Businesses across west Charlotte are about to get a clearer path to the resources, capital, and support they need to stabilize and grow sustainably. That’s the goal outlined in the first phase of Project West CLT, the initiative funded by a $6 million philanthropic investment from Wells Fargo.
The CLT Alliance Foundation was one of six nonprofits to receive funding from that investment, tasked with assessing small business needs and identifying readiness programs to catalyze growth across the neighborhood. That work, Project West CLT, is being led by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance in partnership with Alexandra Arrington Consulting (AAC) and co-lead Spero Hawk Coaching & Consulting, both of which have proven track records of place-based work.
Building the Foundation First
Rather than launching new programs immediately, the CLT Alliance is enacting the plan in phases. Phase I, which runs from July through December 2026, is designed to build the foundation those programs will run on: outreach, assessment, and data. The CLT Alliance and its partners are mapping and assessing small businesses across target neighborhoods, documenting each business’s needs, barriers, and stage of growth.
That work depends on relationships already in place. The team is engaging trusted local stakeholders, business hubs, and community organizations to build buy-in. It’s holding focus groups to gather direct feedback from business owners and established community voices. Though it isn’t a grant requirement, the team is also seeking to coordinate with the other five nonprofits that received Wells Fargo funding — Freedom Communities, Lakeview Neighborhood Alliance, CodePath, ASPIRE Community Capital, and West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition — to identify and engage small businesses already connected to their programs, rather than duplicating outreach that’s already happening.
Progress gets reviewed monthly, with the strategy adjusted based on what the data shows.
The approach itself reflects a deliberate set of principles: strengths-based, equity-centered, and built on listening first, with humility, respect, and trust through transparency guiding the work. The project is being enacted by and for the community it serves.
“As an entrepreneur working on Charlotte’s West Side for almost 10 years, it’s personally meaningful to encourage opportunity in this geography for small businesses to access and adopt resources that drive success. Phase I of this project centers close listening, benchmarking, and bringing more value to small businesses, even while assessing the needs, unique challenges, and best ways to integrate the ecosystem,” says Alexandra Arrington, Ed.D., Principal at Alexandra Arrington Consulting.
“This is also an opportunity to amplify community voice through a thoughtful and intentional process, deepening trust and cultivating relationships with the small business community on the West Side,” Helen Hope Kimbrough of Spero Hawk Coaching & Consulting adds.
Desired Outcomes
By the end of the year, Phase I is set to deliver:
- A summary asset map of the west Charlotte small businesses engaged through the project
- A preliminary needs assessment report
- “Journey maps” tracing key stakeholders’ paths and connections
- A shared platform for reviewing and reporting on project data
- A final Phase I report, including five in-depth case studies illustrating the challenges, experiences, knowledge gaps, and strengths of participating businesses
- A Phase II plan for expanding small business engagement
Why It Matters
The goal is to match each business with the right resources for its current operating needs, instead of creating a one-size-fits-all program. Entrepreneurial support organizations can use those findings to sharpen their own technical assistance.
The model built in Phase I is also designed to scale. Documented case studies and lessons learned will inform Phases II and III, and could eventually guide investment in other historically underinvested neighborhoods across the Charlotte Region.
“We want to create impact as a partner who takes the time to listen and understand where these businesses actually are. That’s what this project is building,” said Karen Brand, vice president of Small Business at the CLT Alliance. “When small businesses grow, economic stability for entrepreneurs and their employees follows, improving the lives and vibrancy of communities for generations.”
The next decade belongs to cities that invest in innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. Project West CLT lays a powerful foundation for demonstrated growth in West Charlotte and the CLT Alliance is excited for the work ahead.
