Dallas City Wire

The Dallas Economic Recovery Task Force has launched the Dallas Forward initiative, a program to assist small to medium businesses struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Dallas Forward program will bring together private and public partners to assist eligible small and medium businesses by providing personal protective equipment, grants and loans through the Revive Dallas Fund. The program also will provide personalized assistance and mentorship from some of the largest businesses in Dallas, reported D Magazine.

The program will be headed by Richard Fisher, former president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and Fred Perpall, CEO of The Beck Group and chairman of the Dallas Citizens Council.

“For the (small-medium businesses) sector to rebound and then prosper after the COVID-19 setback, advice and financial help is urgently required,” Fisher told the magazine. “More than 70 percent of at-risk SMB jobs in Dallas are held by people of color. We must ensure a future for our city where diverse people benefit from our strong economy.”

Companies that have contributed to the program include AT&T, PepsiCo, Arcosa, The Beck Group, Corinth Properties, Mary Kay, Oncor, JLL, Jacobs, Vistra Energy, Ben E. Keith, Texas Health Resources, Toyota, and the Dallas Foundation. More companies are joining each day, according to the magazine.