The Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce announced it is receiving $850,000 in federal Community Project Funding to establish the Liberty Square Launchpad, a new small business incubator aimed at expanding economic opportunity and empowering local entrepreneurs in Liberty City.
Chamber leaders said U.S. Rep. Frederica S. Wilson, D-Miami Gardens, secured the large grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“Congresswoman Wilson has given us an extraordinary opportunity to bring government, business, education, and community partners together around one mission: creating economic opportunity,” said Gordon Eric Knowles, President & CEO of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, in a statement. “Our vision is for the Liberty Square Launchpad to become a model for how strategic investment in entrepreneurs can strengthen businesses, create jobs, and build lasting community wealth.”
Under the chamber's proposed five-year plan, the Launchpad will target low- and moderate-income microenterprise owners — defined as businesses with five or fewer employees, including the owner — as well as individuals actively developing new ventures. Outreach efforts will prioritize entrepreneurs in Liberty Square, Liberty City, and District 5.
Eligible participants will receive grant-funded technical assistance at no cost.
By helping entrepreneurs formalize operations, improve financial recordkeeping, and draft robust business plans, the Launchpad aims to equip small businesses with the tools needed to compete in the broader market.
“When we help an entrepreneur strengthen their business, we’re investing in more than one company. We’re investing in families, future employees, and the economic strength of an entire community,” said Matthew A. Pigatt, Senior Director of Small Business & Member Services. “This Congressional investment gives us an opportunity to deepen the Chamber’s work and help more Liberty City entrepreneurs build businesses that can grow, compete, and create lasting wealth.”
Liberty City is home to about 50,000 residents — about eight in 10 are Black — and would be Miami-Dade County's seventh-largest city if it were a municipality and not just part of Miami.
It's also one of the county's poorest areas, yet it has a vibrant economy driven by mostly small businesses that are locally owned and operated, according to a 2017 University of Miami/Florida International University economic study.
The study's authors found that 87% of all Liberty City businesses employ less than 20 people, and that all its businesses generated a collective $12 billion in annual sales.
For more information about the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce, visit www.m-dcc.org.
