2023 Minority Business Enterprise Grants Recipients

Columbia, MO—REDI (Regional Economic Development Inc.), in collaboration with Central Missouri Community Action, is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2023 Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) grants.

This initiative is designed to promote diversity, economic advancement, and empowerment within the local business landscape, having awarded ten exceptional entrepreneurs with $5,000 each, resulting in a total grant fund of $50,000.

The MBE Grant program, funded by the City of Columbia, focuses on inclusivity in opportunity and the elevation of underrepresented businesses. This collaboration between REDI and CMCA underscores their shared commitment to fostering the growth of minority-owned enterprises and driving economic progress.

The grant recipients exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives within Columbia:

• Jadi Davis—Jadi's Fiber Creations
• Latonya Coats—Purpose In Beauty
• Mykene Powell—Typsy Treats
• Supreme Allah—Revv Scooters
• Treana Cason, Shalina Reed—Dolli's Designs
• Candace Hulsizer— Black Tea Bookshop
• Jay-Dee Bush—Precision Vision Productions
• Reginald Hatton—BOMMO
• Sujan Kim—Sodam Catering
• July Vanessa Ramírez Figueroa—Julie Vanessa Cake Boutique

The MBE Grant is available to businesses in Columbia, MO, whose ownership comprises 51% or more individuals who self-identify as belonging to the following categories: Black or African American, Hispanic, American Indian or Native Alaskan, Asian, Native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander.

Additional eligibility for the MBE Grant includes:
• Business located within the City of Columbia and have a Columbia business license.
• Business is a for-profit entity legally registered with the state of Missouri.
• Recipients must be affiliated with either the REDI Hub or the Missouri Women's Business Center.