ECDI Selected as New Host of Tier 1 Minority Business Assistance Center to Help Start-Ups in Dayton

Since opening in 2025, ECDI’s Dayton office has assisted more than 850 entrepreneurs

(Dayton, OH) — The Economic & Community Development Institute (ECDI) Dayton office was selected as one of four new Tier 1 Minority Business Assistance Center regional hosts (MBACs) to assist local entrepreneurs and emerging businesses by the Ohio Department of Development (ODDD) after completing its search for partners across the state.

Through the MBAC program, ODDD partners with local organizations to provide hands-on support to entrepreneurs at the earliest stages of starting and building a business.

ECDI, headquartered in Columbus, is nonprofit organization dedicated to assuring entrepreneurs have access to funding and business incubation services they need to succeed.

“This is a program we've wanted to bring to Ohio's entrepreneurs for years, because we've seen firsthand what the right support at the right moment can do for a small business owner," said Inna Kinney, ECDI Founder and CEO. "Dayton holds a special place in my heart. I lived there during my teenage years, and this designation feels like a meaningful way to reconnect with a community I've always cared about. Nonprofits across the country are navigating a difficult funding landscape right now, even as the need for entrepreneurial support continues to grow. Our goal is to work alongside local partners — foundations, municipalities, and the community — to listen and develop more economic and community development opportunities for start-up and existing businesses."

Tier 1 MBACs focus on helping early-stage businesses establish a strong foundation and deliver no-cost, one-on-one advising and training to minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-friendly, and socially and economically under-resourced businesses. These services are designed to help entrepreneurs launch successfully, create jobs, and generate revenue in their communities. To deliver these services, ECDI will be accepting applications for a Business Advisor and Program Coordinator with funding made possible by the Tier 1 MBAC status.

"Starting a business can be one of the biggest decisions someone makes, but Ohio’s

entrepreneurs shouldn't have to do it alone," said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. "These new Tier 1 Minority Business Assistance Centers will connect aspiring business owners with trusted advisors, practical resources, and the guidance they need to turn their big ideas into a successful business."

Since 2019, MBACs across the state served more than 13,000 clients and provided thousands of counseling hours to Ohio’s minority, women, veteran, and other disadvantaged business owners.

“This is a major milestone for our organization and, more importantly, for the communities we serve,” said Nicole Liatos, ECDI's Vice President of Entrepreneurial Programs. “This designation represents an important investment in the entrepreneurs and communities we support. Being selected as a Tier 1 MBAC host strengthens our ability to show up consistently in communities where access to business support and opportunity has often been limited. We are excited to build on that commitment and expand our impact throughout the Dayton region.”

ODDD empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio’s people, places, and businesses. Learn more about their work at development.ohio.gov.

More information about the services provided by ECDI can be found at https://www.ecdi.org.  

ABOUT ECDI

ECDI is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to assuring entrepreneurs have access to funding and business incubation services they need to succeed. Based in Columbus, with offices in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Canton, Toledo, and Portsmouth, we serve small businesses in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Indiana. As the nation’s top SBA microloan intermediary and a U.S. Treasury-designated CDFI, we have assisted more than 42,000 individuals, disbursed more than $212 million through more than 9,400 loans, and created and retained more than 50,000 estimated jobs since 2004. Learn more: ecdi.org.

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