Harrisburg City and Dauphin County Commissioners to fund disparity study on Harrisburg’s diverse businesses

The City of Harrisburg and the Dauphin County Commissioners announced that they will be entering a funding partnership to launch a new disparity study. 

The study is aimed at presenting more work opportunities for the city’s diverse business vendors and contractors. Harrisburg-based non-profit Impact Harrisburg will steer the contract and study. 

It will focus on minority-owned businesses and businesses owned by women, veterans, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer (LGBTQ), and people with disabilities. 

Dauphin County Commissioners, the City of Harrisburg and Impact Harrisburg will each pay a one-third share of $83,333 to Econsult Solutions, LLC to perform the study at a total cost of $250,000. 

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams emphasized the importance of the city partnering with local entities on projects like the study. 

“Partnering is going to be a cornerstone to how we operate a different City Hall in Harrisburg,” said Williams. 

Dauphin County recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to fund the study, which is expected to begin this year. 

“We welcome Mayor Williams and her administration and look forward to a new day of partner projects and initiatives that will help the residents and business owners we serve,” Dauphin County Commissioner Chairman Mike Pries said. 

“This worthwhile project fortifies our commitment to doing what it takes to accommodate hard-working entrepreneurs,” County Commissioner Chad Saylor said. 

“Access to opportunities in regard to resources is huge” for business owners, said Karl Singleton, chief equity and compliance officer and a board member of Impact Harrisburg.