Harris County Department of Economic Equity & Opportunity

Check out this FREE event happening next week! Mark your calendars 🗓️ and we hope to see many business owners there!

Happy Tuesday! Check out this week's Bid Opportunities Weekly. Please share with your networks. 📣 #mwbe #contract #harriscounty #DEEO

Join the Harris County Essential Workers Board for their in-person board meeting on September 23, 2024, where they will share board and community updates. The meeting will be held at 5:30 PM at South Houston Branch Library. See flyers for more details! Únase a la Junta de Trabajadores Esenciales del Condado de Harris para su reunión en persona el 23 de septiembre de 2024, donde compartirán actualizaciones de la junta y de la comunidad. La reunión se llevará a cabo a las 5:30 PM en la biblioteca sucursal South Houston. ¡Consulte los folletos para obtener más detalles!

🌟 Celebrating Women's Equality Day at DEEO and across Harris County! 🌟 Today, we honor the certification of the 19th Constitutional Amendment in 1920, which granted women the right to vote. This day is not just a historical milestone, but a reminder of the ongoing journey toward gender equality. Did you know? 95% of child care workers identify as female, and this sector is one of the most racially diverse yet lowest paid in the teaching workforce. In FY23 Harris County awarded 42.1M contracts to Women Owned Businesses   As we celebrate Women's Equality Day, let's take concrete steps to support and uplift these dedicated professionals. 🔍 What Can You Do? Advocate for Fair Wages: Support initiatives and policies that aim to increase pay for child care workers. Promote Professional Development: Encourage opportunities for further education and training in the child care sector. Support Diverse Leadership: Advocate for and support women of diverse backgrounds in leadership roles within education and beyond. Partner with women-owned vendors, suppliers, and service providers. Promote partnerships as part of your commitment to supporting gender equity in business. Raise Awareness: Use your platform to highlight the crucial role of child care workers and the challenges they face.

Wishing everyone a great week! Check out this week's Bid Opportunities Weekly 👇 Please share with your networks. 📣 #mwbe #contract #harriscounty #DEEO

Our partners at TruFund Financial Services are hosting a special event tailored for small business owners in Texas. This is a great opportunity to build relationships with key partners, network with fellow business owners, and explore potential collaborations. You’ll hear from the DEEO and other ecosystem partners on important topics like contracting opportunities, certifications, access to capital, and cash flow management. Plus, you’ll have the chance to engage directly with industry experts and get your questions answered! We invite you to join us for an event focused on supporting and strengthening our small business community. Date: Thursday, September 19, 2024 Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Location: 3 Riverway, 1st Floor Conference Room, Houston, Texas 77056 Lunch will be provided. Scan the QR code to register. We hope to see you there!

Wishing everyone a great week! We are back with another edition of Bid Opportunities Weekly. Please share with your networks. #mwbe #contractor #harriscounty

DEEO was excited to participate in Harris County Precinct 2's Contracting and Economic Summit on August 13 in Pasadena, TX. The agenda included insightful panels on certifications, government contracting, and various opportunities in fields like public infrastructure, IT, and fleet management. Our Sr. Program Manager of Business Development, Jessica Herrera, participated in the Government Contracting Panel, where attendees gained insights into government contracting opportunities and processes at local, state, and federal levels. Commissioner Adrian Garcia made an appearance, offering valuable insights and engaging directly with business owners. Congratulations to Harris County Precinct 2 for organizing a great event that brought together key players and sparked meaningful discussions!

This summer, the DEEO Early Childhood Initiatives Division in partnership with HCDE Case for Kids empowered 90+ nonprofits across Harris County! With $1.3M in ARPA funding, County Connections brought amazing out-of-school programs to life—from fine arts to college prep—making a real difference in the Harris County community. Here’s a snapshot of our site visits across the precincts: 🔹 Precinct 1 hosted HYPE Freedom School, inspired by the Children's Defense Fund, to empower K-8 students with a culturally affirming, trauma-informed summer literacy program. Using TBRI and a dynamic reading curriculum, HYPE is closing educational gaps and building resilience in our youth. 🔹 Precinct 2's Community Family Centers offered everything from adult education to early childhood development and youth programs. Their holistic approach, including the vibrant Camp Fresh, supports families and strengthens communities through education and support. 🔹 Precinct 3 partnered with Young Audiences of Houston, Inc. to bring arts education into schools. Their mission to inspire kids through the arts and train teachers in creative education is key to fostering creativity and learning. 🔹 In Precinct 4, The Sanders Hand is empowering at-risk youth with financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills. Through the Young Billionaire Club and its thrift store, students gain hands-on training and mentorship, paving the way for a brighter future. A heartfelt thank you to all organizations and staff who made these visits insightful and inspiring. Together, we’re making a lasting difference in the lives of Harris County’s youth. #HCDE #hcprecinct1 #hcprecinct2 #hcprecinct3 #hcprecinct4 #HYPE4Learning #HYPEHTX #ArtsEd #EveryChild #SandersHand #YBC #HarrisCountyECI #EarlyChildhood #HarrisCounty @hypefs @communityfamilycentershouston @ya_houston @sandershandorg

📣📣We are excited to announce that HCDVCC has been awarded approximately $5.3 million for the Harris County Early Childhood Resiliency Fund, part of the American Rescue Plan Act 2021. This program is designed to support local service providers in incubating, accelerating, and enhancing solutions to the problem of responding to the developmental and therapeutic needs of young children in the County that have been exposed to intimate partner violence and domestic violence, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. HCDVCC is inviting qualifying agencies to apply for funds to assist these children and their immediate families. The funding will run from January 2025 through June 2026. Selected qualifying agencies will receive financial assistance through the Resiliency Fund. Agencies may assist young children and their immediate family members by addressing a combination of needs. All agencies participating in the Resiliency Fund will be required to participate in a third-party evaluation. This funding will be awarded to up to 20 Harris County based public, nonprofit and academic agencies that can provide evidence of enhanced and innovative services for children and their immediate family. Priority will be given to those demonstrating the most innovative service delivery. ➡️To learn more OR to apply for this fund, click here: https://lnkd.in/gbShdBaf 🗓️Deadline to apply is SEPTEMBER 27th at 5:00pm. #nonprofitorganization #ecrf #harriscountynonprofits #hcdvcc #communitycoordinatedresponse