AEO Regional Councils - Association for Enterprise Opportunity

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 ten 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.

The AEO Regional Councils are designed to drive action, not just dialogue. Their key activities include:

In-Person Convenings:

Each region will host events, including roadshow stops, to tackle region-specific challenges. These events will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, and interactive workshops focused on collective action and community-driven solutions.

Webinars and Virtual Events:

To ensure broad participation, the Councils will also offer webinars on critical topics such as access to capital, policy advocacy, and digital transformation, providing ongoing learning and collaboration opportunities.

Strategic Partnership:

The Councils will form strategic partnerships with government agencies, private enterprises, foundations, and nonprofits, offering small businesses access to the tools and networks they need to succeed.

Advocacy and Policy Development:

The Councils will champion policies that support underrepresented small businesses, ensuring that their perspectives are reflected in local, state, and federal decision-making processes.

AEO Announces Regional Council National Convenings

AEO is excited to build on the success of our Leveraging Regionalism to Empower Small Businesses Summit, held May 2, 2024, which explored regional economic development strategies to bolster small business growth, focusing on equitable access, innovative financing, and leveraging technology to foster collaboration between stakeholders. Exciting News! AEO is proud to announce the launch of our Regional Councils with national ecosystem convenings – Leveraging Regionalism to Support Small Business – across ten key markets hosted at selected Federal Reserve Banks! These councils are designed to strengthen the local ecosystems that support small business growth, ensuring more equitable opportunities for entrepreneurs nationwide. Through these convenings, we’re bringing together key stakeholders to develop innovative solutions, share best practices, and drive impactful change for small business owners and the eco-system organizations that support them.