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E-Newsletter | July 5, 2022
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Chamber Events and Announcements |
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Use your membership benefits to attend the July ACC Leadership Series Luncheon. Hear our Houston's Asian American Reporters and Media Leaders share their stories covering world and local events. Listen to what it means to be Asian American and in the public eye giving a first eye look at how current events affect you and your businesses. Come meet and greet with our local Houston Talent!
Certain Membership Level allows entry free. Redeem your benefits
ACC Leadership Series | Asian-Americans in Media
Thursday, July 14 | 11am-1pm
Ocean Palace
11215 Bellaire Blvd
Houston, TX 77072
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Learn about the 2022 Asian Chamber Membership Benefits. A Step-by-Step guide to maximize your chamber membership and help use it to grow your business. We have exciting events and program planned for the year! |
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If you weren't able to attend the Restaurant Series, Watch the recordings. Great resources in keeping your establishment open and growing. |
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BUSINESS RESOURCES AND PARTNER EVENTS |
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The Office of the Governor would like to announce the launch of a new recovery program, the Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grant Program (TTIR), which will begin accepting applications July 6, 2022. The purpose of this program is to provide grants to Texas businesses in the tourism, travel, and hospitality industry that were negatively impacted due to COVID-19.
The TTIR program will issue a one-time grant of up to $20,000 to eligible Texas businesses in the following industries: arts, entertainment, and recreation; food services and drinking places; traveler accommodation; RV parks and recreational camps; traveler arrangement and reservation services; convention and tradeshow organizers; breweries; wineries; and distilleries.
Applications will be accepted in phases by industry group. Below is a listing of application timelines, based on business NAICS code.
Application Timelines:
- Category 1 – July 6 to July 31, 2022: NAICS 312120, 312130, 312140, 5615, 561920, and 7212
- Category 2 – August 1 to August 21, 2022: NAICS 71
- Category 3 – August 22 to September 11, 2022: NAICS 7211
- Category 4 – September 12 to October 2, 2022: NAICS 722
- Category 5 – If funds remain after the first four phases a fifth phase will revisit any unfunded applications to award the remaining funds.
The Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office will host a series of webinars for specific industry groups to provide more information and answer questions on the program and application process. To register for the webinars and for eligibility and grant application details, deadlines, and more, click the link below.
Applications will be accepted through the TTIR Program Portal beginning July 6, 2022, in accordance with application timelines by industry grouping.
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APPLICATIONS OPEN JULY 11, 2022 |
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The COVID-19 pandemic hit Asian American and Pacific Islander American (AAPI) business owners across the country hard. Now, as signs of recovery emerge, the long tail of COVID's economic impact on small businesses continues.
To support AAPI business owners and entrepreneurs, Reimagine Main Street and National ACE – with financial support from Meta – are partnering with community organizations across the country to launch AAPISTRONG: Small Business Grants.
The new initiative will provide $2 million in cash grants to help 100 AAPI business owners grow and thrive.
● 40 AAPI business owners will receive $10,000 each in cash grants;
● 60 AAPI business owners will receive $25,000 each in cash grants.
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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's 2022 Dream Big Awards program honors the achievements of small businesses and highlights their contributions to America’s economic growth. The awards celebrate the success of small businesses and honors their contributions to the growth and diversity of the U.S. economy.
Do you own or know a small business in your community that exemplifies innovation, entrepreneurship, and initiative?
Click here to apply or to nominate a business to be considered for the 2022 Dream Big Small Business of the Year and a $25,000 cash prize. The application deadline is Friday, July 8, 2022.
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The California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce and National ACE are seeking the next generation of visionary minority women whose businesses have a positive impact on the community. At the 5th Annual Minority Women Lead event in the Silicon Valley, selected applicants will participate in a live pitch competition, pitching their projects to a panel of business innovators who will award funding of up to $10,000 to each winner.
- Up to three winners will be selected.
- Applications close Monday, July 11 at 11:59 p.m. PST.
- Selected pitch applicants will be notified in July.
Eligibility:
- Business is 51% owned and operated by someone who identifies as Female AND identifies as Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and/or a Person of Color
- Business is based in the USA Independently owned and operated; and not a franchise location Business has operated for at least one year
- Owner is at least 18 years of age
- Able to travel to San Jose, California for the live pitch event on August 25, 2022 (roundtrip flight vouchers will be provided and ground transportation upon arrival in San Jose, California to/from the event)
- Free coaching available for finalists.
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U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and FedEx have teamed up to create the Small Business Readiness for Resiliency (R4R) Program. This program helps small businesses prepare for a disaster and offers immediate relief funding for those prepared businesses when a disaster strikes their region. More than 100 grants of $5,000 each are expected to be distributed between June 2022 and May 2023.
"FedEx is proud to continue its long history of supporting small business resiliency and recovery. This multi-year commitment with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation allows us to contribute directly to small businesses that actively prepare for natural disasters," said Jenny Robertson, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing and Communications at FedEx.
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How it Works
This program is designed to encourage preparedness and resiliency. We want to ensure that all small businesses have what they need to deal with the impacts of a disaster in their community.
The R4R program provides resources and incentives for small businesses to take the actions they need to become more resilient, including the distribution of grants following a disaster.
Step 1: Complete the Preparedness Checklist
Download FedEx’s Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Small Businesses (available in English and Spanish), and make sure you have completed an Emergency Action Plan as outlined in the checklist.
Step 2: Apply
Step 3: Grants Awarded
- Your business is located within an area impacted by the declared disaster.
- Your application was submitted before the disaster occurred.
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OSHA's Guide in Preparing for Hurricane Season |
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Employers looking to hire young, local talent can find great candidates through the #HireHoustonYouth Job Board, which is open for employers to post positions that are available to youth 16 to 24 on a year-round and summer basis.
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Work for Port Houston
Get in on the action at Port Houston where You can be a part of a great team; where You can help create an environment of excellence; where You can be a part of a tradition, more than 100 years in the making.
We want your work at Port Houston to be more than a job – we want it to be a fulfilling experience where you find challenging and rewarding opportunities, respect among colleagues, competitive pay, benefits that protect you and your family, and a high performance culture that recognizes and values your contributions and helps you reach your career goals.
We offer all full-time employees benefits that allow employees to choose the benefits they desire and need.
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The MBDA seeks to resolve the challenges faced by minority business enterprises (MBEs) in the export industry. Through outreach to minorities in the masses, MBDA will identify those who are not exporting and would like to explore the opportunity to export. We provide technical assistance and business development services for MBEs to have greater access to new and global markets. The criteria to participate in this program is to have a registered business for three years or have a registered business with an export ready product. If you are new to business and would like to learn what it takes to become an exporter, your ambition is also welcome. We are thankful to expand the MBDA strategy by helping minorities grow, flourish, and gain greater access to global markets.
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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
EVENTS & RESOURCES
WORKFORCE WEBINAR SERIES
In case you missed the Workforce Webinar Series, all recordings are now available on our website at http://houstontx.gov/obo/workforce_development_programs.html . Go on to hear from some wonderful partners like Dress for Success Houston, Houston Financial Empowerment Center, JW Marriott and more to hear about their offerings for job seekers.
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In an effort to assist small businesses in navigating the City’s procurement process, the Office of Business Opportunity, in collaboration with the Strategic Procurement Division, is pleased to present the new City of Houston (COH) Procurement 101 Tool. These web-based, on-demand training videos walk prospective City contractors through topics including How to Bid on Contracts, Responding to RFPs, RFQs, and ITBs, Pre-Bid Meetings, Structuring the Team – Prime & Sub, Contract Terms & Conditions, and much more. The web-based training videos are available 24 hours/day, 7 days a week. |
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Do you have a small business or a nonprofit affected by
COVID-19?
Get a FREE legal consultation
through our HSBLC Program.
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PLATINUM CORPORATE MEMBERS |
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DIAMOND CORPORATE MEMBERS |
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GOLD BUSINESS MEMBERS
AARP Texas, Allegiance Bank, BlueCross BlueShield, China Star Restaurant Group, Cole Chemical & Distributing, Focused Care at Westwood, Foster LLP, Indus Communities, Jascole, Inc., Mattioli Vision Professionals, Nguyen & Chen, LLP, Offshore Intel, The Red Cardinal Group at Morgan Stanley, Royal Public Schools, Savve Concepts, Sheraton Houston Brookhollow, TexPower, Truist Bank, University of Houston-Victoria at Katy, and Utegration
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LIFETIME MEMBERS
Kristopher Ahn, Yong J. An, Dr. Parvin Bagherpour, The Honorable Theresa Chang, The Honorable Alice Chen, Donna Cole, Lucy DeVilla, Trung Doan, Harry Gee, Jr., Glen Gondo, Shahid Javed, Shirley Kwan, Catherine A. Le, Stephen Le, Jr., C.C. Lee, Kenneth Li, Chris Nam, Gordon Quan, Randy Sim, Y. Ping Sun, E. Allan Tiller, Irsan Tisnabudi, Linda Toyota, Don Wang, Don Woo, Jason Yoo, and Austin Zhao
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