UPDATE: The Fort Worth City Council is set to vote today on a crucial new program designed to support local small businesses amid recent cuts to diversity initiatives. Scheduled for discussion on August 25, 2025, this program aims to help businesses secure city contracts by providing significant financial backing to local chambers of commerce.
If approved, the council will allocate $270,000 each to the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, along with $185,000 to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. These funds will facilitate services to small businesses, enhancing their chances of winning city contracts.
The initiative comes in response to the council’s controversial 7-4 vote to suspend diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs earlier this month, a move aimed at aligning with federal guidelines from the Trump administration. The decision to pivot towards a small business support framework has stirred up discussions on the future of local economic equity.
Michelle Green-Ford, president of the Metropolitan Black Chamber, expressed optimism at a council meeting earlier this month, stating, “I am energized by the connections we have with the other chambers… I am confident that we can move forward with a plan that will develop all of our small businesses.”
The new program is a response to previous city funding of $178,504 provided to each chamber for business development support, which previously focused on minority- and women-owned businesses. This expanded funding reflects a commitment to include more small businesses in city projects, crucial to boosting Fort Worth’s economic landscape.
Assistant City Manager Dana Burghdoff outlined the program’s two-tier structure, emphasizing a 5% bid preference for projects under $100,000 and a 30% utilization goal for larger contracts. This strategic move aims to enhance competition while ensuring equitable opportunities for small enterprises.
The Fort Worth Chamber will also spearhead mentorship initiatives and conduct quarterly small business expos, fostering relationships between prime contractors and subcontractors. Ericka Garza, president of the Hispanic Chamber, remarked, “The structure and clarity of the city’s proposed program gives us a more defined framework… enabling us to move more intentionally.”
As the city council convenes today, all eyes are on the outcome of this vote, which could reshape the landscape for small businesses in Fort Worth. With community leaders rallying support, the urgency for this program highlights a pivotal moment for local economic development and the empowerment of small businesses across the region.
Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
