Regional initiatives - Project Equity

Project Equity creates lasting impact through our national and regional partnerships and targeted government-based initiatives. We know data is critical to understanding a problem and documenting our approach to a solution. Our team conducts detailed analyses of the regions where we work to inform our partnerships and business outreach plans. For example, we document the number of businesses owned by baby boomers and identify legacy businesses in each community, revealing the potentially devastating effect of losing these companies.

We’ve worked with many government partners including the cities of Berkeley, Fremont, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Long Beach, Tucson and Miami; Los Angeles and Miami-Dade counties; and Los Angeles Council District 9. We also contract and work closely with Small Business Development Centers and Workforce Development Boards.

Our regional partners include mission-aligned nonprofits, such as Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Los Angeles), Nexus Community Partners (Twin Cities), Whatcom Community Foundation (state of Washington), Local First Arizona, state employee ownership centers and the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative.

Our national partners include organizations such as the Employee Ownership Expansion Network, The ESOP Association, The Beyster Institute, Sustainable Economies Law Center and the Democracy at Work Institute.

Project Equity partners with local leaders across the country

Key stakeholders

Employee ownership advocates and practitioners

Nonprofit organizations that support small businesses, social enterprise and workers

City, county and regional governments or economic development agencies

Business brokers, boutique investment bankers, wealth managers

Exit planners and business advisors

CDFIs, banks and other lending institutions

Small Business Development Centers, Manufacturing Extension Partnerships and other local business support organizations

Workforce Development Boards

What steps can local leaders take to support vibrant, local economies?

1

Track and report on small- and medium-sized business closure rates, and capture the age of the business or owner.

Learn how the City of Fremont, CA tackled this issue

2

Contact businesses over 15 years old and discuss succession planning.

Learn how the City of Long Beach, CA tackled this issue

3

Contract with succession planning resources that include employee ownership.

Learn about how we partner with SBDCs to provide resources for cities

4

Fund technical support for businesses to sell to employees, including feasibility studies.

Learn about the success the City of Berkeley had with its investment in employee ownership

5

Convene multi-sector communities of practice to close the racial wealth gap and drive innovation in community wealth building that includes employee ownership.

Learn how the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative was created to tackle this issue

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