With funding from the Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundation and the Asian Business Empowerment Council, CMAA launched the Asian Small Business Assistance Initiative. Additionally, we partner with the Entrepreneurship Center at Community Teamwork, Inc. (CTI) to provide workshops in Khmer to new/start-up businesses in Lowell. We also partner with the City of Lowell’s Economic Development Office to provide monthly Small Business Office Hours at CMAA.

Most recently, CMAA was selected as part of a national cohort by National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) supported by the TD Charitable Foundation. Through this initiative, CMAA is expanding culturally relevant small business development, micro-enterprise training, and access to capital for AAPI communities. In Lowell, CMAA conducted a needs assessment with local small business and provided technical assistance to entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs-to-be, including support with business start-up and development.