Programs
USHCC programs and partnerships provide the tools, resources and opportunities to tangibly advance the Hispanic and small business community.
Small businesses are big business for the American economy. We are amplifying our mission and impact to fuel the country’s economic growth with programs and initiatives centered on access to capital, capacity building and cultivating connections.
USHCC Signature Programs and Initiatives
Avanzar Accelerator Program
Advancing Hispanic businesses to the next level
Program Details
Avanzar is a six to eight-month business accelerator program designed to take Hispanic businesses to the next level with curated skills building sessions, resources, tools, and strategies to position participants for success. Avanzar participants will complete an updated business plan, learn how best to access capital for their business, and attend workshops aimed to strengthen operations and marketing capabilities to support their vision of scaling their business.
The program launched in 2019 thanks to the investment and partnership of Wells Fargo. Since 2019, Avanzar has expanded to additional cities and regions thanks to the support of USAA and Philip Morris International who joined Wells Fargo in this mission to advance Hispanic businesses ready to grow with Avanzar.
USHCC Supplier Development Pilot Program with Blue Wave now USHCC Avanzando Suppliers with Blue Wave
USHCC Avanzando Suppliers with Blue Wave
Supporting entrepreneurs with procurement opportunities
Program Details
Formerly USHCC Supplier Development Pilot Program with Blue Wave, this pilot program launched in 2022 and concluded in the spring of 2023 at USHCC’s Energy Summit with reserve funds from the Educational Fund graduated 23 Hispanic suppliers with Blue Wave’s pragmatic and proven methodology to take on competitive and global contracts. The purpose of this program now USHCC Avanzando Suppliers with Blue Wave, is to deepen the core capabilities of certified entrepreneurs to meet the most competitive international standards in procurement. Participants walk away understanding their personalized areas of improvement with a plan to update their procurement profile and compete successfully in the marketplace. This program has expanded to run in 2024 due to investment support of the Kroger Foundation and JP Morgan.
In Her Footsteps
An initiative to uplift Latina leadership stories across the United States
Program Details
In Her Footsteps is a movement to highlight Latina leadership through personal stories of triumph, inspiration, and resilience. This initiative looks to provide the community with helpful information, resources, and strategies to support entrepreneurs and executives through the contributions of Latina leaders across all sectors.
The idea was initially launched in 2018, thanks to the partnership and community investments of Bank of America to develop a podcast featuring Latina executives sharing what it is like to follow in their footsteps. The podcast has since become a digital series set to launch in 2024 and features 10 Latina thought leaders on what they have learned running a business, including topics such as access to capital, family and business, and the entrepreneurial mindset.
USHCC Green Builds Business
Greening the supply chain program with USHCC members
Program Details
The USHCC Green Builds Business Program seeks to offer Hispanic businesses to become green suppliers, becoming part of the solution to transform the supply chain with proven best practices. Program participants receive business coaching on identifying, designing, and implementing projects aiming to achieve a triple bottom line of results that lower costs, reduce environmental impacts, and support the well-being of communities.
This program was launched with the support of Toyota—a committed leader in greening the supply chain in-house and beyond. We are grateful for their commitment to share their framework with our USHCC suppliers interested in learning how to integrate these practical solutions into their business operations.
USHCC Chamber Community Grants Program
Powered by Wells Fargo, Google, PayPal, and Allivate Impact Capital (subsidiary of Woodforest National Bank)
Program Details
USHCC’s Chamber Community Grant Program partners with organizations committed to supporting the Hispanic entrepreneur ecosystem through Chamber investments with local USHCC Hispanic Chambers. Each year, partners provide multiple grants at various ranges to support local chambers in partnership with USHCC. This program supports a variety of topics, including empowering Latina entrepreneurs, promoting green energy, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Past grant allocations have ranged from $2,500 to $15,000.
*Learn more about our USHCC Business Matchmaking Program on page ##.
Supplier Marketplace
USHCC Business Matchmaking represent hundreds of million dollars of business procurement opportunities
Program Details
Our Business Matchmaking program is a unique forum that takes place at USHCC signature events: National Conference, Legislative Summit, and Energy Summit. Procurement representatives from our Corporate Partner Members, Fortune 500 companies and federal agencies have an opportunity to meet with Hispanic suppliers from USHCC’s Hispanic Business Enterprise membership. These Business Matchmaking sessions with buyers and Hispanic suppliers represent hundreds of million dollars of business procurement opportunities.
Matchmaking sessions last around 15 minutes, with an opportunity for Hispanic suppliers to pre-register using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICs) codes, or business categories, and highlight their business capability statement and certifications. Matchmaking is offered virtually for Hispanic Business Enterprises that can’t attend in person and want to connect with a corporate or agency buyer. This program is part USHCC’s top three priorities in increasing the flow of capital opportunities to Hispanic entrepreneurs in partnership with committed supplier diversity initiatives.
Special thanks to our partners
Chamber Leadership Alliance
Program Details
The USHCC is one of four partners of the Chamber Leadership Alliance alongside the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., and the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Together, we co-present the Chamber Leadership Development Program, which consists of virtual and in-person training to empower and strengthen our chambers of commerce and their employees.
Comcast Universal
Program Details
Universal Telemundo Enterprises in partnership with the USHCC launched the Nuestros Negocios (“Our Businesses” in Spanish) nationwide campaign under the umbrella of Telemundo’s award-winning platform El Poder En Ti (“The Power in You”). The multiplatform campaign taps into Telemundo’s network, local stations, and digital and social platforms to spotlight small- and medium-sized Hispanic-owned businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also promotes their services to help these businesses sustain through these challenging times.
UPS Unstoppable
Program Details
UPS is committed to keeping Hispanic-owned small businesses moving forward. COVID-19 has impacted small businesses across the board and the minority and small business community has been especially hard hit. UPS partnered with the USHCC to invest in keeping small businesses moving forward.
Grubhub
Program Details
Local restaurants need delivery and pickup orders now more than ever. The USHCC Educational Fund was proud to join forces with the Grubhub Community Relief Fund. Small donations made a significant impact. Customers were instructed to donate their change to the Grubhub Community Relief Fund at checkout. These donations went to charitable organizations supporting local restaurants and drivers impacted by COVID-19.
Lyft
Program Details
The USHCC received two grants to provide vaccine access codes through Lyft through our chamber network, targeting specific high-risk COVID-19 cities. Consumers could request up to four roundtrip codes to allow for rides to and from each of their vaccine appointments as well as their subsequent booster appointments.
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready
Program Details
The USHCC partnered with the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program. In partnership with Next Street and Local Initiatives Support Corp, the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready online curriculum is designed to give small businesses the tools they need to thrive in today’s digital economy, including access to personalized learning plans, coaching from experts and networking opportunities with diverse, industry-specific businesses.
More than 100,000 small businesses closed due to the pandemic, with a disproportionate impact on Latino and Black-owned small businesses. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready offered businesses support, aiming to enable digital readiness and drive digital transformation through a customized curriculum that accounts for industry, size, and interests. The USHCC was proud to work with Verizon to reach those businesses most in need of support.