Councilwoman Timothe’s “Teach to Fish” North Miami Business Summit a Success

NORTH MIAMI – Last week, City of North Miami Councilwoman Kassandra Timothe, MPA – who represents District 2 – presented the first annual “Teach to Fish” North Miami Business Summit, in partnership with the City of North Miami and North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (NMCRA). The summit provided resources, education, and assistance to over 200 guests during the three-day event, October 23-25.

North Miami residents seeking to grow or start a successful business were welcomed by community and business leaders and participated in more than 25 workshops, including funding guidance, business planning, business structure, operations, branding, marketing, and more, to help local entrepreneurs further their knowledge and skills.

“The most important thing we can do is to equip our North Miami community so when someone hatches an idea or starts a new company, it can flourish,” stated City of North Miami Councilwoman, Kassandra Timothe, who hosted the first annual event.

Onsite advisors were available at the summit for one-on-one meetings regarding upcoming grants and funding programs available through the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (NMCRA), an independent agency working to revitalize North Miami’s community redevelopment area, and a partner of the business summit.

“The NMCRA is proud to support small businesses in the North Miami community through our grant funding programs,” said Cornelius Shiver, Executive Director of the NMCRA. “Councilwoman Timothe’s impressive work with this year’s North Miami Business Summit allows us to engage further with new and seasoned small business owners and continue to create a small business paradise right here in North Miami.

A recent recipient of a $200,000 NMCRA Business Attraction and Expansion Grant, Copperbridge Foundation applauded Councilwoman Timothe’s efforts to educate and support the area’s growing small business scene.

“As a recent recipient of a NMCRA Business Attraction and Expansion Grant, I know how important it is for a new business to have access to helpful information that can take them to the next level,” said Geo Darder, Founder and President of Copperbridge Foundation. “The Teach to Fish North Miami Business Summit offered to our community was a welcomed platform. Knowledge is power!”

Grant Programs

The NMCRA’s various grant programs, providing financial assistance to qualifying area businesses, has helped earn the community the reputation of a “small business paradise,” launching a revitalization of North Miami’s downtown corridor that has resulted in an influx of young business owners opening new and innovative eateries, breweries, and wineries.

Evio’s Pizza & Grill in North Miami, a 2022 recipient of a NMCRA Beautification grant, was provided $22,625 to expand and upgrade their outdoor patio and turn it into a welcoming, luscious beer garden with capacity for live music.

“When I decided to set up Evio’s in North Miami, I was particularly attracted to the area’s business-friendly community and their dedication to helping small business owners like myself prosper,” said Elio Solari, owner of Evio’s Pizza & Grill. “The NMCRA has been central to our long-term success, and I am especially thankful to their forward-thinking leadership for creating an environment that allows us to flourish.”

The NMCRA’s Business Attraction & Expansion Grants and Beautification Grants are part of a robust commercial grants program led by the NMCRA to financially support local area business owners with facilitating improvements to business and residential structures and attracting new visitors to the CRA’s Community Redevelopment Area.

Businesses and residents interested in learning more about grants available by the NMCRA, should contact [email protected] or 305-895-9839 to receive more information on grants currently accepting applicants and their requirements.