
This Madison cosmetology school is working to close diversity gaps in the beauty industry

Urban League of Greater Madison receives multi-million-dollar donation

Philanthropist Mackenzie Scott donates $2.9 million to Urban League

Black Business Hub Helping Put Madison on the Map as a “Little City That Thinks Big”

Farwell Foundation Announces $500,000 Donation to Support The Black Business Hub

WI State Journal: Bold plans, extraordinary giving are forging a new South Madison

Rising tide on the south side: Leaders have big plans for neighborhood revival

Accelerator program director aims to ‘unapologetically’ elevate Madison’s Black businesses

CUNA Mutual Group’s Foundation Doubles Down on Its Commitment to Equity

THE CAP TIMES: Urban League launches loan fund
OUR VISION:
Every American child is ready for college, work and life.
You notice I’m the only one in my job who is Black. I am the only one. My college experience helped me learn how to operate as the only Black person.
READ THE STORY VIEW EDUCATION
EDUCATION IMPACT
25K
Students Enrolled in Our Programs
Students Are
85%
More Likely to go to College When Enrolled in Our Programs
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
About The Hub
The Black Business Hub will be the Madison region’s premiere enterprise center devoted to incubating, accelerating, and networking Black and other BIPOC entrepreneurs. The Hub is a 4-story, 76,000 square foot, state of the art center of commerce and entrepreneurism led by Black business owners and entrepreneurs. The Hub is strategically located at the southernmost gateway into downtown Madison, visible from the Beltline Highway, and located in the heart of Madison’s oldest multi-cultural neighborhood.
The Hub will be home to retail and other businesses owned by Black and other entrepreneurs of color ranging from start-ups to established business looking to expand and/or take on storefront locations for the first time. The Hub will also integrate mission-based commercial and retail uses including a wide variety of innovative economic and entrepreneurship activities including food, personal care, financial services, entertainment, technology, co-working space, a rentable commercial kitchen, and much more. The Black Business Hub Accelerator will offer a place-based system of entrepreneurial supports including loans, grants, technical assistance, networking, and more.
The following six Guiding Principles for The Hub were developed by a team of nearly two dozen community advisors and collaborators to ensure that the Hub will embody, in all aspects, the following:
- Local Economy
- Mixed Use
- Non-Profit Ownership & Management
- Attractive & Agile Design
- Sustainability
Over the next few years, it’s estimated that the Hub will support a minimum of 100 Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs, create or relocate over 150 jobs, create at least 250 temporary construction jobs, train Black real estate developers, and much more. Construction of the Hub is scheduled to begin in December 2021 and be completed for occupancy by the end of 2022.

Need for the Hub
According to 2017 American Community Survey data, of 9,755 employers with more than one employee in Dane County, only 39 (.4%) are Black-owned businesses. Data also shows that working age non-Hispanic whites in Dane County were seven times more likely to own firms than their African American counterparts. A 2015 study commissioned by the City of Madison found similar disparities with only two percent of businesses related to public works construction contracting owned by racial and ethnic minorities while they comprised 15% of the population. These same patterns highlighted above are true in access to capital and other culturally relevant small business development services. That is why the Urban League of Greater Madison, in coordination with a coalition of public and private partners, is leaning into this challenge to grow the number and financial capacity of Black-owned businesses in Dane County.