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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Brady Meixell, Government Relations & Business Services Manager of Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation
2:42:54
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126 sec
Brady Meixell from the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation testified about the importance of the Industrial Business Service Provider (IBSP) contract with the Department of Small Business Services. He highlighted the organization's work in supporting industrial businesses and requested increased funding and changes to the IBSP contract structure.
- SBIDC worked with over 250 unique businesses in 2024 and conducted workshops for 73 businesses.
- Meixell requested a 2% increase for all NYC industrial programs, a 50% increase in IBSP funding, indexing to inflation, and shifting to a three-year contract.
- He also asked for $650,000 in discretionary funding for capacity building projects for IBSPs.
Brady Meixell
2:42:54
Good afternoon, chair police and members of the committee on small business.
2:42:58
My name is Brady Miksell, I'm with the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation.
2:43:02
We're a mission driven nonprofit that's been supporting industrial businesses in their workforce along the working waterfronts of Sunset Park, Red Hook, and Gowanus for over forty years.
2:43:11
Our work is possible due to the industrial business service provider contract with the Department of Small Business Services, and we leverage this funding along with other sources to keep quality accessible working class jobs in New York City.
2:43:22
Our organization provides a wide range of free support services so that industrial firms can continue to do business in Brooklyn.
2:43:28
We help businesses access financing, find new space to operate, navigate city agencies, access city incentives, and help register MWBEs.
2:43:37
In 2024 alone, SBIDC worked with over 250 unique businesses, and we had 73 businesses take part in our workshops and trainings.
2:43:45
The IBSP contract is a vital source of funding which allows our organization to continue to operate, but we also leverage it alongside other sources.
2:43:53
Year after year, it becomes more difficult to maintain our staffing and provide the number of free services while the IBSP contract we rely on has remained static and has not been adjusted for inflation for many years.
2:44:03
Given the crucial challenges ahead of us with transitioning to a green economy, rising costs, halting the headwinds of gentrification, and ever present battles over land use, our industrial jobs are more important than ever.
2:44:14
To ensure that industrial businesses can remain and thrive in New York City and that IBSPs can continue to play our vital role in serving them, we ask the committee and city council to help ensure that next year's city budget includes, in the general budget, a 2% increase for all funds for all New York City industrial programs, through the Department of Small Business Services budget, one, a 50% increase in IBSP funding, Two, indexing this funding to inflation.
2:44:39
And third, shifting the funding from a one year to a three year contract.
2:44:43
And then finally, through the speakers' discretionary funding, we would ask for a fund, funding new $650,000 program to build additional capacities for IBSPs, supporting projects such as research on industry and district trends
Barry Pinckney
2:44:56
Your time has expired.
Brady Meixell
2:44:57
Capacity building.
2:44:58
Thank you.
2:44:59
Thank you so much.