[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6654948,"mediaKeyId","5429388-f3b04a23e4dff139075cd4dd76889bbb","parentId",5429388,"title","Economic Opportunity Committee approves May 16 minutes, meeting called to order and adjourned","audioSeconds",55,"startMs",14000,"endMs",69000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5429388-f3b04a23e4dff139075cd4dd76889bbb&start=14&end=69","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5429388-f3b04a23e4dff139075cd4dd76889bbb/thumbnail_14000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6654948/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Economic-Opportunity-Committee-approves-May-16-minutes-meeting-called-to-order-and-adjourned","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654948-4b73e51d08961d3a46ba172996c4d984/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457112&Signature=ZtOx9xodZRk9yu2aKVci55mgP3A9tRixEKbRguX5LG~sW6eHW~W2txFhw1n6lA8G3h2t3-P4ZGObpXSs1dPoWcbVHq~lTO6nhGJtydKRrAKX2gur1aGXjLTyyAScBwRWUAb9Uk0ZRCbfzdKOCn34rAcTUT3~TLaeh4pEHzXTeWChWMi52LDI9YDU~zbiSkXWHwzKCA64~3GvRJ20l9ooJxJ3T0nFGUox~cgX5g7VWK9JsfmrlOzMOGdRLCwJuNTOZ7oFfa4PNt9N8LlofelWcPt4jkSK-ezjMKOxl2caMATwYGFDFTlM1qBphJ4zs7GopdoARfLvdiilksvToik5ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-07-18T00:00:00Z","article","The Economic Opportunity Committee convened at 10:02 a.m. on July 18, 2025 at Austin City Hall with a quorum present and approved the minutes from the May 16, 2025 meeting by a motion from Councilmember Velasquez, seconded by Councilmember Siegel. The committee recorded the vote as \"passes four-zero.\" The committee adjourned at 11:25 a.m.

Ending: No additional formal actions were taken during the meeting; subsequent agenda items were briefings and discussions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Economic Opportunity Committee - Jul 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Economic Opportunity Committee approved the minutes from its May 16, 2025 meeting by a 4-0 vote and adjourned at 11:25 a.m. July 18, 2025.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6654952,"New ACME department outlines Creative Reset Phase 1: simplified grants, larger microgrants and transparency measures",790,3156000,3946000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5429388-f3b04a23e4dff139075cd4dd76889bbb&start=3156&end=3946","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5429388-f3b04a23e4dff139075cd4dd76889bbb/thumbnail_3156000.jpg","/articles/6654952/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/New-ACME-department-outlines-Creative-Reset-Phase-1-simplified-grants-larger-microgrants-and-transparency-measures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654952-43567750a6397159e4b8a406e821d9ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457112&Signature=KjjhBeikGBBPKUzRb9NOyhyLTVAMIC-k0Juby4gGoJtYY1qQ4vyqkvzM~9dUYbxOBLeJCK6dkelUK6ZufJRglF4E~e2NsLJMNOsSnTL~I7kIq7tfkaGKGORxZBn4KiKsHJXqpF0PJruMkU7lpTG8PGeHA1fmIqa7kbQB-Xqmq0W5jG22E2oroOVICntn5yUprc~unAbtyBmlbkyY9GYcn-WZYgpxJTw1gmXUVx3GrqiixelIlyyVb2c9oZvidPf2BgOYC5sKnKAdASoyTGwDvyRGfJlGic4BtH94UU4YhyrXOfnA7gEBRrTQGZNLU5TzunCJ5tpfGquH2wQdh-HMvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Angela Means, director of the City of Austin’s Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) department, briefed the Economic Opportunity Committee on July 18 about Phase 1 of the Creative Reset, a yearlong strategic process that begins with funding-program improvements.

Means said ACME, created four and a half months earlier, prioritized listening to the creative community and launched outreach that produced more than 1,200 survey responses, nearly 10 focus groups and two citywide listening sessions. \"Arts and culture is not optional. It is an essential service here in the city of Austin, Texas,\" Means said, describing the department’s mission to protect, invest in and elevate Austin’s cultural assets.

Phase 1 program changes include a single simplified application for city cultural funding; tiered funding and new microgrants (micro awards expanded from $2,500 to as much as $20,000 for the Nexus pilot); mentorship cohorts for first-time applicants; operational supports for grantees; transparent scoring and feedback; and a universal appeals process. Means said the city’s primary funding for arts programs remains hotel-occupancy tax revenue supplemented by a small general-fund contribution and capital-project funds for public-art programs.

Means said ACME will review city cultural facilities beginning in September as part of Phase 2 (program evaluation) and that staff will explore additional and nontraditional funding sources beyond hotel-occupancy taxes to meet demand. She said the department expects to roll out the revised arts-grant programs within three to four months and complete the Creative Reset’s planning and program-evaluation phases within 12 to 18 months.

Councilmembers asked about support for cultural facilities and timeline alignment with the city’s budget process. Means said facility evaluations start in September and that ACME will coordinate with council offices and city departments on capital and operational planning. Committee members emphasized that parts of East Austin have long-standing needs and asked ACME to prioritize community-centered facility planning.

Ending: ACME said revised grant guidelines and program changes will be posted for public feedback and that staff will return with additional details; the committee did not take formal action during the briefing.","The City of Austin’s new Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) department presented Phase 1 of a Creative Reset emphasizing funding program changes: a single streamlined application, tiered funding, increased microgrant awards, mentorship for first-time applicants and transparent scoring and appeals.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6654954,"Staff briefing recommends multilingual outreach, navigator program and industry guides to support immigrant entrepreneurs",896,2054000,2950000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5429388-f3b04a23e4dff139075cd4dd76889bbb&start=2054&end=2950","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5429388-f3b04a23e4dff139075cd4dd76889bbb/thumbnail_2054000.jpg","/articles/6654954/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Staff-briefing-recommends-multilingual-outreach-navigator-program-and-industry-guides-to-support-immigrant-entrepreneurs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654954-a817217ed29c8d5e242b4b701df3661a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457112&Signature=mZeJ81gdSlVSQXIJPY73XdhUXYeA8pgUGdTQrKWeQ-WATtpOV0qL11cWglBEXGyRovUXGEgNQ9s2JAnn8iQZDfE6~yIxwhnGJirHRwr9bO3ZkaDOt5TuQoJVr~kmiHL8pr-cwZXEvKd5gezvziPl1bzP4fl~-dsyYD1Y9r0bNJZuT0pjKx4xbTVnH-dFUJo4PL65Y720NWSO5AZj4sScK5eHhpeWX1sqZ9KulxXvP6matJf8DAbKl7gB9k7PlvrFtGTBSVxlm3pYB39qhU07-4t2QQVUxN3LC7NNPQwbpBVVCL3Bg5MXQDlxsUQ5EWNZqaq6VX7AErXNZtLHPPL-RQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff and Economic Prosperity Commission volunteers briefed the Economic Opportunity Committee on July 18 about barriers facing immigrant entrepreneurs with limited English proficiency and offered recommendations that include restoring a community navigator program, expanding multilingual resources and improving data collection.

Aaron Gonzales, speaking on behalf of the Economic Prosperity Commission and identified as an appointee from District 9, presented data and peer-city practices. He said limited English proficiency (LEP) describes people who do not speak English as a primary language and who have difficulty reading, speaking, writing, or understanding English. Gonzales told the committee that \"24% of all new businesses in Austin are founded by foreign-born entrepreneurs\" and that immigrant entrepreneurs are more likely than native-born residents to start businesses.

The presentation compiled several numeric points: staff said foreign-born residents comprise \"19% of Austin’s population,\" that about \"15% of all business owners in Austin are not from the U.S.,\" and that there are \"over 31,000 immigrant entrepreneurs in the metro area.\" The presentation also cited national and state research: for example, staff referenced a Stanford report that Latino immigrants make up \"over 52% of all Latino-owned firms\" nationally. The presenter acknowledged local data limits and said staff triangulated state and national sources to estimate local figures.

Staff described existing city work: the city manager directed development of universal translation and interpretation services in 2013, and the council adopted a language-access policy in 2022 that covers data collection, signage, translation, interpretation, training and contractors. Presenters said those policies are not specific to small-business needs and that programs aimed at immigrant business owners—such as a community navigator program and industry-specific guides—would address gaps in licensing, inspections, zoning and regulatory guidance.

Recommendations included: (1) restore a community navigator program to deliver multilingual assistance in partnership with trusted community organizations; (2) increase data collection and conduct an audit of city and partner resources to identify unmet translation/technical-assistance needs; (3) develop multilingual, industry-specific startup guides and one-stop neighborhood supports modeled on peer cities (Chicago, Philadelphia and others); and (4) partner with the Mayor’s Infrastructure Academy, local chambers and workforce partners to align technical assistance and sector training.

Committee members asked for more granular language-demand data and expressed interest in coordinating outreach through local chambers. Staff named local collaborators consulted for the briefing, including Monica Muñoz Andrée, CEO of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber, Dorian Mirantis (vice chair of the Immigrant Affairs Commission), and Catherine Sobel from the Economic Development Department’s Small Business Division.

Ending: No formal actions were taken; staff requested follow-up work to return with recommended program designs and data collection steps for committee review.","City staff and volunteer commissioners recommended restoring a multilingual community navigator program, expanding data collection and developing sector-specific guides and one-stop supports to reduce barriers facing immigrant entrepreneurs with limited English proficiency.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6654956,"Diversity and Ethnic Chamber Alliance unveils REAPLAN to expand supplier diversity, loans and training for underserved firms",1097,111000,1208000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5429388-f3b04a23e4dff139075cd4dd76889bbb&start=111&end=1208","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5429388-f3b04a23e4dff139075cd4dd76889bbb/thumbnail_111000.jpg","/articles/6654956/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Diversity-and-Ethnic-Chamber-Alliance-unveils-REAPLAN-to-expand-supplier-diversity-loans-and-training-for-underserved-firms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6654956-c7faab4e11f1683cef50b08a5ee4de7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457112&Signature=C7iklF51Rm4pnY6TPdIWbOLXQ59aUcvTAbVd~E2bqdPBmXOUkSJ1clIQuCZB7WRFp6Q1BQ549Tq~47SVyHGeS7yckK2Tmf8nHVQwNNYwxJG2jgBTSyI9JCvfipk9VjwRaOdxz8BfCjm~fldOEMprdWtl7jkYANxPFDqkvzOZ1Xk07nfLl~s294U7WwzRRxrvDBx0MenEJToQ5I8tblCDaKQBgaXHvvCPs5mSNYvhfxFKFvi2URDmAJkczXWZ5iTXHGVeyB4WQwwg6yxezFKKKz6ghDHpUjwtoLDM~HxPqbGuTHcJ5ncNK0vVOLx--AvvtD4uyO~bBYQszCchXXXlCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Diversity and Ethnic Chamber Alliance on July 18 told the Austin City Council’s Economic Opportunity Committee that it has developed a Regional Equity and Economic Development Plan (REAPLAN) to increase access to procurement, capital, training and ownership opportunities for historically excluded entrepreneurs.

The REAPLAN is a coalition effort led by the Greater Austin Hispanic, Black, Asian and LGBT chambers. \"We leverage our collective strength to ensure that small and micro businesses, particularly those that are historically excluded entrepreneurs, have access to resources, training, and opportunities that they need to thrive,\" Tina Cannon, president and CEO of the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, said during the committee briefing.

The plan is organized around three pillars: resilience, equity and investment. Key components outlined by DECA include a place-based procurement initiative to work with major employers on supplier-diversity goals, a $1,000,000 DECA loan fund intended to serve firms that do not meet traditional underwriting standards, industry-specific technical assistance and mentorship programs, and supports for workforce housing and childcare to improve labor participation and business stability.

DECA representatives said the REAPLAN is informed by extensive outreach: more than 12,000 surveys and more than 180 focus-group participants, and represents the collective membership of \"over 4,000\" small businesses across the region. The presenters said the loan fund is already active and that Wells Fargo has committed $1,000,000 as an early partner.

DECA asked the committee to consider funding to sustain implementation. In the presentation, the coalition recommended an annual operating allocation of $1,000,000 and an initial capital pool of $5,000,000 with the potential to scale to $50,000,000 over time; presenters described those figures as illustrative asks to support the REAPLAN’s implementation, and said they anticipate private-sector partners.

Speakers emphasized a regional approach beyond Travis County and noted partnerships with institutions such as Austin Community College and Workforce Solutions to connect training pipelines to advanced manufacturing and other sectors. Mark Duvall of the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce said DECA intends to support trade and delegation activities as well as local business development.

Committee members asked questions about mentorship, workforce pathways and connecting manufacturing and renewable-energy opportunities to local training pipelines. Councilmember Sigel raised manufacturing and clean-energy supply-chain attraction as priorities. Presenters said DECA participates in regional stakeholder processes with Austin Energy and works across a five-county area where advanced manufacturing hubs are located.

DECA representatives also described international engagement and delegation plans, including an October trip to South Korea involving multiple Central Texas jurisdictions and business leaders.

The presentation concluded with invitations to local employers and council offices to partner on the REAPLAN and links to DECA resources, including decacentex.org, for more information.

Ending: City staff and committee members did not take a formal vote on the REAPLAN during the briefing; DECA asked the committee to consider incorporating operating and capital support for the initiative in future budget deliberations.","The Diversity and Ethnic Chamber Alliance (DECA) presented a Regional Equity and Economic Development Plan that seeks supplier diversity commitments from major employers, a $1 million DECA loan fund, expanded technical assistance and a proposed DECA business center, asking the city to consider ongoing operating support and capital match funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Economic Opportunity Committee approves May 16 minutes, meeting called to order and adjourned

New ACME department outlines Creative Reset Phase 1: simplified grants, larger microgrants and transparency measures

Staff briefing recommends multilingual outreach, navigator program and industry guides to support immigrant entrepreneurs

Diversity and Ethnic Chamber Alliance unveils REAPLAN to expand supplier diversity, loans and training for underserved firms