About Us
At the Institute, we focus on moving minority entrepreneurs and businesses forward, leveraging tools and relationships across our organization. As the Institute’s consulting arm, the Center for Professional Services helps public agencies, community organizations, and the corporate sector play more effective roles in support of equitable economic ecosystems.
We can assist with market analysis, organizational assessments, industry coaching, program development and planning, sustainability, and opportunities sourcing. Our team of consultants specializes in four competencies:
- Public and Private Collaborations
- Supplier Inclusion
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
- Executive Management Education

Partnerships
The Center for Professional Services (CPS) is the Institute’s consulting arm, offering services aligned with our non-profit mission and purpose to corporate, institutional, and public sector entities. Our overarching goals for this line of business include:
- Be a trusted consultant to clients seeking an innovative thinker, coach and implementation partner with a well-grounded diversity, equity, and inclusion lens.
- Execute high-quality projects that promise to positively impact communities and entrepreneurs that have been historically marginalized.
- Add value with superior, adaptable subject matter expertise, intellectual property and well-vetted partnerships.
- Create and build long-term rather than transactional relationships.
Below is an overview of some of our partnerships.