Our Community
Valley Metro, in partnership with city of Phoenix, is committed to working closely with businesses along the route to implement business assistance programs that will give business owners and managers useful tools and information to use throughout construction of the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub.
The Our Community Business Assistance Program leverages best practices from seven previous light rail extensions and is available to business along the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub project route. The program includes business access signage, special events, marketing/social media assistance, accounting/financial planning and access to business advisors and dedicated business assistance staff.
Valley Metro and the construction contractor, Kiewit, have a “courteous” construction plan that includes maintaining business access at all times, safe routes for pedestrians and schools and localized hiring and spending.
Deals and Discounts Map
Check out our interactive map to learn more about exclusive deals when you visit participating businesses along the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub project route.
Program Tools and Resources
Business Consulting Services
Free business consulting services are available to businesses along the route in a variety of areas, including marketing and advertising, website and online presence, accounting and finance, human resources, and general business operations, at no charge to the business.
Community Events
Community events offer businesses the opportunity to showcase their goods/services. The events are widely advertised, and typically include family activities, local entertainment and food.
Community Office
Located at 5040 S. Central Avenue, the community office is available for business owners and community members to speak with project staff, ask questions and get more information on the project and the business assistance program. For office hours and activities, visit valleymetro.org/southcentral.
Dedicated Team
Valley Metro’s Business Assistance Coordinators work one-on-one with area businesses to provide business assistance tools and information. Valley Metro’s Community Outreach Coordinators keep the community informed of construction progress and assist with construction-related issues. Staff is available 24/7 to answer questions from business owners/managers and to respond rapidly to any issues that may arise from construction. You can find contact information on the back of this brochure or at valleymetro.org/southcentral.
Financial Assistance
The Small Business Financial Assistance Program (SBFAP), funded by the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Community Development and Investment Corporation, is a one-year pilot program providing direct financial assistance to locally owned, small businesses immediately adjacent to light rail construction. The SBFAP offers two tiers of assistance, depending on several criteria. In Tier I, businesses can receive $3,000 and in Tier II, businesses can receive up to $9,000. SBFAP funds may be used for business operations expenses, including rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, payroll. For more information or to apply for the funds, visit the SBFAP program website: prestamosloans.org/valleymetro
Marketing
Businesses along the construction corridor can choose to be featured in Valley Metro-created marketing materials distributed to thousands of potential customers through print, social and digital media. Advertising space fills up quickly, so make sure Valley Metro has your current contact information so you don’t miss these opportunities.
Deals and Discounts Online Map
An interactive, mobile-friendly online map that highlights your business and offers an incentive for current and potential customers to visit businesses during construction. To participate, a business along the future light rail line offers a discount or incentive to their customers, and Valley Metro adds the business name, location, information and a photo to the interactive map - advertising the business and its products or services.
Signage
Valley Metro is committed to maintaining business access throughout construction— working with businesses to understand their unique needs including deliveries and customer access. Business access signage will also be provided to help direct customers to access businesses.
Business Assistance Programs & Partners
City of Phoenix Business Assistance Program
The City of Phoenix is committed to providing NO COST support to Phoenix businesses along the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub project.
Winsome Benjamin
Business Assistance Coordinator
(602) 262-7505 office
(602) 558-1729 cell
phoenix.gov/econdev/small-business
Business Assistance Partners
A Business Assistance Resource Calendar will be made available every month and will feature local resources offered through our partners.
Arizona Small Business Development Center (AZSBDC)
Jeff Swenson
(480) 784-0590
azsbdc.net
Arizona Small Business Development Center offers many services and programs to successfully grow businesses.
For support during construction, AZSBDC offers the following services:
- One-on-one advising
- Training workshops
Black Chamber of Arizona
Robin Reed
(602) 307-5200
blackchamberaz.com
The objective of Black Chamber of Arizona is to assist entrepreneurs in accessing capital funding through financial training and advanced certifications that allows the business to qualify for traditional and nontraditional funding.
Many small businesses struggle to qualify for loans due to poor or no credit, lack of collateral, weak cash flow and lack of preparation. This program aims to provide the information needed to give business owners the advantage at the time of applying for a loan.
Friends of Transit
David Schwartz
(602) 277-0911
friendsoftransit.org
Friends of Transit is a grassroots nonprofit that serves to educate the Greater Phoenix community on the benefits and importance of a well-designed and accessible mass transit system as part of a balanced regional transportation plan. During light rail construction, Friends of Transit supports local businesses by sponsoring Friends of Transit Tuesday. Friends of Transit Tuesday is a lunch program that partners with local restaurants in the light rail construction area by offering a $5 lunch discount to the first 100 customers. Lunch attendees also have the opportunity to win gift cards to other local area businesses.
Greater Phoenix SCORE
Jay Gladney
(602) 745-7250
jay.gladney@scorevolunteer.org
greaterphoenix.score.org
Greater Phoenix SCORE (GPS) has over 70 experienced business mentors available to assist business owners in identifying and exploiting opportunities to mitigate light rail construction impacts and take advantage of the impending changes to become stronger. GPS provides individualized support through one-to-one mentoring. GPS will assist with business planning, identifying and applying for financial or other assistance, as well as supporting business networking and other communications. GPS will be working in close cooperation with members of the Business Assistance Program, the Black Chamber of Arizona.
Maricopa County Bar Association
3030 N 3rd Street,
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Lawyer Referral Service
The Lawyer Referral Service will put you in touch with an attorney to schedule an initial legal consultation. In partnership with Valley Metro, Valley Metro will pay the initial fee. You will be referred to a licensed and insured attorney, not a paralegal or document preparer. Many of our panel attorneys have decades of experience.
The service will try to find an attorney near your home or work, and the consultation can occur in person or over the phone.
We do not guarantee that the attorney will take your case, but you will get to speak with them personally for up to 30 minutes.
If you interested in this service, please contact your Business Assistance Coordinator.
Raza Development Fund, Inc.
Guadalupe Gomez
(602) 417-1407
lgomez@razafund.org
Raza Development Fund (RDF) is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) certified by the U.S. Treasury and providing funding to small businesses for:
- Expansions
- Equipment loans
- Working capital
- Real estate lending
Serving the community for the past 20 years!
U.S. Small Business Administration
Arizona District Office
Delia Gomez
(202) 578-5618
delia.gomez@sba.gov
AZSBDC.net
- Technical, financial, contracting, education and disaster assistance.
- Small business advocacy and special interests.
- Guidance with civil right compliance
- SBA Loan Clinic: 1st Wednesday of every month at 9 a.m. at the District Office anticipating to begin August 2020.
Our Community
Valley Metro, in partnership with city of Phoenix, is committed to working closely with businesses along the route to implement business assistance programs that will give business owners and managers useful tools and information to use throughout construction of the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub.
The Our Community Business Assistance Program leverages best practices from seven previous light rail extensions and is available to business along the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub project route. The program includes business access signage, special events, marketing/social media assistance, accounting/financial planning and access to business advisors and dedicated business assistance staff.
Valley Metro and the construction contractor, Kiewit, have a “courteous” construction plan that includes maintaining business access at all times, safe routes for pedestrians and schools and localized hiring and spending.
Deals and Discounts Map
Check out our interactive map to learn more about exclusive deals when you visit participating businesses along the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub project route.
Program Tools and Resources
Business Consulting Services
Free business consulting services are available to businesses along the route in a variety of areas, including marketing and advertising, website and online presence, accounting and finance, human resources, and general business operations, at no charge to the business.
Community Events
Community events offer businesses the opportunity to showcase their goods/services. The events are widely advertised, and typically include family activities, local entertainment and food.
Community Office
Located at 5040 S. Central Avenue, the community office is available for business owners and community members to speak with project staff, ask questions and get more information on the project and the business assistance program. For office hours and activities, visit valleymetro.org/southcentral.
Dedicated Team
Valley Metro’s Business Assistance Coordinators work one-on-one with area businesses to provide business assistance tools and information. Valley Metro’s Community Outreach Coordinators keep the community informed of construction progress and assist with construction-related issues. Staff is available 24/7 to answer questions from business owners/managers and to respond rapidly to any issues that may arise from construction. You can find contact information on the back of this brochure or at valleymetro.org/southcentral.
Financial Assistance
The Small Business Financial Assistance Program (SBFAP), funded by the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Community Development and Investment Corporation, is a one-year pilot program providing direct financial assistance to locally owned, small businesses immediately adjacent to light rail construction. The SBFAP offers two tiers of assistance, depending on several criteria. In Tier I, businesses can receive $3,000 and in Tier II, businesses can receive up to $9,000. SBFAP funds may be used for business operations expenses, including rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, payroll. For more information or to apply for the funds, visit the SBFAP program website: prestamosloans.org/valleymetro
Marketing
Businesses along the construction corridor can choose to be featured in Valley Metro-created marketing materials distributed to thousands of potential customers through print, social and digital media. Advertising space fills up quickly, so make sure Valley Metro has your current contact information so you don’t miss these opportunities.
Deals and Discounts Online Map
An interactive, mobile-friendly online map that highlights your business and offers an incentive for current and potential customers to visit businesses during construction. To participate, a business along the future light rail line offers a discount or incentive to their customers, and Valley Metro adds the business name, location, information and a photo to the interactive map - advertising the business and its products or services.
Signage
Valley Metro is committed to maintaining business access throughout construction— working with businesses to understand their unique needs including deliveries and customer access. Business access signage will also be provided to help direct customers to access businesses.
Business Assistance Programs & Partners
City of Phoenix Business Assistance Program
The City of Phoenix is committed to providing NO COST support to Phoenix businesses along the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub project.
Winsome Benjamin
Business Assistance Coordinator
(602) 262-7505 office
(602) 558-1729 cell
phoenix.gov/econdev/small-business
Business Assistance Partners
A Business Assistance Resource Calendar will be made available every month and will feature local resources offered through our partners.
Arizona Small Business Development Center (AZSBDC)
Jeff Swenson
(480) 784-0590
azsbdc.net
Arizona Small Business Development Center offers many services and programs to successfully grow businesses.
For support during construction, AZSBDC offers the following services:
- One-on-one advising
- Training workshops
Black Chamber of Arizona
Robin Reed
(602) 307-5200
blackchamberaz.com
The objective of Black Chamber of Arizona is to assist entrepreneurs in accessing capital funding through financial training and advanced certifications that allows the business to qualify for traditional and nontraditional funding.
Many small businesses struggle to qualify for loans due to poor or no credit, lack of collateral, weak cash flow and lack of preparation. This program aims to provide the information needed to give business owners the advantage at the time of applying for a loan.
Friends of Transit
David Schwartz
(602) 277-0911
friendsoftransit.org
Friends of Transit is a grassroots nonprofit that serves to educate the Greater Phoenix community on the benefits and importance of a well-designed and accessible mass transit system as part of a balanced regional transportation plan. During light rail construction, Friends of Transit supports local businesses by sponsoring Friends of Transit Tuesday. Friends of Transit Tuesday is a lunch program that partners with local restaurants in the light rail construction area by offering a $5 lunch discount to the first 100 customers. Lunch attendees also have the opportunity to win gift cards to other local area businesses.
Greater Phoenix SCORE
Jay Gladney
(602) 745-7250
jay.gladney@scorevolunteer.org
greaterphoenix.score.org
Greater Phoenix SCORE (GPS) has over 70 experienced business mentors available to assist business owners in identifying and exploiting opportunities to mitigate light rail construction impacts and take advantage of the impending changes to become stronger. GPS provides individualized support through one-to-one mentoring. GPS will assist with business planning, identifying and applying for financial or other assistance, as well as supporting business networking and other communications. GPS will be working in close cooperation with members of the Business Assistance Program, the Black Chamber of Arizona.
Maricopa County Bar Association
3030 N 3rd Street,
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Lawyer Referral Service
The Lawyer Referral Service will put you in touch with an attorney to schedule an initial legal consultation. In partnership with Valley Metro, Valley Metro will pay the initial fee. You will be referred to a licensed and insured attorney, not a paralegal or document preparer. Many of our panel attorneys have decades of experience.
The service will try to find an attorney near your home or work, and the consultation can occur in person or over the phone.
We do not guarantee that the attorney will take your case, but you will get to speak with them personally for up to 30 minutes.
If you interested in this service, please contact your Business Assistance Coordinator.
Raza Development Fund, Inc.
Guadalupe Gomez
(602) 417-1407
lgomez@razafund.org
Raza Development Fund (RDF) is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) certified by the U.S. Treasury and providing funding to small businesses for:
- Expansions
- Equipment loans
- Working capital
- Real estate lending
Serving the community for the past 20 years!
U.S. Small Business Administration
Arizona District Office
Delia Gomez
(202) 578-5618
delia.gomez@sba.gov
AZSBDC.net
- Technical, financial, contracting, education and disaster assistance.
- Small business advocacy and special interests.
- Guidance with civil right compliance
- SBA Loan Clinic: 1st Wednesday of every month at 9 a.m. at the District Office anticipating to begin August 2020.