Opportunities for Women and Minorities
37% of EBDI's contract, totaling $67.2 million in revenues, were awarded to minority- and women-owned businesses through the end of 2010.
The East Baltimore Revitalization Initiative is a large-scale community and economic development project to transform a distressed property into a vital residential and business community. The project, which drew from the experiences of cities across the country, seeks not only to improve the aesthetics of the neighborhood but to improve the lives of those who live there—including a focus on creating opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses. This report documents the progress, lessons learned and achievements of the East Baltimore project through its first phase.
Community development projects such as the East Baltimore Revitalization Initiative can and should strive to go beyond cosmetic improvements to provide real economic opportunities for local residents, including minority- and women-business owners. Key project leaders and partners must commit to economic inclusion as a primary goal, work together to develop policies and mechanisms for achieving it, learn from the efforts of others and respond to the inevitable challenges that will arise. By taking these steps, the East Baltimore project is now a leading model of success that is creating new opportunities and changing lives.