HCC receives a $500,000 grant for Disaster Recovery
Oct 25, 2018
Houston Community College and the MBDA has received a $500,000 grant to launch a new initiative to help prioritize programs for Disaster Readiness and Recovery just in time for Hurricane season.
The MBDA will develop a new program that will leverage the comprehensive strategic plan currently used by HCC under the “Business After Harvey” program to help businesses impacted by Hurricane Harvey to prepare for a disaster, maintain continuity, and recover after a disaster. The Disaster Recovery & Resilience Initiative will assist businesses by utilizing a variety of proven techniques, providing tools and additional resources.
Some examples of these include; Disaster Recovery & Resiliency Forums, Monthly HCC Workshops/Trainings, One-on-One Business Consulting, Collaborations between HCC and Strategic Partners, Collaborations with other MBDA Business Centers, and Contingency Planning. These activities will lead to the facilitation of procurement contracts, job creation, job retention, financial transactions, and business recovery. It will also extend the impact of the project well after the grant award period has ended.
The flagship initiative under this program will be the creation of a Small Business Resiliency Academy. The academy will be a four to five month program that will serve two cohorts of 20-30 businesses impacted by Hurricane Harvey over the course of the program year. Business owners who participate will get assistance with creating, defining, developing, and implementing individualized, multi-stepped Resiliency Plans that are action oriented and easy to follow.
The businesses that complete the program will receive a certificate designating them as a Disaster Resilient Business. In addition to starting the Small Business Resiliency Academy, the Disaster Recovery & Resilience Initiative will update the Disaster Recovery Resource Guide created during the "Business After Harvey." The updates will enhance the original publication based on the knowledge gained. It will also be published digitally and translated to other languages to reach a broad diverse audience.