Rafael Calderon Helps Community Navigator Program Reach Entrepreneurs
Rafael helps the Community Navigators Program reach the entrepreneurs and business owners that will benefit from it the most.
The SBDC Community Navigators Program Engages Rafael Calderon
Community Navigators is a new program that connects entrepreneurs to a network of support that helps immigrant and BIPOC-owned businesses to flourish in New Hampshire.
The new Community Navigators Program will reduce barriers that underrepresented and underserved entrepreneurs often face in accessing the programs they need to start their own businesses, expand, or recover.
Getting closer to completing its first year of activity in New Hampshire, this statewide program employs coordinated efforts to reach out to small businesses that are owned or being started by historically vulnerable community members, specifically Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); immigrants and refugees; veterans; women; disabled, formerly incarcerated, and LGBTQ and gender non-conforming people.
The support to these communities is made possible through a network of established micro-enterprise technical assistance providers, New Hampshire’s Small Business Administration office, statewide training and language-access partners, and on-the-ground community partners. These partners help people with practical aspects of owning a business, such as record keeping, bookkeeping, budgeting, business planning, marketing, financial management, specific legal advice, or raising capital to achieve business goals.
The new Community Navigators Program was established at the end of 2021 by the Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) and funded by the American Rescue Plan.
The Community Navigator Program Connects Business Owners With Resources
We spoke with one of the on-the-ground partners, Rafael Calderon, a Community Navigator Liaison with the NH Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Rafael is one of two Liaisons working with SBDC to reach business owners of color in the Southern New Hampshire region. The goal of the program, which aligns with NH SBDC’s Inclusivity Commitment, is not simply to inform business owners of color about services and programs available to them, but to create authentic partnerships that enhance communication with New American and BIPOC community leaders.
Rafael helps the Community Navigators Program reach the entrepreneurs and business owners that will benefit from it the most. He put it this way:
“I started as a liaison at the Community Navigators Program last summer and I was contacted because I’ve been working in Manchester and Nashua with an emphasis on the Latino community, as I feel that we are underserved and lack access to resources.”
With nearly 20 years of experience as a Senior Recruiter, Community Health Worker, and a business-owner, Rafael Calderon has become a household name in southern New Hampshire. He has made it his life’s mission to advocate for people and communities that are often left on the sidelines of existing state and federal programs.
Since becoming part of SBDC’s Community Navigator’s outreach team, Rafael looks for potential beneficiaries for CDFA’s pilot program within his connections in BIPOC communities across Manchester and Nashua. He aims to increase awareness of SBDC’s individualized, confidential business advising and education offerings such as eCourses and webinar series, which are offered to businesses at no cost.
“My average day is spent talking to neighbors. I go out and talk to people about new programs and initiatives they and their businesses could benefit from. For example, I will start my morning by talking to someone who used to own a business and who reached out to restart activity, and finish my day by connecting with a pastor that wants to convert one of her churches into a daycare for the community.”
And, sometimes it can be as serendipitous as bumping into an acquaintance and discovering that they are looking to start a business and don’t know where to begin. However, people that are new to the United States or that have never had contact with programs like Community Navigators and NH Small Business Development Center are often reluctant to connect:
“I prefer to meet face to face because a lot of people do not trust that this program is real. Ideally, we use emails and online calls but when it comes to building relationships you need to have human contact, which makes it easier for people to open up and trust you. Every day I’m going to meetings, participating in events, maintaining relationships and building new ones. This is how I connect people.”
The Community Navigators Program Helps Immigrants and the Underserved Access Loans And Advice
Rafael’s on-the-ground work is the first part of the entrepreneurs’ business development. He is part of a strong Inclusivity Commitment team at the NH Small Business Development Center that connects with people and businesses at different stages, providing relevant services as needed. Rafael recognizes that the people he has met in historically vulnerable communities — like Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); immigrants and refugees; veterans; women; disabled, formerly incarcerated, and LGBTQ and gender non-conforming people — share the same struggles:
“The main challenge is lack of access to resources: getting loans, support, drafting business plans, access to information, knowledge, etc. It is very common for people to work 2 or 3 jobs for years to save money to start their small businesses, but they do it all from their heads. And the idea in their minds doesn’t always correspond to the business reality. They need access to resources to know how to proceed, and support with business experience. Often, they go to Chambers of Commerce or the City Hall, but these institutions don’t have a presence or on the ground infrastructure to support small business owners. They usually assign one Spanish-speaking person for the cases of Latino people, but lack cultural competencies to provide the support and resources that are needed.”
Liz Gray, SBDC state director, noted,
“SBDC is fortunate to have received funding from the NH Community Navigator program. This program supports SBDC’s Inclusivity Commitment and business advising. It is a pleasure to work with and learn from our Community Liaisons Rafael Calderon and Lidia Yen. Together, we are co-creating programs and services to help build an even more robust community network among BIPOC businesses and partners in NH.”
Small businesses are all at different stages in their journey, and SBDC can meet them where they are and help them achieve their goals. SBDC has always been proud to support entrepreneurs from every walk of life, but like many organizations, it knows it can do more to have its services be welcoming and inclusive to all.
Rafael sees the gap in reaching these communities and that is precisely what the Community Navigators Program and SBDC’s Inclusivity Commitment seek to bridge:
“Many of the programs that come around with promising goals, end up not following through with commitment or the programs don’t last for too long. This actually harms the communities, not only because they lose support, but also because it reduces trust in Federal or State initiatives that could help. Through the Community Navigator Program I see that commitment and the program are sustainable. I receive testimonies, positive outcomes, because I’m invested in my community and I know the people and they trust me, since I’ve been working with Latino communities for so long.”
Towards a more inclusive, prosperous, and equitable future
Despite the difficulties felt by underrepresented and underserved communities in finding a seat at the business table, Rafael remains positive and believes in the work CDFA and SBDC are doing. He shares learnings about the immense resources that are out there, of which most people don’t know about, and considers that being part of SBDC’s Inclusivity Commitment and the Community Navigator Program has also equipped him to have more in-depth conversations with the communities they serve.
Moving forward, and as the Community Navigators Program reaches its one-year anniversary, Rafael feels that good work that has been done and is ready to continue his collaboration as a community liaison:
“This is an amazing aid that the Latino and BIPOC communities are receiving. I see how they respond to SBDC because of its consistency, inclusivity, sustainability, and commitment. Thanks to the Community Navigator Program, people in the immigrant community that have had plans, goals, and dreams for years, now have access to the resources and knowledge, and are actually creating businesses to materialize their dreams.”
If you want to know more about CDFA’s Community Navigator Program, get involved or request support for your business, visit https://www.nhcommunitynavigator.org/.
For information on SBDC programs and to connect with Rafael, visit SBDC’s Inclusivity Commitment page.