Program Overview & Objectives

CDFA serves as the statewide “Hub” for implementation, working alongside our established microenterprise technical assistance providers, New Hampshire’s SBA office, statewide training and language-access partners, and on-the-ground community partners to achieve the goals of the program. The program design builds on years of CDFA’s investment in microenterprises through technical assistance community partners, including more than $2.6 million in federal Community Development Block Grant resources in the past two years.

New Hampshire’s Community Navigator Pilot Program will focus on addressing the barriers encountered by social and economically disadvantaged small businesses and entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on microenterprises, cooperatives, and early-stage businesses. The CNPP will enable CDFA and partners to focus collective and coordinated efforts to reach out to small businesses that are owned or being started by historically vulnerable community members, specifically Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); immigrants and refugees; veterans; women; disabled, formerly incarcerated, and LGBTQ and gender non-conforming people.

The CNPP team will leverage additional resources to build on our previous program strengths and to intentionally reach into communities of high need that we have not successfully connected to capital and technical assistance providers. Critical resources and services include, but are not limited to:

• Financial assistance and access to capital;
• Contracting and procurement support;
• Marketing, operations, business planning & development, and exporting;
• Industry-specific training; and
• Other technical assistance as identified by each individual small business.

Resources:

• NH Community Navigator
• NH Community Navigator Program – Overview
• Spoke Primary Service Areas
• CDFA – Supporting Microenterprises in New Hampshire