The York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) is excited to announce the launch of the BLOOM Business Empowerment Center, a hub of enhanced technical support, capital, and resources to accelerate small business startup, growth, and success for business owners in York County.

As a direct byproduct of the County’s Economic Action Plan (www.YorkCountyEAP.org), the YCEA developed and launched the BLOOM Business Empowerment Center. BLOOM aspires to grow more small businesses in York County, through a variety of resources, including small business grants and loans. Further, it is the expressed goal of BLOOM to serve all of York County, with a strategic focus within our historic boroughs and City, and with a goal of supporting BIPOC and women-owned businesses. Details on services can are located here.

During a press conference on February 7, the YCEA announced not only the launch of BLOOM, but named Sully Pinos the Center’s Executive Director. In her five years at YCEA, Sully has led the business solutions & innovation team with YoCo Bloom grant programs, workforce development and talent attraction, and women’s programming. Recently, she’s dedicated her focus to distributing $30 million in COVID-19 relief funding to 1,900 small businesses and nonprofits, with 38% of funding reaching women owned businesses, 34% reaching businesses owned by individuals of color, and 7% owned by veterans.

“Sully embodies servant leadership,” shared Kevin Schreiber, president and CEO of the YCEA. “She is an empathetic leader who has committed much of herself to helping others. Whether it was office hours on Saturdays and Sundays to help grant applicants, launching weekly Zoom classes Thursday evenings, walking borough blocks and city streets countywide to elevate awareness of our services, to setting up tables at community events countywide, her energy, optimism, and desire to assist others all embodies the spirit of our BLOOM Business Empowerment Center.”

A final announcement is the capital secured to launch the BLOOM Business Empowerment Center. The YCEA has raised over $1.7 million in capital to launch and deploy these enhanced business support services.

Funding comes by way of committed community partners the Powder Mill Foundation, the J. William Warehime Foundation, York County Community Foundation’s Racial Equity Fund, as well as the YCEA and its Board of Directors who saw fit to support this with funding from their own reserve as well.