Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber announcement.
Graduates from the award-winning Pierce County Business Accelerator (PCBA) program will gather to showcase their businesses on Tuesday, November 8 at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood. More than 100 graduates of the (PCBA will be in attendance as exhibitors, caterers, and guests.
This event is open to the public and is a chance for local business and industry leaders to meet and network with some of the most ambitious and unique businesses on the rise in Pierce County. Guests are encouraged to bring coworkers, friends, and family to experience and celebrate the showcasing graduates.
The Pierce County Business Accelerator Showcase will take place from 5:00-7:00PM at the Clover Park Technical College McGavick Conference Center in Lakewood. Attendance is free and guests should RSVP online at the tacomachamber.org events page.
About the PCBA Program
The Pierce County Economic Development Department leveraged $5M of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to establish the Pierce County Business Accelerator (PCBA) program in October 2021. The City of Lakewood also contributed $500,000 in funding to support additional participants. The program is serving 200 BIPOC, veteran and women business owners: 93% of the businesses are minority-owned, 70% are women-owned, and 14% are veteran-owned.
The PCBA participants receive six weeks of traditional business training by instructors, trainers, and coaches who reflect BIPOC communities, with classes offered in Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish and English. Business owners and entrepreneurs have access to grant funding to match capital raised for their business (up to $10,000), assist with costs related to commercial rent or lease payments (up to $6,000), and professional services (up to $5,000). The program helps create jobs for early-stage businesses and retain jobs for businesses on the margins.
The PCBA is managed in partnership with the Asia Pacific Cultural Center, The Black Collective, Mi Centro, Tacoma Urban League and Korean Women’s Association. The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce administers the program
To learn more about the PCBA, visit www.pcba.biz
