What are Regional Councils?

The Association for Enterprise Opportunity’s (AEO) Regional Councils unite local champions from diverse sectors—government, private industry, foundations, and non-profits—to address and elevate the critical issues facing underserved businesses via six regions of the United States. By bringing together these key ecosystem stakeholders, we aim to address the most pressing challenges within our communities collaboratively. Our mission is to deliver localized solutions to regional issues through strategic virtual and in-person events throughout the year.

Objective

Our objective is to elevate and amplify the voices of small businesses, particularly those that are underrepresented, by connecting them with all local ecosystem stakeholders. Together, we can address and overcome the pressing challenges within our communities.

The Regional Councils will achieve this by:

Fostering community and leveraging scale of voice and impact
Highlighting best practices
Collaboratively developing innovative strategies
Advocating for essential policies and programs

The Regions

AEO is committed to supporting small businesses across the United States by addressing regional challenges through localized solutions. To better serve diverse communities and economic landscapes, AEO has established six distinct regions. Each region is designed to unite local champions from various sectors—government, private industry, foundations, non-profits, trade associations, think tanks, NGOs, CDFIs, traditional financial institutions, and fintech institutions—to collaboratively tackle the unique issues facing small businesses in their area. By fostering regional councils, AEO aims to highlight best practices, develop innovative strategies, and advocate for essential interventions that drive positive change and economic equity nationwide.

West

Alaska
Arizona
California
Hawaii
Idaho
Nevada
Oregon
Washington

Central

Arkansas
Colorado
Louisiana
Montana
New Mexico
North Dakota
Oklahoma
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Wyoming

Midwest

Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Ohio
Wisconsin

South

Alabama
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Mississippi
North Carolina
South Carolina
Tennessee

MidAtlantic

Delaware
District of Columbia
Maryland
Pennsylvania
Virginia
West Virginia

Northeast

Connecticut
Massachusetts
Maine
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Rhode Island
Vermont

Become a Partner!

Are you interested in partnering with AEO’s Regional Councils? To learn more, please complete the form below. A member of our team will promptly reach out to discuss your participation and guide you through the next steps.

Click Here

Regional Councils Launching!!!

Exciting News: We Are Launching This Fall!

This fall, AEO is thrilled to announce the launch of our Regional Councils, kicking off with an impactful Roadshow starting in Atlanta, Georgia! Be part of a dynamic series of events where we’ll dive into the unique challenges and opportunities facing small businesses and ecosystem partners in each region.

Our Roadshow, hosted at Federal Reserve Banks across the nation, will bring together key stakeholders from each region to explore the latest economic trends, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and connect with organizations dedicated to empowering small businesses.

We’ll continue our journey in the South and Midwest regions, with the West, Central, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast regions following in early 2025. Stay tuned for more updates as we bring together the voices shaping the future of small businesses across the country!