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Local nonprofit administrator outlines Small Business Suite's support for minority entrepreneurs
Summary
Kaye Farlow, founder of the I'm Power Center, told the South Bend Common Council the city's Small Business Suite has supported nearly 600 local businesses since 2020 and now emphasizes minority-business certification, marketing and cohort coaching to increase contracting with the city. Data on certification outcomes is held by Bianca Jones and available on request.
Kaye Farlow, founder of the I'm Power Center, told the South Bend Common Council on April 27 that the city's Small Business Suite has evolved since 2020 into a multi'pillar program aimed at preparing small and minority-owned businesses to win contracts and stabilize operations.
Farlow described a program that offers one-on-one coaching, weekly cohort workshops, tax- and bookkeeping assistance, legal help to form entities, and new marketing supports intended to boost visibility. "We've now added marketing this year," Farlow said, noting program work in four high schools and a claim that the initiative has "served almost 600 businesses in the city of South Bend since we started in 2020." She said the program now emphasizes minority-business certification so participants can compete for city contracting opportunities.
Council members praised the program. "Kudos to the team," Councilwoman Rachel Thomas Morgan said, and other members said they hoped the changes would increase the city's certified spend with minority vendors.
Farlow said detailed program outcome data ' for example, counts of certified firms and how many later contracted with the city ' are maintained by Bianca Jones, who supports the program. Bianca Jones, participating online, confirmed she oversees those data elements and added that the office partners with a nonprofit to offer a financial product to participants after program completion.
The presentation concluded with council members asking staff to provide the presentation materials to the council. Farlow said staff would make the data available by email on request.
The council did not take formal action on the program during the meeting; staff said the Small Business Suite will continue to coordinate with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and allied partners to increase certification and contracting opportunities.
