Take it Outside 2.0 

Take it Outside is a program that incentivizes small businesses to expand into outdoor services and activities. The program hopes to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 while also providing support to small businesses and their recovery. Take it Outside will fund 21 intermediary organizations. 

“The Take It Outside program has been one of the most successful small businesses programs created during the COVID-19 pandemic as it has allowed businesses to continue economic activity while at the same time promoting public health guidelines which focused on taking activity outdoors to limit spread of the virus."

“I am proud to support the Take It Outside Initiative to continue helping our local businesses who have faced extraordinary challenges since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I thank the General Assembly for appropriating this critical funding.”  

- Governor Dan McKee

To see the recipients of the grants totaling to $4.8M and to learn more about the program, see the press release linked below:

Anchor Spotlight : Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is a health insurance company that is committed to providing affordable and high quality health care. Blue Cross & Blue Shield works to provide improve the overall well-being of Rhode Island by providing comprehensible health plans, simplified customer service, active advocacy, and predictable healthcare costs. 

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has just recently hired Doris De Los Santos as their new Supplier Diversity Program Manager. 

“Doris brings tremendous experience, expertise, and energy to the role of supplier diversity program manager.”

"We’re delighted she has joined the Blue Cross team to execute an equity-centered supplier strategy. I’m confident this strategy will create more opportunities for historically marginalized communities, even as it stimulates the Rhode Island economy.”

- Executive Vice President and CFO Mark Stewart.

Meet the Buyers Event: Nexans 

Welcome to Rhode Island!

Nexans is a turnkey project supplier of HV cable and optical fiber. The company has been awarded a contract with Revolution LLC, a joint venture of Ørsted Wind Power and Eversource. The company will deliver and install the Revolution Wind offshore export cables with landfall at Quonset, RI. SupplyRI held a Meet the Buyer event on June 2, 2022 with the purpose of introducing Nexans to Rhode Island's many talented local suppliers and subcontractors!

"A great day in Providence, RI for Nexans offshore wind supply chain event. A lot of companies and great people here. I am sure they have much to offer into the Revolution Wind project execution."

"Thanks to Secretary of Commerce , Stefan Pryor and President of RI Commerce Corp Hilary Fagan for opening remarks supporting the event and to the RI Commerce team with Doris Blanchard and Jamie Buck to arrange everything. Thanks to all 70 suppliers showing up and to team Nexans Revolution Wind"

- Vidar Henrik Halvorsen, Rune Bae Jørgen, and Andreas Sletten

Upcoming Training Events:

June 21, 2022

• QuickBooks Bootcamp Session 3

June 22, 2022

• Exploring Small Business Administration (SBA) Resources

July 13, 2022

• QuickBooks 101

July 14, 2022

• July Coffee Chat 

July 27, 2022

• Exploring Small Business Administration (SBA) Resources