After months of seeing ‘temporarily closed’ signs in storefronts due to COVID-19, Miami-Dade County is back open for business

BY MICHAEL A. FINNEY

Miami is known for many things — its energy and creativity, rich cultural diversity and entrepreneurial spirit. That sense of community and commitment to shared success are what make MiamiDade so resilient, but it is our ability to mobilize in an innovative, inclusive way that will ultimately drive our recovery. In only a matter of weeks COVID-19 has upended families, businesses and economies. Government, anchor institutions, foundations and

Miami-Dade is Open for Business

organizations like ours mobilized loans are still available via the Paycheck quickly, working together to not only Protection Program, and we encourage try to slow the pandemic but mitigate every small business to reach out to its impact. Information and its timely their bank, the SBDC, Overtown CRA, dissemination was vital. Liberty City Trust, NANA, or one of the

The Beacon Council worked with vetted organizations on BizHelp.Miami Miami-Dade County and numerous to understand if they qualify. partners to quickly launch an online Miami-Dade has also launched a portal streamlining the loan application forgivable small business loan program process for our small businesses. managed by Tools for Change and Available in English, Spanish and Partners for Self-Employment. Another Kreyol, BizHelp.Miami began as a portal revolving small business loan fund, to SBA-approved lenders working with RISE Miami-Dade, was unanimously Miami companies. The site has evolved approved by the Board of County to include dozens of private and public Commissioners on June 2 and will roll sector partners delivering much-needed out soon. assistance to our small businesses. With unemployment rising to

The One Community One Goal 12 percent in April, Miami-Dade not platform also allows us to convene only needs to retain displaced workers leadership across sectors and deploy but help reposition them for success much-needed resources to support the in an evolving economy. We are recovery and long-term economic health connecting local talent to companies of Miami-Dade. with open positions, and working with

At the County level, the top three organizations like CareerSource South priorities we are working to help Florida, General Assembly, WeWork address are access to capital, talent and Labs and others to facilitate reskilling workforce development, and marketing. and upskilling opportunities at little or Billions of dollars in forgivable federal no cost to the individual. Talent is the

No. 1 issue as companies reopen and revisit their existing processes; having access to qualified people is essential.

Our third priority is to market that Miami-Dade is again “open for business.” Individuals and companies are both encouraged to buy goods that are Made in Miami, driving a stronger culture of “Localism.”

Championed by the Health Foundation of South Florida and a dozen other organizations, the Anchor Alliance encourages large anchor institutions to source more products and services locally, increasing jobs and investment in Miami-Dade. This is a mindset that we can all adopt, stimulating our local economy.

Collaboration and innovation have never been more important for our community. Connect with us and each other to ensure that we lead with our strengths as we build the best version of Miami-Dade … together.

Michael A. Finney is president and CEO of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council. n