranded Black Business Voices effort — now proposed as the West Michigan Black Business Alliance — citing early successes connecting 14 businesses to city contracts and requesting city support to scale a Brookings‑aligned regional strategy.
Presenters asked the City of Grand Rapids to partner formally with a rebranded Black Business Voices advisory effort — proposed as the West Michigan Black Business Alliance — and to help scale a Brookings‑style regional inclusive‑economy initiative.
Alvin Hills of the Office of Equity and Engagement introduced presenters from the Urban League, Legacy and Love LLC, and the Grand Rapids African American Community Task Force, saying the work aims to "enhance our black business ecosystem." Eric Brown, Keith Morgan and Saini Jordan outlined a multi‑tiered organizational framework designed to connect businesses across startup‑to‑exit stages and to focus activities on marketing, mentoring and advocacy.
The presenters said the initiative has moved from conception (BBVA 1) into an…
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