I Believe in Mesa's Downtown Neighborhood Group Re/Generating Mesa: New and Existing Food Based Businesses: Apply to the RAIL CDC Restaurant Academy ASAP

Here's one way

Participate in this GREAT OPPORTUNITY RAIL CDC: Restaurant Academy! Apply Now! RAIL CDC has partnered with LISC Phoenix, the Az Asian Chamber of Commerce, and Kroger to host 20-25 businesses in a very beneficial Restaurant Entrepreneurship Academy. This is an excellent opportunity for new and/or existing food-based businesses to connect and learn from RAIL CDC's cadre of expert consultants in Procurement, Pricing, Operation Processes and Safety, HR and Management, Marketing and Sales, Insurance and Business Law, Finance, Cash Flow and more.  Businesses who participate in our Restaurant Academy will attend 5 workshops over an 8 week period starting on August 4th and convening every two weeks. Participating businesses will be paired with expert business technical assistants in between workshops who will help address business needs and build work plans with key business personnel.  This Restaurant Academy will culminate in a special event where the participating businesses will be able to show off their products and skills. Participating business will be marketed through RAIL CDC / Asian Chamber platforms and programs during the academy and will be considered for possible business grants through RAIL CDC programs.  This work is paid for and supported by RAIL CDC partners: LISC Phoenix, Kroger, Lenovo, State Farm, US Bank, MetLife, and of course Az Asian Chamber of Commerce. APPLY NOW!  What is RAIL CDC doing these days? RAIL CDC Accomplishments in 2020 (shortlist) ● Won the 2020 Recognition of Resilience for Equity award from ASU’s Knowledge of Exchange for Resilience  ● Awarded small businesses in two light rail corridors with $40,000 worth of grants with the partnership of LISC and US Bank ● Helped 67 small businesses complete and submit the application for rental and utility assistance through the Mesa CARES Re-emergence program. We helped gather more than $619,750 (amount based on average dollars awarded per business) in rental and utility assistance to the small business community that otherwise would not have been able to benefit from the program due to technology barriers. ● Partnered with the City of Tempe to reach out to 175 small businesses to inform them of the Small Business grant. ● 23 small businesses received technical assistance to fill out the Small Business grants provided by LISC. 20 small businesses in our light rail corridor have received funding of $20,000 ● Helped over 27 small businesses not only apply for the Paycheck Protectio Program, but obtain more than $176,040 to help them survive the storm that is COVID-19. ● Assisted over 100 small businesses to access Grant funding access of $3.9 million dollars in Mesa and in Tempe Many thanks to our staff, volunteers, and partners. An investment in RAIL CDC is an investment in the small businesses & neighborhoods in our community.