Black BRAND Dan River Region will hold a spring procurement fair that will provide an opportunity for small, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses to meet with government and private sector buyers of supplies and services.
The event, SWaM Strong, will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, 150 Slayton Ave. Lunch is provided.
"The past two years brought challenges due to a global pandemic," said Crystal Cobbs, president of Black BRAND Dan River Region. "It is our hope that the SWaM Strong program will grow the number of small, minority and women-owned businesses in our region who will not only obtain this certification but will establish business relationships that will lead to securing contracts in the state, local and private sector, thus growing their business."
The Danville Office of Economic Development and Tourism is a co-sponsor.
“We are excited to collaborate with Black BRAND on this project to offer our small businesses the opportunity to learn more about the procurement process from the many government agencies and businesses in the region,” said Kelvin Perry, project manager for the Office of Economic Development and Tourism. “Small businesses are the heartbeat of any entrepreneurial ecosystem, and we will continue to offer opportunities for our small businesses to grow and prosper.”
Registration is required by Monday, April 18. To learn more or to register, go to https://sovarise.com/blackbrand/.
SWaM Strong is a new program for small, women-owned, or minority-owned businesses that want to do business with the Commonwealth of Virginia.