ANTIOCH — A pilot program intended to help create jobs for low-income residents received a boost thanks to a nationwide grant in which Antioch was one of 12 cities chosen.
Antioch was awarded $20,000 through the National League of Cities’ Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant program. The six-month program, which also offers expert guidance, is backed by the Gates Foundation and aims to “expand, test, and implement economic mobility.”
With the grant, Antioch will launch the “Work Together Fund,” an initiative to nurture collaborative problem-solving toward job creation among nonprofits and small businesses, said city officials.
Applicants of the pilot program will receive technical assistance through the Antioch Business Collaborative, an initiative by the city to support small, local businesses through advisory services, workshops, training, and access to capital.
The winning projects will also be publicly promoted to highlight their impact.
Antioch’s Economic Development Program Manager Bret Sweet said that although the city is yet to pick nonprofits or small businesses for the program, it intends to announce the funding in a request for proposal format to allow qualified parties to apply.
Sweet said the Antioch Business Collaborative uses eight different small business resource providers to direct outreach and business assistance to businesses and nonprofits in the city.
“Applicants can use the collaborative to develop frameworks, partnership agreements between organizations, and help writing the proposal,” said Sweet in an email. “The collaboratives that are funded are also encouraged to use the technical assistance to enhance their organization through training, advising, coaching, networking, incubation, capital readiness, low-interest small business loans, ecosystem development, and formal business alliances.”
Sweet said the city’s goal is to guide small businesses and nonprofits toward financial self-sufficiency.
“We will continue to pursue funding for this program, but we want to ensure that the recipients are not dependent on city funding for operation,” added Sweet.
According to the city, Antioch’s participation in the grant program also has the potential to leverage additional funding for the city to promote economic mobility efforts.
Antioch said the National League of Cities has worked with 20 other municipalities over the past two years, providing more than $350,000 in awards, coaching, and peer-learning opportunities.
Mayor Ron Bernal said he’s proud that Antioch was selected to participate in the program, which is a testament to the city’s commitment to creating “equitable opportunities” for residents.
“This grant, along with NLC’s strategic support, will help us strengthen pathways to economic mobility and drive long-term growth for our community,” said Bernal. “We look forward to investing these funds in innovative, community-driven partnerships that support job creation, celebrate collaboration, and showcase the talent and potential of our local businesses and nonprofits.”
In addition to funding, a team from Antioch will join a cohort from 23 other peer cities for an economic mobility conference in October.
Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and executive director of the National League of Cities, said economic mobility is essential to building thriving communities.
“The National League of Cities is proud to support cities in advancing this critical effort,” said Anthony. “NLC’s Advancing Economic Mobility Rapid Grant program empowers local governments to design innovative strategies that create pathways to financial stability, economic opportunities, and long-term prosperity for their residents.”
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