What We Do

Connect. Consult. Capital.

The Landscape

Philadelphia is one of the poorest of the ten largest cities in the United States. The city is home to over 93,000 small businesses that create approximately 54% of all jobs within the city limits. These businesses are the local coffee shops, bodegas, small grocery stores, hair salons, and barber shops that contribute to the quality of life in any neighborhood. Yet, with so many viable businesses, the question remains how Philadelphia can have such a high poverty rate and unemployment.

The current outlook shows existing small businesses produce very little in terms of revenue, do not operate with the essential business tools, have minimal industry knowledge, fail to infuse innovation into popular models for competitiveness, and have relatively low rates of property-ownership. This causes many Philadelphia neighborhoods to be unstable.

Our Solution

Black Squirrel Collective exists to create a platform for under-served communities and connect them to the resources and assistance that are vital to sustain a thriving community ecosystem.

We strengthen small businesses by helping them build capacity, provide them with access to capital, and help them clearly understand the needs of the people they serve.

Our team has extensive experience, relationships, and influence that makes us the best partners for the job.

Get to know the partners.