Alliance serves Black, minority businesses in Terre Haute, west-central Indiana | Terre Haute Living

In 2021, in partnership with the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, the West Central Indiana Small Business Development Center applied for a federal grant and received $1 million in the Small Business Administration’s Community Navigator Pilot Program to support the creation of an intentional outreach network. As one of the many pieces of the grant, a Black Business Alliance coordinator position was created to serve small Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs throughout a seven-county region in west-central Indiana, according to the Chamber’s website.

LT Thompson was hired as the coordinator and the Black Business Alliance was formed.

Thompson helps serve small Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.

“If you are trying to start your business or grow your business and all those things that fall below that — business plans, marketing, finances — it’s our job to reach out to our specific niche and provide those resources,” Thompson said.

Besides offering assistance with setting up a business, other resources are also provided by the BBA. “For example, someone may be looking for all of the Black-owned businesses in Terre Haute or want to host an event for those Black businesses and I can provide a list or help them coordinate those needs,” Thompson said.

Thompson said the grant ended last fall; however, the Chamber has decided to continue to support the BBA, but on a different scale.

“My role is to have quarterly meetings and have speakers that would be relevant to Black- or minority-owned businesses. We would provide those types of resources that they might not be comfortable walking into a different place to get, but hopefully, they are comfortable walking into the meeting and saying this is what I’m trying to do or here is where I need help. Then we try to make sure there are speakers on relevant topics for the members.”

Two topics recently included information on how AI is relevant to small business owners and how a business owner can apply for the Terre Haute Small Business grant.

Anyone interested in contacting the Black Business Alliance can call 812-232-2391 or visit: terrehautechamber.com/community/black-business-alliance.