The City as Capital Convener: How Local Government Leaders Can Unlock Funding for Small Businesses

Small businesses are the lifeblood of local economies, but access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers to their growth and resilience. In this episode, adapted from a Living Cities webinar, we explore how local governments can play a powerful role in strengthening small business ecosystems by serving as capital conveners.

Our panelists share practical insights from Miami, Detroit, and the broader field on how cities can bring together public, private, philanthropic, and community partners to unlock funding, build stronger support systems, and create more equitable pathways for entrepreneurs.

Featuring Twaquilla Eatman, Community Partnership Manager for the Department of Human Services for the City of Miami; Brittany Morgan, Senior Director of Economic Resilience for The Miami Foundation; Dr. Marlo Rencher, Chief of Neighborhood Economic Development & Small Business for the City of Detroit Mayor’s Office; and Norris Williams, Associate Director of Business Ownership at Living Cities, this conversation offers actionable ideas for city leaders working to make capital more accessible to the small businesses that power their communities.

In this mini-episode of Live with Living Cities, Dr. Ahmed Whitt explores the evolving landscape of Opportunity Zones and what the next generation of place-based investment policy could mean for communities across the country.

As policymakers revisit and refine Opportunity Zones through new federal legislation, this conversation examines both the promise and the challenges of these incentives. Dr. Whitt breaks down how Opportunity Zones 2.0 could better align private capital with equitable economic development, community wealth building, and long-term local prosperity, while addressing concerns around accountability, displacement, and who truly benefits.

From policy design to real-world impact, this episode offers listeners a deeper understanding of how capital systems can either reinforce inequality or help build stronger, more inclusive local economies.

Tune in for a timely conversation on the future of equitable investment and what it takes to ensure communities are not just included, but prioritized.

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This month on Live with Living Cities, we're replaying the first in our Rewiring Capital for Strong Local Economies webinar series. In this webinar our facilitator and guests explore the role cities play in shaping the relationships that help small businesses move from survival to long-term growth.

While many local governments invest in programs intended to support entrepreneurs, uneven participation, low capital readiness, and fragmented efforts across departments remain common challenges. This conversation looks at why that happens and what cities can do differently. Centering examples from across the country, the discussion highlights how strong coordination within city government, combined with intentional partnerships with community-based organizations, can create a more connected and effective small business ecosystem.

Rather than focusing only on funding or individual programs, this episode examines the relational groundwork that makes those efforts work: trust, shared understanding, access to information, and collaboration across systems. Listeners will gain insight into how cities can serve as ecosystem builders and connectors, and how stronger internal and external relationships can open new pathways for entrepreneurs to become investment-ready and fully participate in local economies.

This episode features Andrea Blackman, Chief Impact Officer for the City of Nashville; Alycia Levels Moore, Main Street America consultant and Owner and Founder of ASL Creative Firm and POLARIS; Sheila Nelms, Senior Associate for Local Impact and Innovation at Living Cities; and Nia Webster, Assistant Director in the City of Kansas City’s Neighborhood Services Department.

You can view the webinar's slide deck here.