January 2025 Donor Report
Strengthening Economic Mobility and Market Access: The GABA Foundation’s Expanding Initiatives
The GABA Foundation is dedicated to enhancing economic mobility, fostering workforce development, and increasing market access for African and Caribbean businesses across the United States. Through strategic investments, data-driven insights, and capacity-building programs, we are ensuring that businesses and entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented communities have the resources they need to scale operations, access new markets, and drive economic growth.
In alignment with global best practices in economic development, trade facilitation, and workforce readiness, we are pleased to share the expansion of our core initiatives. These efforts are leveraging industry expertise, policy engagement, and philanthropic investment to drive long-term systemic change.
Market Intelligence and Business Research: The GABA Index and Consumer Insights
To build resilient and competitive markets, decision-making must be rooted in reliable data. The GABA Foundation is launching the first-ever GABA Index: A Community Needs Assessment (2025), an industry-focused survey capturing key economic and social insights from African and Caribbean business owners, workers, and consumers in the United States.
This landmark research effort is designed to:
Identify barriers to business growth and trade participation for African and Caribbean enterprises.
Quantify consumer behavior trends that impact market positioning and supply chain demand.
Inform workforce and entrepreneurship support strategies that enhance economic participation.
Additionally, we are conducting specialized research studies to deepen sector-specific insights:
The GABA Consumer Insights Survey – Examining African and Caribbean consumer spending patterns and preferences to inform business strategies.
The GABA Women’s Study – Focused on the unique economic and professional experiences of African women in Michigan.
These research initiatives provide empirical data that supports policy recommendations, program design, and investment strategies, ensuring our efforts are aligned with industry realities and market needs.
Sector-Specific Growth Initiatives: Enhancing Market Access and Food Security
To ensure businesses within key industries have access to tailored resources, we are expanding the following initiatives:
GABA Healthy Markets Initiative (GHMI):Far too many families in ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) communities across Michigan live in food deserts, where fresh, affordable, and culturally relevant food is out of reach. The GABA Healthy Markets Initiative (GHMI) is working to change that by helping African and Caribbean food entrepreneurs, grocers, and distributors bring fresh, healthy, and familiar foods directly to the people who need them most.
Through technical assistance, business support, and expanded retail access, GHMI is:
Helping small food businesses grow by providing guidance on pricing, distribution, and reaching more customers.
Bringing more fresh and culturally relevant food options to underserved communities.
Strengthening food supply chains to make sure local markets and grocers can keep their shelves stocked with affordable, high-quality products.
Supporting local grocery stores and markets to stay open and thrive in communities where they are needed most.
Too often, healthy food is either too far away, too expensive, or simply unavailable. GHMI is working with food entrepreneurs and small businesses to close these gaps, ensuring that families have access to the food they know, love, and need to live healthy lives.
GABA Culinary Growth Initiative (GCGI): For many African and Caribbean food entrepreneurs, breaking into larger markets and scaling their businesses is a challenge—not because of a lack of talent or demand, but because of barriers to kitchen space, distribution, and market access. At the same time, too many families in ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) communities struggle to find affordable, fresh, and culturally relevant food options.
The GABA Culinary Growth Initiative (GCGI) bridges this gap by supporting food entrepreneurs while increasing food access in underserved communities. By equipping chefs, caterers, and small food businesses with the resources they need to scale operations and distribute their products more widely, GCGI strengthens both economic opportunity and community food security.
Through business support, industry-specific training, and expanded market access, GCGI is:
Providing access to commercial kitchen spaces so small food businesses can expand without the high costs of securing their own facilities.
Helping food entrepreneurs sell in retail and wholesale markets, ensuring their products reach grocery stores, markets, and community food hubs.
Offering business coaching and training in pricing, packaging, compliance, and food safety regulations to help entrepreneurs scale successfully.
Creating stronger distribution networks so that culturally relevant and healthy food options can reach food-insecure neighborhoods.
Food entrepreneurs play a critical role in solving food insecurity. When small food businesses have the resources to grow, they create jobs, strengthen local economies, and increase access to fresh, affordable food. GCGI is making sure that more Black, African, and Caribbean chefs and food producers have the opportunity to build thriving businesses while feeding their communities.
Scaling Trade and Business Development: GABAWorks
GABAWorks is our signature business and workforce development program, designed to enhance trade readiness, financial access, and operational capacity for African and Caribbean entrepreneurs operating in the U.S. market.
This program is structured into two distinct components:
GABAWorks USA For many African and Caribbean entrepreneurs in the U.S., the biggest challenges aren’t a lack of skill or demand—it’s access to the right resources, capital, and opportunities to grow their businesses. Many small business owners struggle to secure funding, navigate procurement processes, or expand beyond local markets. That’s where GABAWorks USA comes in.
GABAWorks USA provides hands-on support and technical assistance to help businesses build stronger operations, secure financing, and reach new customers. We work directly with entrepreneurs to ensure they have what they need to scale sustainably and compete in larger markets.
Through business development, access to capital, and expert guidance, GABAWorks USA is:
Providing technical assistance in supply chain management, procurement, and operations, helping businesses strengthen their foundations and scale efficiently.
Connecting businesses with funding and financing mechanisms that drive long-term growth and sustainability.
Supporting market expansion to help businesses grow beyond their immediate communities and enter larger retail, wholesale, and service markets.
African and Caribbean businesses fuel local economies, create jobs, and bring cultural richness to the marketplace. Yet, they continue to face barriers to growth. GABAWorks USA is ensuring these businesses have the resources they need to not only survive—but thrive.
GABAWorks International Expanding into the U.S. market is more than just an opportunity for African and Caribbean businesses—it’s a strategic move that can drive economic mobility, create jobs, and strengthen global trade connections. However, complex government programs, limited access to distribution networks, and complex compliance requirements often stand in the way of success.
Through expert guidance, strategic partnerships, and logistical support, GABAWorks International helps businesses:
Understand market entry requirements by providing hands-on guidance on U.S. business regulations, competitive positioning, and operational setup.
Gain access to distribution channels and logistics networks to ensure products reach the right markets efficiently and cost-effectively.
Navigate import/export compliance by offering technical assistance on regulatory standards, licensing, and trade certifications.
Expanding into a new market comes with challenges, but African and Caribbean businesses bring incredible value, cultural innovation, and economic potential to the U.S. marketplace. GABAWorks International ensures these businesses have the right infrastructure, knowledge, and connections to grow and thrive.
Education, Leadership, and Policy Engagement
Beyond economic development, we are committed to ensuring that African and Caribbean professionals and students have access to leadership opportunities and policy engagement platforms.
Scholarships and Workforce Readiness
The Onomake Scholarship and Akinyemi Scholarship provide financial support to students pursuing higher education with a commitment to economic empowerment and community impact.
Additionally, the Scholars Dinner serves as an annual convening to connect emerging leaders, mentors, and key stakeholders committed to advancing African and Caribbean representation in key industries.
Support the GABA Foundation with Official Merchandise
Show your commitment to economic mobility and business development for African and Caribbean communities by shopping at the GABA Foundation Bonfire Store. Every purchase directly supports our work in technical assistance, workforce development, and market expansion—ensuring that entrepreneurs and small businesses have the resources they need to thrive and scale. From apparel to accessories, our merchandise allows you to represent the mission while contributing to sustainable impact.
How You Can Support This Work
The GABA Foundation is positioned to be a catalyst for economic advancement, but we cannot do this work alone. We invite philanthropic investors, corporate partners, and individual donors to support these efforts in the following ways:
Fund a Program – Invest in business growth, workforce development, or scholarship support.
Sponsor Research – Help us expand data collection and analysis to drive better decision-making.
Support Trade & Business Development – Provide direct funding or technical assistance to help entrepreneurs access capital, markets, and logistics solutions.
Engage with Policy Efforts – Advocate for inclusive trade and economic development strategies.
📌 Donate or Partner with Us: www.thegabafoundation.org
Together, we are building sustainable market ecosystems, strengthening economic pathways, and driving generational impact for African and Caribbean communities.
Let’s create a future where businesses thrive, capital flows equitably, and opportunities are limitless.
