Strengthening Los Angeles’ Small Business and Procurement Ecosystem Through Coalition, Strategy, and Digital Infrastructure
How We Helped
In 2020, in the wake of COVID-19 and heightened calls for racial equity, Next Street conducted a comprehensive Small Business Ecosystem Assessment for Los Angeles County. The assessment surfaced structural gaps in access to capital, procurement pathways, and coordinated business support—particularly for BIPOC-owned businesses—and laid the foundation for a more aligned, equity-focused small business strategy.
Building on that foundation, Next Street helped catalyze and shape Get in the Game: a coalition-powered initiative designed to strengthen LA’s procurement ecosystem and ensure small and local suppliers can compete for billions in upcoming sports, entertainment, and infrastructure investments. We supported coalition formation and governance alongside founding partners the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, LISC LA, and Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation, engaged more than 45 stakeholders across public, private, and social sectors, and helped formalize a shared strategy spanning supplier development, supplier finance, procurement innovation, and matchmaking.
To operationalize the strategy, Next Street and the coalition leaders launched the Get in the Game LA Supplier Resource Hub—a digital front door connecting small and mid-sized suppliers to trusted partners, 1:1 advisory services, on-demand courses, capital pathways, and contract-readiness resources. Together, this work moved LA from siloed support to a coordinated, ecosystem-level model aligned around inclusive supplier growth.
Our Impact
As of April 2026, the Get in the Game LA Supplier Resource Hub has onboarded 894 small businesses and 20 partner organizations spanning City, County, State, corporate, nonprofit, and economic development sectors. The platform has facilitated 412 advising sessions with a 94 net promoter score, published 52 resources and programs, and driven more than 19,000 site visits.
Beyond platform metrics, Get in the Game represents a structural shift in LA’s small business ecosystem. It represents a sustained coalition, a shared strategy, and a scalable infrastructure designed to increase contracting, expand capital access, and institutionalize inclusive supplier growth across the region.