A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 20-66, regarding a report on establishing a Black and Brown-Owned Business Task Force

C I T Y O F C A M B R I D G E Community Development Department IRAM FAROOQ Assistant City Manager for Community Development SANDRA CLARKE Deputy Director Chief of Administration KHALIL MOGASSABI Deputy Director Chief of Planning 344 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 Voice: [phone removed] Fax: [phone removed] TTY: [phone removed] www.cambridgema.gov To: Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development Date: April 29, 2021 Re: Policy Order POR 2020 #274 dated November 23, 2020 on establishing a Black and Brown-Owned Business Taskforce In response to the above referenced policy order, we submit the following. The City is committed to supporting the vitality of its small businesses, especially its women, people of color, and other historically disenfranchised businesses. The City is also expanding direct work with Cambridge’s Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) business owners and is working toward this citywide priority. As part of these efforts, we will create a Cambridge BIPOC Business Advisory Committee to begin meeting in summer 2021. The Committee will be appointed by the City Manager and supported by the Community Development Department’s economic development staff and community engagement manager. The committee will be composed of approximately 10-12 members, including Cambridge BIPOC business owners from different industries including retail, restaurant, personal, and professional services and could also include representatives of organizations that represent BIPOC businesses e.g. Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Amplify Latinx, and Cambridge-Somerville Black Business Network. Committee members will be asked to participate in the Committee’s work for one year. It is expected that the group will report back to the City Manager at the end of the year and recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council. Early action recommendations identified sooner, will be reported at the six-month mark so that action to support Cambridge businesses owned by BIPOC individuals is not delayed. City departments and outside organizations will also be included in Committee meetings, as relevant, based on agenda topics, which will be determined in partnership with committee members. Initial topics could include City programs to support businesses, improving outreach to BIPOC businesses, increasing community awareness of BIPOC owned businesses, access to capital, procurement, mentorship, and networking opportunities. There is also potential for a survey of the Cambridge BIPOC owned businesses to provide City staff and the committee with baseline information to support development of new supportive programs and policies. The City is committed to supporting its BIPOC owned businesses, as well as all of Cambridge’s small, diverse owned businesses. Staff will continue hosting workshops, providing one-on-one assistance, connecting entrepreneurs to resources in the community, and promoting the City’s grant programs which includes outreach to

Page 2 of 2 previously underserved populations. We look forward to this opportunity to engage with the community and improve access pathways for BIPOC owned businesses to thrive in Cambridge.