Mission

San Francisco Disability Business Alliance (SFDBA) is building a powerful and integrated community of businesses owned by people with disabilities.

  • Inspire people with disabilities to start their own business

  • Empower them through training, counseling, mentoring and access to an incubator space

  • Build a community where they can exchange ideas, access resources and collaborate

  • Advocate for partnerships, programs and policies to better serve and support disabled-owned businesses

Background

San Francisco Disability Business Alliance (SFDBA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that launched in March 2020, one week before the COVID-19 Pandemic hit the US. Over 100 participants attended the event, enthused about the notion of building a community of disability-owned businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area. Almost immediately, the SFDBA became the go-to organization for disabled business owners seeking information about the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), help navigating Shelter In Place Orders, and overall assistance to survive the economic and health challenges brought about by COVID-19. As of 2024, it has served over 100 small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs through training, mentoring, technical assistance and networking.

SFDBA has become a beacon in the Bay Area for small businesses and budding entrepreneurs.

Programs

The San Francisco Disability Business Alliance has three major focus areas to support the success of small businesses and future entrepreneurs.

  • The first is our Disability-Owned Business EnAbler Program which helps individuals with disabilities develop, grow and sustain their business through education, advising, mentoring and referrals to resources.

  • Our second focus area is the Future Entrepreneur Cohort Program, a cohort based model which mentors individuals with disabilities who are interested in launching a small business through providing training, business plan writing, guidance to access resources and services relevant to their type of business.

  • Annually, the SFDBA elevates the awareness and profile of the disability business community with its Bay Area Disability Entrepreneurship Event that runs during the National Disability Employment Awareness Month. It highlights small disability owned businesses and celebrates their vital role in the Bay Area business community.

  • In 2024, SFDBA started organizing FoundAble Speaker series and raises funds for a Boost Awards Program.

Impact

Since its creation in March 2020, the San Francisco Disability Business Alliance has built a community of 100+ disability-owned businesses that it supports and services on an on-going basis. It has inspired and educated 20+ entrepreneurs who have started their own business.

SFDBA has strengthened its relationship with 12+ institutions and enterprises promoting disability inclusion and economic empowerment in the Bay Area.