BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Dozens of businesses run by minorities, women and veterans met with lenders to find new ways to get financial support at a match-up event.

A partnership between the Mayor-President’s office, U.S. Small Business Administration and the b1 Foundation was created to support local entrepreneurs.

“Today’s day is really to allow those small businesses that are minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned,” said EBR Assistant Chief Administrative Office Leslie Chambers. “To have them connect with lending institutions that meet their needs.”

Organizers said that they recognize there are barriers that business owners often face.

“With the lenders in the room they’re able to share with them their specific requirements,” Deputy District Director at the Small Business Administration Louisiana District Office Jo Lawrence.

It’s about making sure small business owners are educated and ready when it comes to applying for financial support.

“At the end of the day you know a lot of small businesses have trouble getting access to capital because they don’t have the knowledge so we are taking them through the process in getting that knowledge to become bank ready,” said Director of B1 Foundation Will Campbell.