The Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) would like to thank the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), and especially its President, Ramiro Cavazos, for their generous decision to provide a grant to our organization to extend and/or strengthen technical assistance to small businesses in these difficult times.
The USHCC has awarded $50,000 as a recognition to all the IHCC staff for their hard work, led by Jaime di Paulo, President & CEO.
The CATAG (CARES Act Technical Assistance Grant) funds comes from the Department of Commerce, through its Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), given to the USHCC as part of a federal resource appropriation delivered through the CARES Act approved by Congress on March 27, 2020.
The goal of these resources will strengthen all implemented programs by the IHCC to help minority businesses prepare and respond to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis,” said di Paulo.
The USHCC thus recognizes the IHCC’s status as the largest Hispanic business organization in Illinois, a state that represents the third largest economic engine in the country.
The funding award specifically recognizes the emergency programs benefits designed by the IHCC to help the Hispanic-owned businesses quickly.
Because these are federal funds, the IHCC is required to comply with transparency procedures and must report in detail the destination of each dollar, specifying the type of assistance granted. Reports must be submitted quarterly from September 2020 through July 2021.
The IHCC is also committed to ensure their technical assistance reaches the least favored small businesses, without them being members of our organization.
“We have shown that we are here to help, that Hispanic small businesses in Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois are not alone. The work continues because now we must help businesses that have survived the crisis and prepare them for the future,” added di Paulo.