Document Type
Research Brief
Date
11-1-2025
Keywords
Minority entrepreneurs; Institutional barriers; Baltimore Black Butterfly; Entrepreneurship equity; Access to capital; Transparent lending; Corporate procurement; Community development; Policy reform, briefs
Language
Eng
Disciplines
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Description/Abstract
Entrepreneurship has become a vital pathway for many minority communities, especially in historically disinvested neighborhoods such as Baltimore’s Black Butterfly. Yet, instead of serving as gateways, mainstream institutions, banks, government agencies, corporations, and landlords too often act as barriers. Entrepreneurs report being denied access without clear explanations, forced to rely on exhausting workarounds like piecing together small grants, leaning on personal networks, or slowly building credibility with skeptical institutions. These hurdles unfairly burden business owners who already face limited resources. The research finds that progress cannot rest on specialized minority programs alone; the broader system must change. By making institutional requirements clear, transparent, and accessible, we can remove unnecessary obstacles while maintaining quality standards. We recommend reforms across four sectors: transparent lending criteria, streamlined government permitting, equitable corporate supplier programs, and property policies that reward community-oriented landlords.
Recommended Citation
Christophe, Yolanda, "Making Institutional Criteria Transparent for Minority Entrepreneurs" (2025). The Lender Center for Social Justice. 91.
https://surface.syr.edu/lender/91
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
