A recent disparity study has revealed the deficiency in the amount of contracts for Black-owned, Women-owned, and Veteran-owned businesses in Boston. Acting Mayor Kim Janey has announced a $2 million supplier diversity plan which will focus on initiatives that will support Minority-owned and Women-owned businesses.  

Acting Mayor Janey announced that $750,000 is being allocated for businesses needing support in order to bid for city contracts. She has introduced a contract for renovating a local park, Malcolm X Park, in which minority-owned and women-owned businesses will participate. Local organizations and small businesses have expressed support for Janey’s initiatives, as they have been pushing for Boston to implement measures that give marginalized businesses a better chance at winning public works contracts. 

Janey’s goal in focusing on small, minority businesses is due to the fact that there are many small, minority-owned businesses that have been untapped by city procurement officials. With her initiatives being introduced in May, the Boston Contracting Opportunity Fund will award women-owned, minority-owned and veteran-owned businesses grants of up to $15,000. Businesses are encouraged to reach out to the City of Boston economic development department for more information and support for participating in the new initiatives.