Creating Pathways to Economic Prosperity
Charge
With a focus on creating economic opportunities, this task force will explore and develop localized employment and small business development pathway programs for Westside residents. Part of the task force’s work will be to gain a full understanding of Opportunity Zone incentives impact for the Westside.
Task Force Members
| Al Salgado, Co-chair Assistant Vice President for Small Business and Community Engagement, UTSA Institute of Economic Development |
Bruce Williams Manager, UTSA Historically Underutilized Business Program |
| Thomas Tunstall Director for Community and Business Research, UTSA Institute of Economic Development |
Terri Williams Director, Center for Government Contracting, UTSA Institute of Economic Development |
* Additional members to be determined
Possible Activities
- Establish avenues for recruiting and hiring Westside residents that serve to mitigate the barriers to employment they often face through partnerships with providers of workforce development services.
- Actively promote procurement opportunities to Westside businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs through partnerships with local chambers of commerce and providers of small business development services. Explore breaking larger contracts into smaller parts to allow small businesses to bid.
- Create space for an on campus mercadito or “pop up” stalls and promote these business opportunities through partnerships with providers of small business development services and successful food entrepreneurs with Westside roots.
- Gain a full understanding of Opportunity Zone incentives impacting the Westside and formulate recommendations for Steering Committee consideration.
