Brookline Partners With Qwally To Support Minority Businesses

BROOKLINE, MA — The Town of Brookline announced Thursday that it is partnering with Qwally, a platform that helps local governments build a more inclusive digital landscape, to support outreach efforts to small businesses owned by individuals from historically marginalized groups.

According to Town Administrator Mel Kleckner, the partnership aims to increase awareness of town contract bids among small local businesses, including those owned by women, people of color, veterans, and LGBTQ+ individuals, and support establishment and growth of businesses.

"We are looking forward to bringing together diverse enterprises seeking to do business with the town and supporting their growth with the help of Qwally's unique and modern software," said Kleckner in a statement.

An online portal will be launched in the coming weeks and assist owners in the process of establishing their businesses, looking into Supplier Diversity Resource certifications, preparing to obtain government contracts in Brookline, and more. The portal will also feature information on legal structure guidance, as well as state, local and federal resources.

"Our partnership with Qwally will assist Brookline's outreach efforts to business owners from historically marginalized groups, with the goal of making town procurement of goods and services more diverse and equitable," said Chief Procurement Officer David Geanakakis in a statement. "The portal will serve as a one-stop location to view information that is usually complex and difficult to find, including town contract bids, making it readily available and easy to understand."

Business owners will have the opportunity to complete an intake form through the portal. Once completed, owners will receive tailored information to help grow their business, including a checklist to help them remain compliant with local requirements.