Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center

Renaissance Peninsula: In 2022, Renaissance Peninsula served 513 individuals, 94% of whom were lower-income, 99% were people of color and 90% women. The majority of our services continued to be delivered virtually. We found that online training has been highly effective for clients who are skilled in using technology and have appropriate access to technology. We trained in technology basics (how to use zoom, email, google classroom), and provided Chromebooks to individuals who rely solely on their phones for internet access. We also conducted multiple marketplaces and outdoor selling opportunities for our clients and introduced a hybrid model of in-person and online classes. We continued to expand our services: we launched a new center in South San Francisco serving North San Mateo County; we became the host of the U.S. Small Business Administration Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in San Mateo County; and we opened a satellite office in San Jose, Santa Clara County.

Renaissance Bayview: In 2022, Renaissance continued to provide virtual and in-person business support services to aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs in Bayview Hunters Point, one of the most marginalized and under-resourced communities in the San Francisco Bay Area that was significantly impacted by the pandemic. Through our Contractors Initiative, Renaissance Bayview worked intensively with minority and women-owned small construction businesses, delivering training and mentoring support, while helping small business owners secure contracts that created quality jobs for residents in the community. We also expanded our work to provide services to brick-and-mortar retail businesses throughout the city and to women residents living in public housing, including Potrero Hill.

Renaissance SoMa - South of Market, San Francisco: Home to Renaissance's Women's Business Center, a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and our largest entrepreneurial community - 25 small businesses and community-serving organizations. In 2022, Renaissance SoMa continued to expand our resources and outreach to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses. We hosted numerous online classes, workshops, and events focused on various aspects of business development. Our offerings included sessions on marketing strategies, financial management, bookkeeping best practices, accessing capital, leveraging e-commerce and digital tools, navigating legal considerations for small businesses, as well as many networking opportunities.

Renaissance East Bay provided small business training, one-on-one consulting, and access to capital, networks and other resources in English and Spanish to traditionally underserved individuals in Alameda and Contra Costa counties with an emphasis on the cities of Antioch, Oakland, Richmond, San Pablo and Pittsburg. We engaged motivated entrepreneurs from communities that lack small business investment, educational resources, and entrepreneurial histories, and face discrimination by race, gender, sexual orientation, economic class, or past incarceration. Our clients are 93% very-low-to-moderate income, 84% people of color, 77% women and 45% immigrants.